District 1 Track and Field: Munro makes fast work on way to two gold medals

CALN TWP. — Penncrest’s Daniel Munro won two gold medals at the District 1 Track & Field Championships in about the shortest amount of time possible Saturday.

Munro won the Class 3A 100-meter hurdles in 14.74 seconds, and then went right to the pole vault where he came out on top with a vault of 14-9.

“From the time the gun went off for the 110 hurdles to when I finished the pole vault it was 22 minutes, my father (Penncrest coach George Munro) told me,” the younger Munro said.

That’s not all that unusual, Munro said.

“Usually, I have an event that goes off right after I’m done the pole vault or right when I’m starting warmups,” Munro said.

This situation, though, was a little different. He came down awkwardly after clearing the eighth hurdle but still managed to win convincingly.

“I kind of landed on the side of my foot,” Munro said. “It still kind of hurts. It cost me like half a second. I think I could have gone 14.3 or 14.2.”

The issue did not bother him in the pole vault. He entered the competition at 13-6 and cleared that height, 14-0, 14-3 and 14-9 on his first attempts. He passed on 15-0 before moving the bar to 15-7 ¼.

“That was for the state rankings,” Munro said. “It would have been a quarter of an inch higher than Tristan’s jump (Tristan McGarragh of Butler). It just looks cooler and also it would have been No. 2 seed at states so I would have had a better seed.

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After missing the cut last year, Chester’s Walton Garnett vowed to make states this year. Although the hot and humid conditions made it difficult, Garnett was true to his word.

Garnett finished fifth in the Class 3A 400 (49.11) to automatically earn a trip to Shippensburg.

“This was a little challenging,” Garnett said. “I felt I could have done better because in trials I ran 48.60 and came back and ran 49.11. You could tell the heat kind of ate me up, took some of my energy, but, I still came out there and competed today. You have to show up, but states is probably where I’ll put it all down.”

Garnett is headed to Shippensburg in two events. He teamed with Kylie Harper, Quamere Cosby and Jaydon Bartum for fourth in the 4 x 400.

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Academy Park’s Eric Willis is headed to Shippensburg for the first time. He took fourth in the 100 in 10.91 seconds.

“That was one of my better times recently,” Willis said. “I haven’t hit too many under 11 yet. This year has not been as good as last year but I still have a week to improve and show my true speed.”

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Haverford’s Ethan Fingerhut said he ran scared for some reason in the 1,600 meters Friday. He did not make the same mistake in the 800 Saturday.

Fingerhut ran a personal best 1:54.99 to take fourth and punch his ticket to Shippensburg.

“I just made sure I got a solid start because I know I’m not going to be able to keep up with the front people,” Fingerhut said. “I’m not a sprinter so I made sure I was in a good spot so I wouldn’t have to put on too much at the end.”

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NOTES >> Springfield’s Robby Longo is headed states in two events. He followed a fifth-place finish in the long jump Friday with third in the triple jump Saturday with a personal best leap of 45-3. Penn Wood’s Tymeir Barnes also recorded his personal best (44-5) to place fourth and reach states. Ridley’s Kristian Praizner earned his second straight states trip with a fourth-place finish in the 300 hurdles (40.42).