Big night for locals at Jack Armstrong Invitational

ABINGTON — Lillian DiCola called it “P.R. weather,” and that’s exactly what she was striving for during her four fast laps around the Schwarzman Stadium track on this warm, breezy night at Abington High.

“I was just trying to P.R. by a lot,” Hatboro-Horsham’s standout freshman said of the mile run. “I was trying to keep going, push through everything and never settle.”

DiCola won the 1,600 by 16 seconds, crossing the finish line in 5 minutes, 21.24 seconds. She added another impressive run later in the evening, setting a personal record in the 800 with a 2:30.61, good for third place.

The Hatter distance ace was part of a big night on the track and in the field for local competitors at the 12th Annual Jack Armstrong Invitational.

“I feel good. I’m excited for the next few weeks and seeing what I’m gonna be able to do,” said DiCola.

Already a state medalist in her first year of cross country back in the fall, DiCola is racking up her share of impressive races during the spring.

“I’m trying to get under 5:10,” she said of the mile. “And just do whatever I can in the 800 to P.R. I wanna get under 11 in the two mile.”

It was quite a night for both North Penn and Cheltenham.

The Knights record four first places, thanks to the 4×100 relay (49.26), Megan Chester in the 800 (2:25.85), Madison Gee in the long jump (15-8.5), and the Dominique Bethel in the discus (105-0).

The Panthers’ Eyota Bey continued her excellence in the sprints, as she dashed to victory in the 100 (12.29) and 200 (25.54).

Donya Baxter won the shot put for the Panthers and Mariah Winfield took care of the 300 hurdles (47.32).

“Right before the race, I was a little nervous, but once I got out of the blocks, I executed like my coach said,” said Winfield.

The Cheltenham junior P.R.’d and ran a top-50 time in the state.

“I knew the last 100 meters would be the biggest and hardest part,” she said. “So I just had to make sure my form was correct because that’s gonna carry me across the finish line.

“Last year was bitter-sweet for me. My times kept dropping but I had gotten injured. I want to qualify for districts, maybe even get to states, and just go from there.”

Cheltenham’s success carried out into the field, where Eli Leidtka threw 118-1 in the discus for first place in the boys event.

Lansdale Catholic’s Anthony Gargani had himself a day in the distance events, winning both the 1,600 (4:22.83) and 800 (2:00.90), and North Penn took both the 100 hurdles (Xavier Bryan-Booth, 16.01) and 100 dash (Marc Cobbs, 11.03).

Host Abington raced to victory in the 4×400 relay and got wins from Azhar Turner in the long jump (19-0) and from Elijah Wesley in the javelin (131-8).

12th Annual Jack Armstrong Invitational

at Abington

Girls

100 hurdles: Clara Benner (Dock) 16.61; 100: Eyota Bey (Cheltenham) 12.29; 200: Bey (Cheltenham) 25.54; 300 hurdles: Mariah Winfield (Cheltenham) 47.32; 4×800 relay: Lower Moreland, 9:59.49; 1,600: Lillian DiCola (Hatboro-Horsham) 5:21.24; 4×100 relay: North Penn, 49.26; 400: Janiyah Black (Abington) 1:00.57; 800: Megan Chester (North Penn) 2:25.85; 3,200: Amelia Ogawa (Lower Moreland) 11:44.35; 4×400 relay: North Penn, 4:05.64; High Jump: Meaghan Garlick (Lansdale Catholic) 4-10; Pole Vault: Reva Naik (Upper Moreland) 8-6; Long Jump: Madison Gee (North Penn) 15-8.5; Triple Jump: Tiffany Oponski (Dock) 31-0; Discus: Dominique Bethel (North Penn) 105-0; Javelin: Angela Manila (Upper Moreland) 111-3; Shot Put: Donya Baxter (Cheltenham) 37-4.25.

Boys

110 hurdles: Xavier Bryan-Booth (North Penn) 16.01; 100: Marc Cobbs (North Penn) 11.03; 200: Jayden Horton-Mims (Imhotep) 22.56; 300 hurdles: Terry Dweh (Penn Wood) 42.87; 4×800 relay: Hatboro-Horsham, 8:16.72; 1,600: Anthony Gargani (Lansdale Catholic) 4:22.83; 4×100 relay: Imhotep Charter, 43.37; 400: Kouto Anyika (Penn Wood) 49.84; 800: Anthony Gargani (Lansdale Catholic) 2:00.90; 3,200: Brian DiCola (Hatboro-Horsham) 9:33; 4×400 relay: Abington, 3:27.84; High Jump: Donta Hayes (Penn Wood) 5-8; Pole Vault: Micah Mast (Dock) 11-6; Long Jump: Azhar Turner (Abington) 19-0; Triple Jump: Cole Jackson (Hatboro-Horsham) 39-11; Discus: Eli Leidtka (Cheltenham) 118-1; Javelin: Elijah Wesley (Abington) 131-8; Shot Put: Beyan Washington (Penn Wood) 45-1.