D9 Track and Field Championships: Class 2A preview

BROOKVILLE, Pa. – The District 9 Class 2A Track and Field Championships runs Friday in Brookville with events starting at 1 p.m.

Brookville’s Bryan Dworek (left), Ian Thrush (middle) and Jack Krug (right) will help lead the Raiders who try to win their third straight team title at Friday’s District 9 Class 2A Championships in Brookville. (Photo by Mike Maslar)

Here is the time schedule for Friday’s combined meet.

Here’s the breakdown of how things look in Class 2A:

BOYS

Team favorite: Brookville heavily favored to win its third straight team title.

To qualify for states: Champions and runners-up in each event plus any state-qualifying performance marks earn a trip to the PIAA Championships at Shippensburg University May 24-25.

Some 31 entries have already achieved state-qualifying standards during the season. Of that total, 12 come from Brookville.

Returning state medalists (top 8)/finalists: 

Ian Thrush, Brookville, sixth 200 dash

Brookville’s 4×100 relay (Thrush, Bryan Dworek and Jack Krug return), fifth place

Brookville’s 4×400 relay (Thrush, Krug and Dillon Olson return), eighth place

Elk Co. Catholic’s 4×800 relay (Jacob Carnovale and Ben Hoffman return), fifth place

Sam Hetrick, Redbank Valley, tied-seventh high jump

Brody Coleman, Keystone, fourth place triple jump

Bailey Blint, Kane, fourth place shot put

James Parenti, Moniteau, fourth place discus

Returning district champions: 

Ian Thrush, Brookville, 100 dash

Christian Tanner, Smethport, 800 run

Ben Hoffman, Elk Co. Catholic, 3,200 run

Relays: ECC (4×800), Brookville (4×100), Brookville (4×400).

Sam Hetrick, Redbank Valley, high jump

Tedd Race, Kane, pole vault

Bryan Dworek, Brookville, long jump

Brody Coleman, Keystone, triple jump

Bailey Blint, Kane, shot put

James Parenti, Moniteau, discus

Top seeds, notes by event, with top seed listed first:

4×800 relay: Elk Co. Catholic. It’s a two-horse race led by the Crusaders who return two runners — Jacob Carnovale and Ben Hoffman — from their medal group last year. Its 8:19.36 is the top seed by almost four seconds ahead of another solid team in Smethport. No other relay is below 8:39 so far this year.

100 hurdles: Dillon Olson, Brookville. Olson is the only runner under 15 seconds this year and has the fifth-fastest time in the state as per pa.milesplit.com, but one of five who have run state-qualifying times this year. Keystone’s Brody Coleman, C-L’s Austin Newcomb, Brookville’s Addison Singleton and Johnsonburg’s Ethan Kemmer have all run under the qualifying time of 15.5.

100 dash: Bryan Dworek, Brookville. Dworek and No. 2 seed and defending champion Ian Thrush have both run sub-11-second times at 10.76 and 10.82, which ranks them second and third in the state at this point. Two others have gotten under the state-qualifying time of 11.3 with Redbank Valley’s Keaton Kahle (11.21) and another Brookville runner Cabe Park (11.22).

1,600 run: Ben Hoffman, Elk Co. Catholic. He’s top-seeded with a state-qualifying time of 4:30.3, almost seven seconds ahead of teammate Jacob Carnovale. Two other runners are under 4:40 with the Smethport duo of Christian Tanner and Darion Gregory. Last year’s runner-up Ethan Brentham is No. 5 at 4:41.2.

4×100 relay: Brookville. It’s been quite a season for the foursome of Bryan Dworek, Ian Thrush, Jack Krug and the only new addition Cabe Park. Their top-seeded time of 42.18 ranks No. 1 in the state in Class 2A. It’s a race for the second state spot with Elk County Catholic (44.94), Karns City (45.15) and Redbank Valley (45.30) the top contenders.

400 dash: Hunter Jones, Karns City. Last year’s runner-up is seeded No. 1 at 50.29 seconds, under the state-qualifying standard of 50.7. Smethport’s Christian Tanner (51.34), Brookville’s Jack Krug (51.42) and Karns City’s Kaden Scherer (51.56) are the only others who’ve been under 53 this year.

