Eburuoh’s fast triple jump study earns a medal

The first time Cardinal O’Hara senior Schola Eburuoh attempted the triple jump in competition was April 30 in the meet that used to be known as the Catholic League Southern Division Championships.

Less than two months later Eburuoh stood on the awards stand at Shippensburg’s Seth Grove Stadium with a state medal hanging from her neck.

Eburuoh leaped a career-best 38 feet, 4½ inches to finish sixth in the girls Class 3A triple jump at the PIAA Track & Field Championships. And she’s not done. Eburuoh is the eighth seed in Saturday’s long jump.

Eburuoh’s effort highlighted a good day for the Lions. Olivia Arizin and Christine Mancini qualified for the final in the girls 3A 800-meter run. Arizin, the defending champ in the event, turned in the fastest time in the preliminary round (2:12.15).

Overall, it was an up and down day for the Delco girls.

Upper Darby had the fastest time in the 4 x 400-meter relay. Strath Haven qualified for the final in both the 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relays, and Penn Wood’s Tatiyana Laylor earned a spot in the 3A 100 semifinals.

Upper Darby’s Sugar Henry was 18th in the 3A triple jump (35-1). In the only other medal events involving Delco athletes, Cecilia Katcavage of Haverford High finished 16th in the girls 3A shot put (37-4). Lorielle Laforest and Olivia Riley from Cardinal O’Hara placed 24th and 26th in that event with puts of 34-2¼ and 32-8¼, respectively.

However, Cardinal O’Hara was not able to give Delco three teams in the 4 x 400 final. Garnet Valley and Archbishop Carroll could not make the 4 x 800 championship. Ridley’s Senna Ohlsson Penn Wood’s Kyra Carroll did not make it back for the 3A 800-meter final. Penn Wood’s Elicia Moore didn’t get through to the 3A 400-meter final.

Bonner & Prendie junior Jenna Rastatter turned in her best time in the 1,600 by five seconds (5:32.16).

Unfortunately, that was not enough to qualify for the final. Teammates Jewel Ford (100) and Alaina Johnson (300 hurdles) also came up short in their bids to move on.

In Class 2A, Kayleigh Doyle’s first trip to the state meet got off to a good start. The freshman from Sacred Heart had the fourth-fastest time in the qualifying round (5:13.13) to advance to Saturday’s 1,600-meter final. However, teammate Emma Seifried did not make it back for the final in the 1,600. Both, though, are entered in the 3,200, where Seifried is a two-time silver medal winner.

Maggie Linton of Delco Christian advanced to Saturday’s 800-meter final.

Collingdale native Sydni Townsend of Neumann-Goretti moved on to the semis in the 100- and 30-meter hurdles. Teammate Elizia Brooks (Brookhaven) made it through to the semis in the 100-meter dash with the fourth-best time (12.40).

Defending state champ Thelma Davies turned in the best time in the 100- and 200-meter prelims She ran 11.93 in the 100 and 24.70 in the 200.