Pennridge opens with win over North Penn
EAST ROCKHILL >> With the infield lined with snow piles, Pennridge came outside Tuesday for a chilly 93-57 victory over rival North Penn, as the Rams began their quest for a fourth straight conference crown.
“Pretty cold out,” said a smiling Matt Eissler, who churned out victories in the 1,600 and 800 as well as anchoring home the winning 4×4. “We’re looking good. We’re looking really strong. We lost some key guys from last year but I think a lot of the guys are ready to step up and fill the spots.”
The Rams won nine of the 11 track events in the Suburban One League Continental Conference opener and managed three more victories in the field.
Eissler began the spring with a nice test, going against Knights distance ace Brendan O’Toole.
“I was kinda nervous going to the line. I didn’t know how hard we’d have to work today,” Eissler said of the 1,600. “It was a pretty good day today. I’m pretty thankful for the win.
“The race went like I planned. With about 200 to go, I wanted to see how it was and try to ease out.”
Eissler and O’Toole ran nearly stride for stride the first two or so laps, with Eissler pulling away to a win in 4:32.2.
“He’s a real good runner,” Eissler said of O’Toole, who went on to race to a victory in the 3,200. “It was a nice test because I hadn’t really raced the mile that much indoors so I wanted to see how much I had and I think I did pretty well.”
While Eissler helped take care of the distance events, Anderson Dimon motored to a pair of victories in the 100 and 400, and Ryan Sattele got going in the jumps, leaping to first places in both the long and triple.
North Penns CJ Young and Pennridges Vincent Polignano compete in the 100 high hurdles during their teams’ meet on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (Gene Walsh/Digital First Media)
Right Tool for the Job
O’Toole is back healthy for the Knights.
After missing indoor season with a knee injury, the senior won the 32 and took second in the 16.
“It’s just like running your first race ever — it was a little nerve-racking. But it felt good,” O’Toole said. “The two mile felt really smooth, nice and easy almost like a long-run pace and then just started to crank out some faster laps to get the legs moving a little bit.”
The Knights also saw some power in the field, as Tyreece Duke launched the javelin 146 feet to get his second win of the day along with the shot put.