300 hurdles: Dillon Olson, Brookville. He’s the only hurdler under 40 seconds at 39.24 and that time puts him at No. 3 on the state rankings list. Olson was ninth at states last year, just missing a medal, and Keystone’s Brody Coleman was 11th. Coleman, who was second last year ahead of Olson at districts, is one of four others who’ve been under the state-qualifying standard of 40.8 with the No. 3-seeded time of 40.42. Johnsonburg’s Ethan Kemmer is No. 2 at 40.34 with Moniteau’s Ethan McDeavitt (40.49) and Elk County Catholic’s John Wittman (40.54) also under the mark.

800 run: Christian Tanner, Smethport. The defending champion is seeded at 2:02.44, just ahead of Elk County Catholic’s No. 2 seed Jacob Carnovale (2:02.6). Nobody else is under 2:04. Returning runner-up Linkin Nichols of DuBois Central Catholic is seeded No. 5.

200 dash: Ian Thrush, Brookville. The returning runner-up and state medalist is seeded at 21.75 seconds, the second-fastest time in the state in Class 2A with No. 2 seed Bryan Dworek at 22.08 and ranked No. 7 in the state. A third Brookville runner, Jack Krug, has run a state-qualifying time as well with a 22.75

3,200 run: Ben Hoffman, Elk Co. Catholic. Hoffman is the defending champion seeded under the state-qualifying time with a 9:43.74. The returning runner-up Darion Gregory of Smethport is No. 2 at 9:51.91. It appears to be a two-man race for the title and two state spots. No other runner is seeded under a 10:18.

4×400 relay: Brookville. The Raiders have Jack Krug, Ian Thrush and Dillon Olson back from their medal team last year and they’re seeded No. 1 at 3:27.2. Nearby and gunning for the second state spot or getting under the state-qualifying time of 3:29.6 are Elk County Catholic (3:31.34) and Karns City (3:32.46).

Pole Vault: Kyle Norling, Moniteau. He’s the top seed at 14 feet, 2 inches with Kane’s Teddy Race is No. 6 at 13 feet, 6 inches, the state-qualifying height. Only two vaulters have cleared higher marks in the state than Norling. It was Race beating Norling for the title last year then Norling topping Race by one spot at states. Union’s Nolan Cumberland is the only other vaulter to clear 13 feet this year, seeded at that height.

High jump: Sam Hetrick, Redbank Valley. The defending champion is the only jumper in the state in Class 2A to get over 6 feet 7 inches, so he’ll be one to watch Friday since he did it in Brookville in April. Smethport’s Brandon Peterson has cleared the state-qualifying height of 6 feet, 3 inches. Brookville’s Cameron Hooven, Smethport’s Dale Burdick and Johnsonburg’s R.J. Miller have all cleared 6 feet, 2 inches.

Long jump: Bryan Dworek, Brookville. He’s one of 10 jumpers in the state over 22 feet this year with the sixth-longest jump of 22 feet, 7 1/4 inches. The district meet record is 22 feet, 5 1/4 inches jumped 18 years ago by A-C Valley’s Chris Gilman, so Dworek will look to get into that territory and win his third straight title. Only one other district jumper has been over 21 feet this year, Dworek’s teammate Cameron Hooven at 21 feet, 1 inch.

Triple jump: Brody Coleman, Keystone. Coleman was fourth at states last year and his season-best jump of 44 feet, 2 1/4 inches has him ranked fourth in the state right now. He’s favored to win his second straight district title and is the lone jumper over 43 feet with Cranberry’s Cameron Russell seeded No. 2 at 42 feet, 11 inches.

Shot put: James Parenti, Moniteau. He’s seeded No. 1 at 50 feet, 6 inches, ahead of defending champion and fourth-place state medalist Bailey Blint of Kane. Blint’s not far behind, just five inches, with his season best and both are over the state-qualifying mark of 49 feet, 6 inches. No other putter is over 49 with Moniteau’s Nick Martino No. 3 at 48 feet, 3 inches.

