PV’s Warren heads long success for PAC girls on Day 1

CALN >> The Pioneer Athletic Conference girls fared especially well in the long jump during the first day of the District 1 Track & Field Championships Friday at Coatesville Area High School.
PAC-10 schools featured four medalists among the top eight in the Class AAA long jump, led by Perkiomen Valley freshman Christina Warren, who turned in a silver-medal performance with a leap of 18 feet, 2 inches. Boyertown’s Becca Hemingway came in third at 18-0¼ while Methacton’s Rainah Dunham finished sixth at 17-8¾, and Perkiomen Valley’s Rebekah Bondi placed seventh at 17-8¾.

Cheltenham sophomore Madison Langley-Walker earned the gold with a leap of 18-7½.

Warren held her second-place seeding in the event, which had her check in with a mark of 18-5½ and Langley-Walker at 18-8.

All eight girls who placed advanced to next weekend’s PIAA Championships at Shippensburg University.

Day two begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with rain in the forecast. However, the meet is scheduled to proceed despite the weather. Field events will continue one after another once they start Saturday and there will be no break in the schedule as usually takes place.

Methacton sophomore Fallon Brown came in fourth in the pole vault at 10-6. Council Rock South senior Dominique Franco established a new district record with a height of 12-6 with her seeding mark even higher at 12-7½. The top six finishers advanced to states, and since there was a tie for sixth place, seven girls will advance. That includes Owen J. Roberts junior Savanna Sachar, who cleared 10-0.

“I am excited,” said Brown. “I made 10-6 on my second attempt.”

Phoenixville’s Susanna Shier cleared 10 feet in the pole vault, which put her in a tie for 11th place.

In the shot put, Perkiomen Valley’s KT Armstrong finished sixth at 37-1½ and advanced to states while Boyertown’s Sarafina Valenti finished seventh at 36-10¼.

“It was a really good day,” said Armstrong. “I am going to states next week. I wan to keep improving and keep building.”

“Everyone had a good throw,” said Valenti. “There were a lot of PRs today.”

Spring-Ford junior Aleigha Johnson finished in a three-way tie for eighth place in the high jump at 5-1. Central Bucks South junior Valerie Przekop won the high jump at 5-7.

In the javelin, Pottsgrove sophomore Anna Myers finished ninth with a toss of 114-2.

Owen J. Roberts senior Harley Ginnona was 11th at 106-10, and Phoenixville sophomore Ashlyn Duda finished in a two-way tie for 12th place with a throw of 106-8.

Villa Maria Academy’s Erin Zimmerman won the first-place gold medal in the javelin with a heave of 138-0.

Numerous girls advanced to the finals by reaching qualifying times in the preliminaries. In the 4×800 relay, Perkiomen Valley had the best time at 9:21.99 with Owen J. Roberts second at 9:22.03 and Spring-Ford fourth at 9:22.18. The Perkiomen Valley team consisted of junior Michele Daniels, sophomore Julia Dorley, junior Annie Glodek and senior Karleigh White. Owen J. Roberts consisted of senior Megan Bernotas, sophomore Mary Bernotas, freshman Emma Torak and junior Ally Brunton. Spring-Ford’s unit was comprised of freshman Emily Smith, sophomore Jenna Darlington, junior Bella Marchini and freshman Nandini Patel.

Perkiomen Valley’s Warren advanced in the 100-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.38, which was third-best. The 100 hurdles were led by Cheltenahm’s Chanel Brissett at 13.45, which broke the district meet record of 13.65 set by Cheltenham’s Clara Leonard in 2015. In the 200, Duffy was sixth at 25.30 with Owen J. Roberts’ Teneisha Myers seventh at 25.31.

Methacton’s Caroline Duffy had the fourth-best time in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at 45.49 and advanced along with Pope John Paul II’s Bridgit Plate, who was seventh at 46.04.

In the 800-meter run, Owen J. Roberts’ Brunton had the fifth-best time at 2:15.31. Boyertown’s Gillian Kasitz ran a 2:19.75. Kasitz also ran a 5:07.46 in the 1,600, which was seventh-best.

In the 100-meter dash, Myers was clocked at 12.38 for fourth in the event. Perkiomen Valley’s Cheyenne Churchville ran a 12.71 for 11th.