District 1 Track and Field: Everything that glitters is gold for Delco Christian

CALN TWP. — You could hear the medals clanging as the members of the Delco Christian girls track and field team made their way to the awards table following the completion of the District 1 Championship at Coatesville Area High School Saturday.

Many had already been to the podium for individual or relay honors. Most had at least one medal dangling from their necks, some two or more.

Hence the sound of metal (and medal) on metal as the Knights strolled to the podium to collect the team championship trophy for the second year in a row. Delco Christian piled up 162 points to easily outdistance Dock Mennonite (134) to the crown.

“I was really hoping we would get a title again because I know how hard we work,” junior Elizabeth Matty said.

“We got new PRs in the 4 x 1 and the 4 x 4,” junior Gabrielle Watson added. “Those are the best times we’ve run all season.”

The Knights received gold medal performances from Evezi Omuyeh, her second of the championships, and Hallie Keys. Omuyeh won the discus after taking the shot put for the second year in a row on Friday. Keys claimed the javelin.

Delco Christian also won the 4 x 100 (Kaylani Barnes, Marielle Clayton, Keys, Matty) and the 4 x 400 (Matty, Maryn D’Antonio, Watson Clayton).

The medal haul didn’t end there. Clayton was third in the 100. Keys took third in the triple jump. Watson was second in the 400 and third in the 800. Kate Latchford was third in the discus.

“I think we have 11 (athletes) going to states,” Delco Christian coach George “Doc” McFarland said. “That’s the most ever. We had nine last year.”

Elsewhere in Class 2A, Mariam Koita and Angel White of Chester Charter Scholars Academy went 1-2 in the 100 and the 200. The Sabers also were second in the 4 x 100.

Aly Albanese of Sacred Heart won the high jump and teammate Maya Walker was second in the 800.

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Haverford came up three points shy of its goal of winning the Class 3A team title. West Chester Rustin won the 4 x 400 to vault past the Fords and claim the crown for the second year in a row.

“We had a good day today,” senior Morgan Elliott said. “We’re happy with it.”

“We’re happy with our throwers and our sprinters and the whole aspect of the team,” senior Aubrey Leneweaver added.

The Fords will be well-represented in Shippensburg. Olivia Cieslak won the 800 in a personal best time of 2:08.38. She also set the meet record in winning the 1,600 on Friday. She also teamed with Moran, Leneweaver and Riona O’Neill for third in the 4 x 400. That was a fast race: The top 20 teams all met the state qualifying standard. (Under PIAA rules, only the top eight make states.)

Lenewaver was second in both hurdles events. Morgan placed fifth in the 400. Mollie Carpenter added a silver medal in the shot put after taking gold in the discus Friday.

“There’s always what-ifs in meets like this,” Cieslak said. “What if someone did better or what if someone did worse? But being this close to getting district title was cool, and I think we’re super excited to have the drive to attempt to get it at states next week.”

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Chester has six individuals and a relay headed to Shippensburg. JaNaisa Deery won the 200, took second in the 100 and third in the 400. She also joined Damira Allen, Niya Jeffers and Alaisa Mosely on the 4 x 100 relay that placed second. Allen was third in the 100 hurdles and eighth in the 300 hurdles. Mosely placed sixth in the 200 and eighth in the 100, reaching Shippesburg in both events on the basis of time.

Strath Haven’s Alexa Brown won the shot put for the second year in a row. She also took third as a sophomore.

Teammates Hannah Prokup and Nora Chen are also headed to the state meet. Prokup finished third in the 3,200 with a huge PR of 10:47.60. Her best before that was 11:05.06 at Centrals. Chen placed fourth in the 300 hurdles. Anna Mazur, Chen, Ava Santisi and Puckett placed seventh in the 4 x 400.

Penncrest’s Ruby Schwelm and Radnor’s Zoe Margolies finished fourth and eighth, respectively, in the 3,200. Schwelm moves on as an auto qualifier, and Margolies advances on time.

Penncrest also had two relays advance. The quartet of Zoe Clark, Olivia Clark, Regina Zizivily and Maddus Morgan took sixth in the 4 x 100. The two Clarks, Morgan and Puckett were eighth in that very fast 4 x 400.