State-bound Chester County girls on fast track at Districts

Caln >> While a number of Chester County girls earned spots at the PIAA state track championships during the past two days at the District 1 Track & Field Championships, this weekend’s Districts will hold a special memory for Coatesville senior Brooke Hutton.
In her final race on the Coatesville High School track Saturday morning, Hutton won the Class AAA girls 3,200 meter run with a time of 10:50.05, more than six seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.
“I’m so glad my last race at Coatesville ended like this,” said Hutton, who will be attending Duquesne University next fall, majoring in physical therapy. “It’s so great winning the district title, finishing strong surrounded by family and friends and all of the people who have supported me throughout the years. My biggest memory was passing the last girl going into the last lap, finishing strong in front of family and friends was really great.
“It was a little cold out there, and my legs went a little numb in the first few laps. But once you warmed up enough, it was fine. When I crossed the finish line I was so happy; I’ve been waiting for this moment for so many years, to be able to finish first at the District championship; at first I almost couldn’t believe it, I was so happy.”
Coatesville girls’ track coach Keith Andrew said, “Watching Brooke win the 3,200 was uplifting. She’s battled injuries and illnesses the past few years, and today was the strongest I’ve seen her run since she was a freshman. Seeing her run today gave me flashbacks to her freshman year.”
Another Chesco senior runner who battled through adversity for a high finish was Conestoga’s Grace Lanouette, who finished third in the Class AAA 100 meter dash with a time of 12.32. Lanouette finished second at both Districts and States last year in the 100, but she suffered a sprain in her left foot at the recent Central League Championships while running the 200 (she will only run the 100 at States).
“I was just trying to get by as best I could today,” said a smiling Lanouette after Saturday’s Class AAA 100 final. “Hopefully by States I’ll be feeling better and come back stronger.”
West Chester Rustin senior Alessia Mattera was a busy athlete at the District 1 championships, picking up three district medals this weekend and finishing first in the Class AAA discus finals Saturday with a toss of 117-04. She also earned medals in shot put (seventh place, 36-03.25) and javelin (eighth, 114-11) Friday.
Rustin had three girls qualify for States in the discus final Saturday – Mattera, and juniors Ashley Muliawan (fourth place, 109-07) and Zhayria Washington (fifth, 109-06).
The Coatesville girls, which finished third in the Class AAA team standings at the end of the District 1 championships, had a number of high finishers Saturday.
Red Raider junior Arianna Eberly, who was seeded sixth in the Class AAA 300 hurdle finals, grabbed third place with a time of 44.23.
“I attacked that first hurdle, and ran a good all-around race,” said Eberly. “Going into States, I’m looking to get more smooth [in technique].”
Her classmate, Coatesville junior Porsha Miles, placed seventh in the 300 hurdles with a clocking of 45.53.
Eberly and Miles, like several of their Red Raider teammates, competed in a solid number of events at Districts this weekend, and Eberly credited workouts by Coatesville track alum Terrance Laird, who now runs for Penn State.
“His workouts have really preapred us for competing in multiple events,” noted Eberly.
Coatesville’s 4×100 state-bound quartet of Patrisha Rokins, Porsha Miles, Sammie Miller and Arianna Eberly finished second in the Class AAA final to Cheltenham Saturday, posting a time of 48.08. Friday, this quartet posted a personal best of 47.90 in the prelimainries. The Red Raiders’ 4×400 relay also finished second in the AAA final Saturday, with a clocking of 3:53.74.
West Chester East had a couple of distance runners advance to States, sophomore Allyson Clarke and senior Hanna Kelly.
Clarke finished second in the Class AAA 3,200 meter (10:56.37), and seventh in the 1,600 meter run (5:10.73).
“I’m pleased with the way I ran,” said Clarke. “That 5:10 could be a PR for me. I was pleased that I could do that time at that distance.”
Kelly finished fourth in the 1,600 meter run (5:08.90), and this will be her first time at outdoor States.
“I was really pleased, I’ve been trying to go to [outdoor] States for three years,” said Kelly. “[The race] started out really slow, and I kind of got boxed in, but then I got out of it. It was great to be running the race with Ally [Clarke].”
Bishop Shanahan senior Shannon Cody finished six in the 1,600 meter run, with a clocking of 5:09.86 (SQS was 5:10).
Great Valley junior Amy Willig finished fifth in the Class AAA 800 meter race (2:15.14), and will be headed to States, but it won’t be for the first time. As a freshman, she anchored the Patriots’ 4×800 that placed fourth at States.