Dock 4×4 bucks the odds, Souderton has big day in the field at PIAA Championships
SHIPPENSBURG >> The Christopher Dock boys 4×400-meter relay was seeded 21st going into Saturday and battled its way to the medal stand.
With a time of 3 minutes, 28.80 seconds, the Pioneers placed eighth in Class AA, pushing their point total to 35 and capping an impressive third-place finish in the team scoring.
“It feels great, because after all the hard work this season, we were able to get up there and be one of the top eight teams in the state,” Joe Thompson said.
Josh Wolfe led off for the Pioneers, then handed the baton to Thompson, another senior, who was followed by Ian Anderson and then Austin Kratz anchored it home.
The race — the final event of the day on a blistering day at Shipp — provided quite a climax to the weekend for the Pioneer foursome.
“I came in today not expecting to score any points at all — I was just glad to be here,” Anderson said. “To be on the podium as a sophomore, it feels really good — I’m not gonna lie.”
With Kratz, a four-medal winner over the weekend, and Anderson returning, the team is in good hands. Dock’s seniors leave as District One Champions and as a team that finished third in the state.
“That’s how we’re gonna be remembered,” Wolfe said. “I’m very happy about that.”
Big things ahead for Big Red
Souderton Area made several trips to the medal stand at Shippensburg University, with serious intentions of making it back.
“I feel like I should have done better, especially with the time I ran (Friday),” said junior Stephen Scott, who raced to a fifth-place medal in the 300-meter hurdles. “I felt like I could have improved off of that.
“I still have one more year so hopefully I can learn from this.”
Scott was impressive in his first trip to states, part of a strong trio for the Souderton boys. Adding to the fifth-place medal he earned in the triple jump on Friday, junior Shamar Jenkins earned bronze in the long jump on Saturday.
Senior Colin Harker came through with a fifth-place medal in the 100 hurdles, as Souderton cracked the top 10 in a field of 78 teams, tying North Pocono for 10th with 18 points.
Big Red hopes it’s just a taste of things to come.
“I’m happy that I medaled,” Scott said. “I think I just have to realize that this is my first year and I improved so much, dropping off three seconds from last year. So I have to be happy with what I did this year and hopefully I go nowhere but up.”
A bronze for O’Malley
On the girls side for Souderton Area, junior Moira O’Malley reached the medal stand, earning bronze in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 7 inches.
“I feel like I could have done better but I’m happy,” O’Malley said. “I was kind of hoping for another PR today but I did better than last week (at districts).”
O’Malley was flawless for much of the day, clearing every height on her first attempt until 5-8.
She enjoyed her state experience.
“Now I know what I have for next year,” the junior said.
O’Malley will compete at the Nationals in June, both in the high jump and as a member of the sprint medley team.
Also for the Big Red girls, Emily Bonaventure added a medal, placing eighth in the 1,600.
