Owen J. Roberts’ relay, Boyertown’s Shalaway head local qualifiers

A total of 34 Pioneer Athletic Conference student-athletes, including 24 girls and 10 boys, comprise this year’s contingent for representation at the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University this Friday and Saturday.

The highest local seeds are the Owen J. Roberts girls’ 4×800 relay that comes in at No. 2 with a time of 9:15.05. The Wildcats’ team consists of Megan Bernotas, Emma Torak, Mary Bernotas and Ally Brunton on the anchor leg. On the boys’ side, Boyertown javelin thrower Elijah Shalaway is the second seed at 199 feet, 8 inches.

District 1 kingpin North Penn is the only girls’ relay team seeded higher than the Wildcats with a time of 9:13.77. The only javelin thrower with a better heave entering this weekend’s competition is North Allegheny’s Andrew Manz, who checks in at 208-7.

Methacton’s Caroline Duffy is ranked fourth in the 200-meter dash at 24.58 seconds, and she is fifth in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at 44.21.

Phoenixville’s Sean McGinnis is seeded fifth in the 800-meter run at 1:55.64. McGinnis is anxious to improve upon last year’s showing at states when he had a time of 1:55.99 for 12th place.

“This year when I race, I run the race,” said McGinnis. “I try to keep my eyes focused on the last 200 or 300 meters.”
McGinnis has always featured a big late kick in his distance running, and he would like to do it one last time in these races at states with hopes of landing a medal.

Perkiomen Valley’s Annie Glodek is seeded 10th in the 3,200-meter run at 10:54.12. Perkiomen Valley freshman sensation Christina Warren is seeded 10th in the long jump at 18-2. Boyertown’s Becca Hemingway is seeded right behind her at No. 11 with a leap of 18-0¼. Warren is also seeded 11th in the triple jump at 37-4.

Methacton’s 4×100 relay seeded sixth at 48.61 with a team of Lauren Prusacki, Amy Domenick, Rainah Dunham and Duffy.

Owen J. Roberts boys distance standout Liam Conway is seeded eighth in the 1,600 at 4:18,58. Upper Perkiomen’s Eli Soto is seeded 10th in the javelin aqt 185-4.

Brunton comes in at No. 12 in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:15.64.

Pottstown will be represented by London Gregory in the high jump. Gregory is ranked No. 20 with a height of 6-1.