Westtown >> The Chester County athletes competing in the annual West Chester Rustin Invitational Wednesday braved the elements – a steady rain that began about 30 minutes after the start of the meet – to win their share of gold medals.
The rain postponed several field events, but the running events ran as scheduled, and many local athletes earned first-place finishes.
Rustin senior Maddie Miller, who won the girls’ 1600-meter run with a time of 5 minutes, 12.78 seconds, said, “I knew it wasn’t the best of conditions, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I’ve run in the rain before, maybe not this much rain (smiles) but I tried to not let it get in my head.”
West Chester Rustin senior Lucas Band, who won both the boys 110 hurdles (14.91) and 300 hurdles (41.93), said, “I was a little worried in the 300 hurdles because you don’t want to be slipping out there at the last two hurdles when you’re tired. I was pretty happy with my performance; this was more of a knock-the-cobwebs-off meet – it’s my first meet of the outdoor season.”
Great Valley senior Joe Benson, who led off the Patriots’ first-place boys 4×800 relay (8:17.20, with Ryan Pepperman, Trip Gomez and Colin Mahoney), said, “It’s harder to run in the rain, but there’s less pain, because everything is numb (smiles), so you go out there, close your mind off and run the race.”
Coatesville senior Albert Morton, who won the boys high jump (6-2), said, “I think I did well today, considering the rain. The (wet) clothing I was wearing added a couple of pounds, so I had to start closer to the pit.”
Archmere Academy senior Jack Maister, who won the boys 100 (11.22), said, “I just made sure not to fall at the start (smiles) and push out as hard, and then just hold on. Nothing really changed for me, and my goal today was to get a PR, which I did in the prelims (10.74).”
Athletes from a variety of Ches-Mont schools won gold medals at the Rustin Invitational.
Ches-Mont girls who won individual events included Miller, Great Valley junior Katelyn Grimes in the 110 hurdles (15.87), Unionville junior Erin Rapin in the 800 (2:24.36), Downingtown West sophomore Molly Weitzman in the 100 (13.01) and Avon Grove senior Ryan Boggetta in the discus (106-10).
Ches-Mont boys who finished first in individual events included Band, Morton, West Chester East senior Stephen McCaffrey in the 200 (24.54), Great Valley senior Lingesh Nagarajan in discus (127-7), Bishop Shanahan junior Steven Todd in the 1600 (4:27.24) and Bishop Shanahan junior Jack Polizzi in the 400 (51.21).
West Chester Henderson won the girls 4×800 relay (10:11.69) with a quartet of Niamh Heraghty, Ana Carlow, Peyton McElhiney and Brynlea Rieger; West Chester Rustin finished first in the girls 4×100, clocking 51.85 with a quartet of senior Ryan Layton, senior Brooke Kruger, junior Carley Dwyer and freshman Nora Reese; the Rustin girls 4×400 relay of Miller, Caitlyn Lakofsky, Nora Reese and Brianna Johnson finished first (4:26.57) and Bishop Shanahan won the boys 4×100 relay (44.25) with a quartet of Aidan Civitella, CJ Okafor, Greg Palaia and Colin Cregan.
Other first-place boys’ finishers were Penncrest senior Kadin Salaria in the 800 (1:57.44), Perkiomen Valley senior Douglas Ledger in javelin (167-6), Haverford junior Colin Corkery in shot put (45-9 ½); Salesianum sophomore Joe Conley in the 3200 (10:12.70), Chester senior Quamere Cosby in the 200 (22.52) and Penncrest in the 4×400 (3:33.33). Haverford School junior Finn Kelly won the novice 1600 (4:49.00) and Downingtown West sophomore Brian Carter won the novice 100 (11.96).
Other first-place girls’ finishers were Germantown Friends’ Zahara Brown in the shot put (34-3), Penncrest senior Olivia Clark in the 400 (1:01.10), Perkiomen Valley senior Mackenzie Owens in the 300 hurdles (47.97), Penncrest senior Zoe Clark in the 200 (25.87), Owen J. Roberts junior Jane Kratz in the 3200 (11:19.38) and Owen J Roberts junior Gianna Leimeister in javelin (112-2). Twin Valley sophomore Kenzianna Flores on the girls 1600 novice (5:57.58) and Twin Valley freshman Sidney Masterson won the novice 100 (13.55).
