PIAA Track and Field Championships: Two golds for Pennridge’s Gant, North Penn’s Nugent takes 300 hurdles, CB West girls 4×4 golden again

SHIPPENSBURG >> Pennridge’s Joey Gant points to a now vacant stretch of the Shippensburg University track.

It’s roughly the same spot he began his final surge to a gold medal in the 200-meter dash just moments earlier.

But the Ram senior speaks of a different moment in time.

“Last year…100 finals…I tear my hamstring,” he recalls. “Lane eight in the 100. That was brutal. Today, I wanted to have a big day. I was thinking about that moment the whole time.”

Gant dashed to not one but two gold medals Saturday afternoon at Shippensburg University, winning the PIAA Class 3A 100- and 200-meter races in style.

“My first two outdoor medals (at states) ever,” the Princeton-bound senior says. “Everything came together — I’m so excited.”

Gant’s golds were part of a big day by local competitors at states.

North Penn’s Devin Nugent raced to the gold medal in the 300 hurdles and the Central Bucks West 4×400 relay team of Claire Dalsass, Maile McFadden, Kate Edenson and Mimi Duffy ensured the Bucks won the event for the third consecutive season (2019, ’21, 22; 2020 cancelled due to COVID).

West’s fantastic 4×4 capped the day with a winning time of 3:50.83, holding off challenger J.P. McCaskey (3:51.53).

Gant began his afternoon by winning the 100 dash title in 10.74 seconds, edging Wilson Area’s Damon Simpson (10.74) at the finish.

“I really did not expect to win the 100 because my start is not the greatest,” Gant said. “It’s usually my closing speed that helps me win races. My start really helped me out. It was a great race.

“I love running the 100. If I can work on my start, I could drop some really good times.”

He wasn’t finished.

Gant later raced to victory in the 200, crossing the finish line in 21.15 seconds. Williamsport Area’s Cameron Sims was closest to him in 21.35.

“It felt great. I’m usually able to maintain my speed a little bit longer than everybody else,” Gant said. “I was behind (Sims) coming off the curve but I still felt like I was in a good spot. I’m pretty confident in my closing speed, and I can feel myself gaining little by little.

“Maybe with about 40 meters left, I caught (Sims), and I was like, this is good.”

On Saturday at Shipp, Gant made far different memories than the one of a year ago, which drove him all season.

“It made me more aware of what my body can handle. I needed to take care of my body more,” he said. “Before, I would be running four events at dual meets and killing myself at every invitational. This year, I was able to pick and choose what I wanted to run and it kept me healthy the whole season.”

Nugent was another senior who experienced his first taste of glory at Shipp.

“Last year, I ran the open 400, and I didn’t medal,” he said. “To go from not medaling to being first is the greatest feeling.”

Nugent, a versatile standout who can do both the sprints and the hurdles at a high level, seized the gold in the 300’s in 37.65 seconds. Brad Cantoral of Archbishop Ryan was the silver medalist in 38.15.

Amazingly, it was only the third time this year Nugent did the 300 hurdles at a meet. Last week’s district championships was the first time this spring.

“I won’t say superhero yet, but a superhero in the making,” Nugent said with a smile.

The North Penn senior went on to anchor the Knights’ 4×400 relay to a bronze medal in 3:19.76. Anthony Ayala Jr., Marc Cobbs and Gavin Zanck ran the first three legs for NP.

The West boys were second in the event with a team of Tekalegn Leaf, Noah Gartenberg, Conor McFadden and Carter Fitzgerald. The Bucks crossed in 3:16.38.

Coatesville was first in the event in 3:16.13.