Pottstown’s Washington takes gold, PAC athletes medal at PIAA track and field championships

SHIPPENSBURG >> Tyrese Washington wasn’t satisfied last week, making it a point on Saturday to turn the page.

The Pottstown junior took silver in the 3A boys 110-meter hurdles during the District 1 meet and was hit with a disqualification in the 300-meter hurdles. With the shorter circuit as his only option in the PIAA track and field finals, Washington was on a mission.

With a first-place time of 14.01, Washington stood firmly atop the podium as the 3A boys 110-hurdles state champion at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.

“This is really big. This is for all my friends back in Pottstown,” Washington said. “It just feels good.”

Pottsgrove’s Trevon Foster took fourth in the event at 14.49. Last year, Washington placed fourth himself with a time of 14.63.

Washington’s previous personal record was 14.29, ran last week at districts. By shaving .28 off his best mark, Washington reached a goal he had set from the start of the spring as well.

“I just knew that I had it in me. To run a 14-flat, that was basically my goal all season,” Washington said. “I knew I could get it if I came out of the box strong.”

Pottstown’s Terryece Phillips’ turnout didn’t end with state gold, but was dialed up further with a school record to boot. Having previously taken a share of the Pottstown school record for the boys’ long jump during the PAC Championships with a leap of 23-1 — the all-time mark also set by Corey Baker in 2012 — Phillips took things up a notch.

Phillips made a leap of 23-3, his new PR now the sole Pottstown school record, to take state silver in the 3A boys long jump behind Emmaus junior Kyle Moore (24-5¼).

“I wanted to come out in first, but can’t be ungrateful. I got second out of a lot of people,” Phillips said. “My coaches have really helped me this week to break the school record. I just feel really grateful.”

As a senior, this season was the first time Phillips competed in track and field. He took up the sport to help improve his first love, basketball. Having helped guide Pottstown’s boys basketball team back into the PAC tournament for the first time in 11 years, the long jump was a means to enhance his game come college.

But by the end of it, as a state runner-up, Phillips found more than a tool to improve his physicality on the hardwood.

“I picked up track this year because I felt it’d help me with basketball because in the long jump, I’ll get my legs stronger and I just found another love,” Phillips said. “This year, I feel I accomplished something for sure.”

Upper Perkiomen senior Tommy Flud took home a bronze medal in the 3A boys javelin with a heave of 199-2. Jersey Shore senior Peter Bellomo won gold with a distance of 214-3. Wyoming senior Drew Mruk was the state runner-up at 208-3. Perkiomen Valley’s Douglas Ledger took 15th in the event (161-3).

“Winning a state championship has always been the goal, and it’s heartbreaking I wasn’t able to achieve that, but all glory to God. Not many people are blessed to be three-time state qualifiers and two-time medalists,” Flud said. “I’ve had an awesome career and I’m really grateful for everything I’ve been blessed with.”

Flud took seventh last year in the PIAA 3A boys javelin. His sophomore campaign saw a 15th-place finish. The Hillsdale College-bound senior missed his freshman season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With his first year of opportunity taken, the senior continued to make the most of them the rest of the way, maintaining an upward trajectory through his career to culminate in a top-three finish in Pennsylvania’s largest field.

“I’ve had the best supporting cast around me. My coaches, my teammates, everything has fallen into place perfectly for me,” Flud said. “I’m really, really thankful for all the help and support I’ve had.”

The PAC had another bronze medalist in Methacton’s Summer Mellow. Mellow jumped a distance of 18-3¾ for a spot on the girls’ long jump podium.

North Penn went-back-to-back in the event, Taylor Forbes (18-9) taking first place with Madeline Lewis being the state runner-up (18-7¾).

“It’s really fun because I know and have gotten to know a lot of these girls. Maddie and Taylor are very close to me in this sport,” Mellow said. “I like to think they’ve helped me a lot and push me because they’re both exceptionally good at what they do and I love having fun with everybody. It’s all around just a good time.”

The top-three finish for Mellow caps a dominant postseason run of the long jump that saw a silver medal in the PAC meet at Norristown and a gold medal in the District 1 meet at Coatesville.

“I feel prideful and proud of myself because I know everyone is cheering for me at home,” Mellow said. “I got so many texts this morning saying, ‘We’re rooting for you, you got this, good job, we’re so proud of you despite what happens!’”

Other Methacton competitor’s included Jack Alpher (19th) in the boys javelin, SahBri Hill (18th) in the triple jump and Wes Conover (25th) in the 100-meter.

Norristown’s Daunte Bell medaled in the 3A boys 200-meter with a fifth-place time of 21.73, State College’s Jesse Myers taking first in 21.23.

Owen J. Roberts standout Claire Zubey ended her decorated varsity career in the girls 3A 3,200-meter run, the second event of the morning following the 2A girls race.

The Penn State signee hit a PR and new school record of 10:34.34 — her previous being 10:39 — for a seventh-place medal. Mount Lebanon junior Logan St. John Kletter took first by setting a new meet record in 10:12.86.

“It hit me through the race and I was like, ‘Oh, I have to go, I want one more medal,’” Zubey said. “I was able to get one, so I’m pretty happy.”

On the first day of the PIAA finals, Zubey placed 10th in the 3A girls 1,600-meter with a time of 4:55.69. But it was only natural she took one last piece of hardware out the door with her.

Penn State signee Claire Zubey ends her career at Owen J. Roberts with one last PR, 10:34.34 in the 3A girls 3,200-meter.

Zubey places 7th, Mount Lebanon’s Logan St. John Kletter takes gold with a new meet record in 10:12.86. pic.twitter.com/2G6glkuXhk

— Evan Wheaton (@EvanWheaton) May 27, 2023

A four-time All-Mercury Cross Country Runner of the Year, Zubey exits Owen J. Roberts in elite company — the only other athlete to hold the honor being Methacton runner Kara Steinke (2010-13) across all sports in the last 20 years.

“It’s been awesome. (Coach Tim) Marcoe is so supportive and I love my team,” Zubey said. “It’s been just a crazy four years.”

Perkiomen Valley’s Sienna Miller placed 15th in the event with a time of 10:51.77. In the boys 3,200-meter, Perkiomen Valley’s Ian Johnson finished 10th in 9:12.73.

The Spring-Ford 3A boys 4×100 relay team, consisting of Andre Jackson-Littlejohn, Mason Scott, Travel Wellons and Christopher Brittingham, entered the finals as the No. 4 seed after winning their preliminary heat in 42.10 on Day 1.

During the finals on Day 2, the quartet took sixth place in 42.14. Kason Besecker, JJ Kelly, Blake Mallast and Antonio Harrison II claimed gold for Chambersburg in 41.49.

Later in the day, Scott, Justin Johnson, Jack Stanick and Brittingham surged ahead on the podium with a second-place finish in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:18.20.

Pottsgrove’s Cory Jubilee-Scott took 14th in the 3A boys discus with a distance of 146-3. On Friday, the Falcons senior scored a 7th place medal in the shot put with a 53-3 3/4.

Gianna Leimeister took 16th for Owen J. Roberts in the 3A girls javelin at 111-10 while Perkiomen Valley’s Audrey Ramsey came in 20th at 105-7.

Boyertown’s Cyenna Martinez placed 14th in the 3A girls discus with a throw of 109-11. Pope John Paul II sophomore Maeve Gallagher took 16th in the event with a throw of 109-1.