Coatesville boys capture back-to-back District 1 team titles for 1st time in 65 years

Caln >> Defending PIAA District 1 Class AAA champion Coatesville captured its second consecutive team title at the PIAA District 1 Track & Field Championships Saturday – the first time the Red Raiders had done that since 1954, according to head coach Damien Henry.
“It starts with our competitive young men being willing to sacrifice for their teammates,” said Henry. “Aaron Young tweaked his hamstring in the 100 meter dash semifinals earlier today, so Camari Stocker stepped in for him in the 4×100 (which the Red Raiders won). Then, Aaron hung in there and finished second in the javelin.”
Coatesville finished with 71 team points, ahead of second-place Neshaminy (56), followed by Central Bucks West (46) and Downingtown West (41). Downingtown East (tied for 13th) and Unionville (tied for 20th) were the only other Chesco boys teams to finish in the top 20.
The Red Raiders finished first in the Class AAA boys’ 4×100 finals with a clocking of 41.67 and a lineup of Dapree Bryant, Eric Kirk, Camari Stocker (filling in for Aaron Young) and Dymere Miller.
“We really picked it up today, I feel like we’ve gotten stronger,” said Miller, who also finished second in the 200 meter dash Saturday. “I can’t wait until States.”
Meanwhile, over in the javelin field, Coatesville junior Ricky Ortega finished first with a PR of 195 feet, 10 inches, and teammate Aron Young finished second with a mark of 187-9. Ortega’s performance was an improvement over last year, when he threw 176-11 at Districts (second place) and 180-11 at States (seventh place).
“I attacked it more this time, and I was well-prepared by my coach,” said Ortega. “The technique had to do with the number of steps I was taking and with how I was throwing it. It was a little thing, but it made a big difference. I’m going to try to win it at States.”
Young will be making his first trip to States for the javelin, as his throw of 187-9 was a sizable improvement over his mark of 163-10 at Districts last year (for seventh place).
“The key for me was staying relaxed,” said Young.
Coatesville also did well in the final event of the day, the 4×400 relay, where the Red Raiders finished fourth (3:19.96) to advance to States with a quartet of Artie Burgess, Camari Stocker, CJ Brown and anchor Jahmir Carter.
“I feel really good about our race today – we’ve been improving this season,” said Carter. “We’ll be trying to improve next week at States.”
Downingtown West, who finished fourth in the team standings, had a number of strong performances. The Whippets finished second in the 4×100 relay, posting a time of 41.76 with a lineup of sophomore Julian Williams, junior Marcus Gainer, junior Spencer Mochulski and junior Terrence Gainer.
“The handoffs were key for us today,” said Gainer.
Downingtown West captured two of the top five spots in the 300 meter hirdles, as junior Ethan Robinson finished second (38.81) and senior Tawo Ayambem placed fifth (40.05). Both of them advance to States.
“The key has been training with Tawo,” said Robinson. “We drive each other.”
Ayambem, whose PR in the 300 hurdles last year was 41.91, and is more experienced in the 110 hurdles, noted, “I think 300 hurdles are more of a mental exercise than the 110.”
Robinson also finished fourth in the 110 meter hurdles (15.13). Last year, he finished fourth at Districts with a time of 15.26.
The Whippets captured the fourth through sixth place in the 3200 meter run, with Payton Sewall (fourth, with a state-qualifying mark of 9:30.49), Aiden Barnhill (fifth) and Declan Rymer (sixth). By finishing in the top five, Sewall and Barnhill automatically advanced to States.
Individually, Bishop Shanahan junior Jonah Hoey was a standout Saturday, finishing first in the Class AAA 1600 meter run (4:20.13), Last year at Districts, he placed second (4:23.90) then went on to finish second at States (4:17.70).
“At the start of the race I was pretty surprised at how slow it went out, but I just tried to stay relaxed and prepare myself for a big kick at the end,” said Hoey. “I felt really smooth through the first three laps, I tried to shut my brain off and get ready to kick.
“I was originally thinking that I would try to build from 300 out, but I decided to go a little bit earlier since I had confidence in the work I’ve been doing the past couple of weeks. Then with 150 to go I started my kick to the line. It was a good racing experience since I haven’t raced a ton this year, and I’m excited to head to States next week.”
Chester County runners held down four of the top six spots in the Class AAA 1600 meter run, as West Chester East junior Joshua Lewin was third (4:22.80), Downingtown East senior Joseph Chamoun was fifth (4:24.87) and Unionville sophomore Ethan McIntyre was sixth (4:25.75). Lewin and Chamoun, who finished in the top five, automatically qualified for States.
Another individual standout Saturday was Unionville junior Cole Walker, who won the Class AAA 3200 meter run with a strong finish and a clocking of 9:27.54. Last year, Walker was fourth at Districts (9:30.30) and eighth at States (9:34.21).
“I was planning to finish strong today, I didn’t want to use up [my energy] early,” said Walker. “I felt confident, even early in the race.”
In the Class AA boys team standings, Church Farm School finished in second place with 101 points, behind first-place Dock Mennonite Academy (120.50). In the individual events, James Cromartie was first in the triple jump (40-6.25), third in the 200-meter dash and second in the long jump; Jason Lavoe finished third in the 100 meter dash; Jalen Sampson was second in the 400 meter dash; and Nathan Gao placed second in shot put.
In other Chester County boys highlights at the PIAA District 1 Track & Field Championships Saturday:
– Two Chester County seniors finished in the top three at the 200 meter dash – Coatesville’s Dymere Miller (second place, 21.83) and Downingtown East’s Zach DeLone (third, 21.87).
– Kennett senior Pierce Genereux finished third in the Class AAA pole vault with a mark of 14-0. Last year he placed eighth at Districts.
– The Downingtown East 4×100 relay team finished fifth (42.86) with a lineup of Dan Andris, Zach DeLone, Anish Ponna and Khalil Brown.
– Downingtown East senior Khalil Brown finished fourth in the Class AAA long jump with a leap of 21-11.25. As a top five finisher, he is headed to States.
– West Chester East senior Charlie Webb finished sixth in the Class AAA 300 meter hurdles (40.07) and seventh in the 110 meter hurdles (15.52).
– In the Class AAA 100 meter dash, two Chester County runners finished in the top eight – Downingtown East senior Zach DeLone was sixth (11.17) and Coatesville senior Eric Kirk was eighth (11.31). For the Class AAA boys, the top five automatically qualified for States, and the athletes in spots 6-8 qualified if they attained the state qualifying standard (11.10 in this event).