Chesco track athletes find winner’s circle at 35th annual Lower Merion Invitational

LOWER MERION >> With a solid lineup of standout Chester County track and field athletes competing among the 28 schools at the 35th annual Lower Merion Invitational, including some district champions, several Chesco athletes found the winner’s circle at Lower Merion High School’s Arnold Field Saturday.

Oxford junior Macaela Walker, the defending District 1 3A champion in the girls 100 meter hurdles, won the 100 hurdles Saturday (14.44) one day after winning the girls 100 meter run (12.07) at the Henderson Invitational and breaking her own school record.

“Being out in this hot sun today I was tired, and after winning the 100 meter race yesterday I was exhausted, so my goal today was to get through this, and get out first,” said Walker with a smile. “I’m glad I raced here today because my cousin Zion Gray, is a junior on the track team here (at Lower Merion) and he ran the boys 200 meter race today.”

Coatesville senior Drew Domurat won the boys high jump with a mark of 6’5”, with Raider junior Maximus Stukes second (6’3”).

Domurat, who was the District 1 3A champion in the high jump last spring with a mark of 6’5”, said, “My goal today was to jump 6’5” going into Districts. I tried to keep running through my turn and bring speed to the bar.”

Villa Maria Academy junior Maddy Kelley won the girls pole vault with a mark of 11’0”.

“I was trying to take advantage of the nice weather today; the weather’s been spotty the last couple of weeks,” said Kelley, who finished first in pole vault at Districts last spring. “I like the facilities here – the runway is really nice.”

West Chester Rustin senior Ava Alexander won the girls’ long jump (18’2”) and was part of the Golden Knights’ first-place 4×100 relay team of Keturah Darwon, Alexander, Joss Barkman and junior Brooke Kruger (48.42).

“We were working on our handoffs, because after the Penn Relays we knew we had to get our handoffs down,” said Kruger, who made Districts last spring as a pole vaulter. “We fixed it up a little bit, and we’re hoping to get our handoffs better and better and improve our time more and more.”

Conestoga senior Aidan Max won the boys 1600 meter run with a clocking of 4:31.48, followed by Pioneer teammates Nathaniel Kluge (second place, 4:31.55) and Parker Warkentine (third, 4:35.66).

“I tried to keep my legs moving fast, not thinking about what was ahead of me, just keep thinking about driving my legs as hard as I can,” said Max, who will run for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the fall. “The best thing I could take away from this race is that it was great to have three ’Stoga guys sweep the mile. It’s a great feeling.”

Coatesville senior Dejah Morris, in her first year on the Raiders track team, won the girls high jump with a mark of 5’1” and qualified for Districts.

“My goal today was to get to Districts, to get to 5’1”,” said Morris. “I’m (now) striving for 5’3” and go to States. The key for me (today) was to believe – I pray before every jump, and I just had to believe – that’s what got me here.”

Oxford junior CJ Boyer won the boys long jump with a mark of 22’2”, just one day after winning the event at the Henderson Invitational (22’3”).

“My second jump today was good, and my confidence level started going up,” said Boyer. “I like this facility, and I like the fact that I’m competing at Kobe Bryant’s high school. I feel like I gained confidence today.”

A couple of Conestoga sophomores finished 1-2 in the boys’ pole vault. Patrick Barausky won with a district-qualifying 13’2” and  Kevin Gares placed second (12’8”).

The final event of the meet, the boys shot put, was won by Coatesville sophomore Takiyah Lynch (51’9 ¼”) as the event concluded at 8:10 p.m. (Arnold Field does not have lights)

High school boys’ event winners

110 meter hurdles – Perry Addey, West York Area HS (15.14); 100 meter run – Nico Wright-Phillips, West York Area HS (10.94); 200 meter run – Ade Lloyd, Harriton (22.00); 4×800 relay – Central HS (8:36.76); 1600 meter run – Aidan Max, Conestoga (4:31.48); 4×100 relay – West York Area HS (43.27); 400 meter run – Vincent Durrant, Upper Perkiomen (50.38); 300 meter hurdles – Perry Addey, West York Area (39.33); 800 meter run – Kerek Nokes, West York Area HS (2:01.11); 3200 meter run – Alexander Mazzeo, Lower Merion (10:05.41); 4×400 relay – Plymouth Whitemarch (3:29.12); high jump – Drew Domurat, Coatesville (6’5”); pole vault – Patrick Barausky, Conestoga (13’2”); long jump – CJ Boyer, Oxford (22’2”); triple jump – Ryan Anglace, Perkiomen Valley (41’2”); shot put – Takiyah Lynch. Coatesville (51’9 ¼”); discus – Eli Leidtka, Cheltenham (142’8”); javelin – Thomas Flud Jr., Upper Perkiomen (192’11”).

High school girls’ event winners

100 meter hurdles – Macaela Walker, Oxford (14.41); 100 meter run – Milan Ramey, Harriton (12.33); 200 meter run – Milan Ramey, Harriton  (24.63); 4×800 relay – Central HS (9:58.68); 1600 meter run – Amelia Ogawa, Lower Moreland (5:19.92); 4×100 relay – West Chester Rustin (48.42); 400 meter run – Payton Drumwright, Engineering & Science (56.28); 300 meter hurdles – Payton Drumwright, Engineering & Science (44.04); 800 meter run – Miranda Jiminez, North Penn (2:22.14); 3200 meter run – Abigail Rowland, Upper Perkiomen (12:01.25); 4×400 relay – Perkiomen Valley (3:59.94); high jump – Dejah Morris, Coatesville (5’1”); pole vault – Maddy Kelley, Villa Maria Academy (11’0”); long jump – Ava Alexander, West Chester Rustin (18’2”); triple jump – Madison Gee, North Penn (36’ 2”); shot put – Jaya Jones, Central HS (39’0”); discus – Zianna Dobson, North Penn (114’3”); javelin – Julia Killar, Perkiomen Valley (113’2”).