North Penn powers past Souderton
FRANCONIA >> It’s competition that makes everything fly a little further for North Penn’s Tyreece Duke.
“Without the competition, I feel like I would be out here throwing just to throw,” the Knights’ senior said Tuesday afternoon, battling strong representative from rival Souderton. “I felt like I could have done even better (today). I’ve been averaging my (personal record) from last year. I know I can improve a little bit.”
Duke has been a staple this spring for the Knights, and he continued to win points in this Suburban One League Continental Conference matchup, throwing to a first-place finish in the javelin and a second-place finish in the shot put to help North Penn pull away to a 108-42 win over Big Red.
“Districts last year, hopefully states this year,” Duke said of where he would like his upcoming postseason to go.
Duke launched the jav 151 feet, 7 inches on his first throw of the competition, landing the winning mark. He also cracked 140 on his second throw, with a mark of 140-11.
Duke also threw the shot 42-4, with Souderton’s Kyle Jia taking top honors with a mark of 46-7. In a back-and-forth battle, North Penn was able to outscore a strong throws group for Big Red, by the count of 14-13.
Tyler Johns won the discus for the Knights, going further than all other throws with a 122-5, and he landed third in the shot put with a 41-6, also key.
Said Duke of how he got started in the shot, disc and jav: “My cousin did track so I just hopped on.”
Double Dip
Brendan O’Toole was a double winner for the Knights on the track, taking the 1,600 and 800, while Antonio Jimenez was leaping to a pair of victories in the jumps, clearing 5-6 in the high and getting out 19 feet in the long.
North Penn won two of the three relays as the Knights raised their conference record to 3-1, with home meets against Central Bucks South (Tuesday) and CB East (May 8) to close out the regular season.
Making Strides
Deandre Wakefield, just a sophomore, raced to victories in both the 100 and 200 dashes for Big Red (0-4).
“We’re such a young team that we’re starting to grow and starting to step up,” Big Red coach John Donahue said. “They’re at that point in the season where they’re starting to realize their potential.
“North Penn’s very strong this year, the fact they beat CB West (last Thursday), and we held our own against them in several events so that was good news for us.”
Souderton is on the road in its final two dual meets: at Central Bucks West Tuesday, at Central Bucks South on May 8.
Both the Knights and Indians compete at the Penn Relays on Friday at Franklin Field.
