Pottsgrove sweeps track and field border battle with Pottstown

LOWER POTTSGROVE >> The numbers may be down, but the enthusiasm was very much up.

Sporting events involving Pottsgrove and Pottstown always generate a high level of excitement. That was again the case Thursday when the schools’ track and field programs faced off at Pottsgrove, renewing their neighborhood rivalry after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down spring sports in 2020.

The Falcons won both ends of the meet: The boys 77-59, the girls 112-24. And while the lighter numbers resulted in some events not being conducted, and others with just one team competing, the energy level was solidly present.

“We had only nine days practice in 2020,” Pottsgrove’s new head coach, Dean Wright, said after seeing his boys win their first meet of the season. “The numbers are smaller, but the kids are anxious for track and field since that (spring 2020) was the only season cancelled.”

The excitement level got ratcheted up with the running of the boys’ 800 meters. Darius Smallwood, announced as going for the Pottstown school record in the race, went on to win the event by more than 27 seconds over Pottsgrove’s Brendan Vaughan.

Smallwood’s 1:53.27 clocking didn’t quite erase the 1:52 standard set by Bruce Carter in 1968. But it pushed his personal best in the event further down from the 1:59 qualifying time for the District 1 meet, and reinforced his standing as first in Pennsylvania and among the nation’s leaders.

“Our other PAC meets, I got it down to 1:54 and 1:53,” he said. “My hardest kick was the last 200 yards.”

His to-do list for track includes getting the school mark in the 400, which stands at 49.11. He noted running a 49.26 split as part of the Trojans’ 4×400 relay in one race.

“Darius is a special kid,” new Pottstown head coach Justin Gibbs added. “Every meet has been a personal record. He’s a ball full of joy.”

Pottstown’s new girls track coach, Victoria Collins, has been influential in Smallwood’s progression in the 800. Being a star for the school’s cross country team this past fall has given him even more upside in the spring.

“With his background under his belt,” Collins noted, “we’ve been working on his speed and dynamics. He got the distance training in.”

The Pottsgrove boys were bolstered by the two-win showings of Demetrius Carter and Cory Scott. Carter swept the sprints with times of 11,33 in the 100 and 23.54 in the 200, and Scott headed the shot put (38-2 1/2) and javelin (102-9).

A unique situation developed in the boys 3,200, where the Korman brothers went 1-2 in a close finish. Daniel Korman won the race in 12:24.95 ahead of Jonah, who ran a 12:34.60.

“Overall, I’m pleased,” Wright said.

On the girls’ side, Pottsgrove got three wins from Emily Krause and two-win efforts from Hailey Strain and Nevada Grant.

Krause swept the throwing events with her firsts in the shot put (30-7), discus (73-7 1/2) and javelin (54-1). Strain swept the hurdles, going 17.79 in the 100 lows and 52.87 in the 300 intermediates, and Grant won the triple jump (29-5 3/4) and high jump (4-8).

The highlight for Pottstown’s girls were Zoe Earle’s two firsts in sprint events — she ran a 13.45 100 and a 28.45 200 — Juliana Figueroa hitting a personal best 7-foot-6 on the way to winning the pole vault, and Layla Bearden with a PR throw of 27-6 good for second place in the event.

The Pottstown boys provided the meet’s final exciting moment with their 4×400 relay beating Pottsgrove by less than two seconds. Ethan Masciewitz, Smallwood, Christian Albert and Rashean Bostic clocked a 3:51.88 to overtake the Falcons’ foursome, which crossed the line in 3:53.65.

“The 4×400 … I love that,” Gibbs, himself a competitor in that event during his high-school days, said. “To me, that’s the heart and soul of a meet. Everyone is tuned into it.”

NOTES >> Naomi Hillen’s victory in the girls 1,600 (5:42.55) came a full two minutes ahead of the runner-up. Just as significant was how the Pottsgrove senior finished third in the combined boy-girl field, four seconds ahead of Pottstown leader Albert Christian. … The Falcon girls’ sweep of the relays came as they were unopposed in the 4×400 and 4×800 races. … Smallwood on the considerably-cooler weather conditions Thursday, in comparison to Wednesday’s temperatures in the 80s: “I’m glad the weather was like it was today. There was a nice little breeze, and it got hot but then there was a little rain.”