Boys’ Track and Field: Spring-Ford captures second consecutive PAC championship after winning seven Day 2 events
NORRISTOWN >> The Spring-Ford boys’ track and field team didn’t just win their second consecutive Pioneer Athletic Conference Championship on Saturday at Norristown — they did so with demonstrative swagger.
Both the Rams’ 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams set PAC Championship meet records, while shot putter Luke Ellor won his second gold medal in as many days by unleashing a school-record 60-foot throw on his final attempt of the day. Spring-Ford’s boys squad won seven of the 13 events on Saturday and accumulated 182 team points over the two-day competition, well in front of Perkiomen Valley’s second-place tally of 110 points.
“We always have confidence; if you don’t have confidence, there’s no point in running track because at the end of the day track is mental,” said Spring-Ford senior Mason Scott, who won four medals on Saturday. “At Spring-Ford, the one thing we always enforce is having that bond of always supporting each other through everything, because we know how good we are and how hard we’ve worked for this.”
Spring-Ford’s Mason Scott and Chris Brittingham pose on the 200-meter podium at PACs Saturday, May 11. (Austin Hertzog – MNG)
Spring-Ford’s Belal Abdelrahman and Andre Jackson-Littlejohn dump the water bucket on head coach Danielle Stauffer after winning the boys’ team title at the PAC Championships on May 11 at Norristown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Scott started his day with a second-place result in the 100, finishing 0.02 seconds behind Methacton’s Wesley Conover and 0.12 seconds ahead of Owen J. Roberts freshman Matthew Gregory. Scott quickly made up for that shortcoming by joining forces with Andre Jackson-Littlejohn, Joseph Bucara and Justin Johnson to post a meet-record time of 42.22 in the 4×100, finishing ahead of Methacton (42.75) and Pope John Paul II (43.28).
Later in the afternoon session, Scott ran a personal-record 21.56 in the 200, edging out Gregory (21.59) and teammate Christopher Brittingham (21.88).
Then, in the last event of the day, the Rams went out in style as the quartet of Brittingham, Elijah Dunham, Scott and Belal Abdelrahman posted another meet record, this time running the 4×400 relay in 3:22.63 to finish comfortably ahead of Perkiomen Valley (3:28.71) and Boyertown (3:29.12). Scott and Brittingham ran on last year’s PIAA silver medal-winning 4×400 relay.
“Everyone from Spring-Ford who is here deserves it,” Scott said. “We earned these medals. All the hard work that we have put in, this is the result. We’re so happy to celebrate with each other, because not many schools get to experience something like this. We’re all pumped up for districts now. Winning this brings more confidence to us as a team.”
Spring-Ford’s Luke Ellor competes in the shot put at the PAC Championships on May 11 at Norristown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
One day after taking gold in the discus, Ellor was another emphatic Spring-Ford victor on Saturday, this time in the shot put. Ellor had already broken a 45-year-old school record earlier this season with a PR of 57 feet-5 inches, a mark he bested on his third attempt Saturday by throwing 58-2. But Ellor wasn’t done, landing a staggering 60-footer on his final toss of the day, easily outthrowing Phoenixville’s Cameron English (53-3.5) and Perk Valley’s Cole Euker (51-5).
“All week I just wanted to win two medals, and I knew they were in range,” Ellor said. “It’s (60) a great number with a very small club. Not a lot of people hit that, so all the work I’ve put in is paying off. I know there’s more in there too, but it felt good for today.”
More than 60 feet?
“I think it’s a definite possibility,” he said. “There’s stuff I can fix in that throw and carry into my throws next week (at districts). Mainly just staying patient and my upper body staying vertical through the circle — all things I know I can do. If I can put it all together, more opportunities are going to come.”
Other Spring-Ford winners on the day included Brittingham in the 400 (49.17), besting Upper Perkiomen’s Darius Reid (49.93) and teammate/brother Anthony Brittingham (50.61).
Johnson won the long jump by leaping 22-3.25, finishing ahead of Norristown’s Miles Daniels (22-0) and Phoenixville’s Dawson Brown (21-6). Additionally, Abe McNelly triumphed in the pole vault by clearing an even 13 feet to beat out Theodore Deskevich of Upper Perkiomen (12-6) and Phoenixville’s Matt LaBarge (12-0).
Methacton’s Wes Conover, right, leans to the finish ahead of Spring-Ford’s Mason Scott to win the boys’ 100 meters at the PAC Championships on May 11 at Norristown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Perkiomen Valley’s Ian Johnson, left, leads Methacton’s Brock Yoder to the finish of the boys’ 1,600 meters at the PAC Championships on May 11 at Norristown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Perkiomen Valley senior Ian Johnson equaled Scott’s three gold medals on the day by claiming victory in the 3,200 (9:49.48), 1,600 (4:21.25) and 800 (1:55.96).
In the 3,200, Johnson outpaced Spring-Ford’s Ethan Tharp (9:56.64) and Methacton’s Curtis Alexander (10:04.16). Later on in the 1,600, he beat out Brock Yoder of Methacton (4:24.25) and Tharp (4:25.98) before closing out his day with a win in the 800 over both Abdelrahman (1:57.48) and Dunham (1:57.58) of Spring-Ford. Johnson was also a member of Perk Valley’s 4×800 relay team that won gold on Friday.
“I woke up feeling pretty good, making sure I had recovered well from the 4×8,” Johnson said. “I was really happy with all three races, and I think I played them all really smart and disciplined. But it’s a lot more mental than people think, and you get really drained.
“I was sitting down after I won the mile thinking, ‘I don’t want to do this 800, man,’ But it’s senior year. I had to. Going 4-for-4 in my races (this weekend) hasn’t really settled in yet, but it’s a huge accomplishment that I’ve been looking to do my entire high school career. It’s definitely very special.”
Pottstown’s Tyrese Washington, left, and Upper Perkiomen’s Grayson Riggins compete in the 110 hurdles at the PAC Championships on May 11 at Norristown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Pottstown senior Tyrese Washington, the reigning PIAA champion in the 110 hurdles, set a meet record in the event on Saturday by finishing in 14.22 – toppled the 2019 record of Norristown’s Ramir Wiggins (14.29) – just ahead of Upper Perkiomen sophomore Grayson Riggins (14.30), who got off to a great start but couldn’t outpace Washington’s closing speed. Pottsgrove’s Tre Cook finished in third place (15.05).
Although he won gold at states in 2023, Washington finished second at both PACs and districts to Pottsgrove’s Trevon Foster, something that remained in his mind as this weekend approached.
“Last year I got second place, and just knowing that I’m a senior now, I knew I had to perform today,” Washington said. “That made me want to run faster. It boosts my confidence a lot, and hopefully I can bring back another state title this year. After a win like that against a sophomore who’s going to break this record next year, I’ve got the most confidence right now.”
Boys’ Javelin winner Doug Ledger of Perkiomen Valley takes an attempt at the PAC Championships on May 11 at Norristown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Perkiomen Valley’s Douglas Ledger won the javelin event with a distance of 169 feet-7 inches. Ledger beat out teammate Daniel Wirth (156-0) and Spring-Ford’s Parker Delgado (153-2).
Now the focus will shift to the District 1 Championships, set for May 17-18 at Coatesville High School. After the two days Spring-Ford just had, anything else that comes the team’s way will be the cherry on top of an already unforgettable season.
“We’re going to stay poised and keep working hard,” Scott said. “Hopefully we can get the team win. Even if only individuals win, that’s OK too. We’re still going to support each other in doing what we do best, and we all love each other in the end.”
