Penn Wood teammates help Kanneh earn third medal

SHIPPENSBURG >> Dennis Manyeah, Ndiaga Seck and Kenny Johnson weren’t running for themselves or even each other in the boys Class AAA 4 x 400-meter relay final Saturday.
They were running for Penn Wood teammate Sekou Kanneh.
Kanneh had two medals heading into the final event at the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University following a fourth-place finish in the 300-meter hurdles and a sixth-place in the 110 hurdles.
“We wanted to make sure he got a third medal,” Manyeah said.
That would have been no problem in a normal year. The eight teams that make the final earn a medal, provided they finish or are not disqualified. However, because the trials in the 4 x 400 were halted by the weather Friday, the 24 teams were reseeded and the four heats were run as a timed final.
Since Penn Wood was in the next to last heat, and not the hot heat, there was a chance that the Patriots would come up empty, but they did not.
The quartet turned in a blistering time of 3:17.45 to finish fourth and earn Kanneh a coveted third medal.
“Sekou made us proud,” Manyeah said. “We had to do it for him.”
The Patriots did have another motive to earn a medal. Manyeah said Penn Wood coach Len Jordan said he would take the group to nationals if they ran 3:17 in the state final.
Mostly, though, running well and earning a medal was about getting Kanneh a third piece of hardware.
“What he did motivated us,” Johnson said. “He made us want to run harder.”
Kanneh’s path to three medals was not an easy one. First, he had to qualify for the 110 finals. He finished fifth in his heat, which was a plus because he was in the fast heat. However, it meant he was in one of the outside lanes and it’s tough to win from that spot.
“I tried my hardest but the lane I was in, there wasn’t much I could do,” Kanneh said.
About 90 minutes later, Kanneh was even with eventual winner Ayden Owens of North Allegheny midway through the race until he clipped a hurdle.
“I tried to take it too early and I messed up,” Kanneh said. “It threw me way off. I lost my balance. I had to collect myself and get it all back together. He (Owens) passed right by me.”
Kanneh recovered to finish fourth.
“I wish I was there so I could fight him at the end,” Kanneh said. “I tried to come back but he already was too far ahead.”
Kanneh’s disappointment vanished as he stepped on the awards podium for his second individual medal of the day.
“I didn’t even make it to states last year so to get two medals, feels good,” Kanneh said after the 300 hurdles. “I hope I can get a third.”
He would, thanks to his teammates. They made sure of it.