Discus: James Parenti, Moniteau. Last year’s fourth-place state medalist is seeded far ahead of the field at 171 feet, which is just six inches shy of the meet record set in 2003 by Clarion’s Dave Larson. That mark is No. 3 statewide at the moment as well. Kane’s Bailey Blint is seeded No. 2 at 142 feet, 9 inches, the only other thrower over 139 feet.

Javelin: Ian Callen, Clarion-Limestone. He’s the top seed at 175 feet, 6 inches with Brookville’s Kyle MacBeth No. 2 at 171 feet, 2 inches. Kane’s Aaron Hottel is No. 3 at 168 feet, 2 inches with nobody else over 157 feet. The top returning placewinner is Elk County Catholic’s fourth-place Raivis Bobby who is seeded No. 4 as well at 156 feet, 4 inches.

GIRLS

Team favorite: The defending champion is Elk County Catholic, which will battle Brookville and Johnsonburg for the crown this year.

To qualify for states: Same as the boys. Champions and runners-up in each event plus any state-qualifying performance marks earn a trip to the PIAA Championships at Shippensburg University May 24-25.

The district’s athletes come in with markedly less state-qualifying performances than a year ago, 12 as opposed to 36 last year. Two-time state medalist Sara McKean of Oswayo Valley scratched out of the postseason, so it’s even more of a transitional year.

Returning state medalists (top 8)/finalists: 

Taylor Newton, Elk Co. Catholic, tied-fourth in high jump

Kendall Grossman, Moniteau, second, pole vault

Skylar Sherry, Johnsonburg, second, javelin

Returning district champions: 

Oliva Sorg, Elk Co. Catholic, 100 dash

Amanda Williams, Johnsonburg, 800 run

Taylor Newton, Elk Co. Catholic, high jump

Kendall Grossman, Moniteau, pole vault (2-time champ)

Relays: Johnsonburg (4×100), Brookville (4×400), Elk Co. Catholic (4×800)

Top seeds, notes by event, with top seed listed first:

4×800 relay: Kane. The Lady Wolves’ top time is nearly 22 seconds faster than the rest of the field. The battle could be for the second state berth with the next three seeds — Redbank Valley, Northern Potter and Brookville — all seeded within four seconds of each other.

100 hurdles: Brooke Quairiere, Brookville. The Lady Raiders senior is a returning state qualifier and the only hurdler under 16 seconds this year. Clearfield’s No. 2 seed Lydia Brown has also run the state-qualifying time of 16.01 seconds.

100 dash: Morgan Monnoyer, Brookville, and Evelyn Lerch, Clarion. Both ran a 13.04 this year in an event that returns the top five placewinners, led by ECC’s Olivia Sorg. But Monnoyer and Lerch are freshmen, making it an even deeper field. Last year’s runner-up, Oswayo Valley’s Faith Coole, is seeded eighth.

1,600 run: Abby LaBorde, Clearfield. She’s seeded at 5:29.73, two seconds ahead of Northern Potter’s Amanda Ford. No other runner has been under 5:43 this year. The highest returning placewinner, Cranberry’s Lauren Varsek, is seeded No. 13.

4×100 relay: Brookville. The top-seeded relay ran a season-best 51.12, just ahead of Johnsonburg’s 51.78. Those two have alternated district titles since 2014 with Johnsonburg winning the even years and Brookville the odd years. No other relay has run under 53 seconds.

400 dash: Evelyn Lerch, Clarion. Her second top seed, Lerch ran a season-best 1:01.97 with three runners seeded between 1:02 and 1:03 — Clearfield’s Avry Grumblatt, Karns City’s Hannah Knoll and Coudersport’s returning district runner-up Dana Dubots of Coudersport.

300 hurdles: Chloe Trumbull, Johnsonburg. The sophomore Ramette is seeded with a state-qualifying time of 47.14 seconds with Clearfield’s Amanda Hazel and Brookville’s returning district-runner-up Dani MacBeth sharing the No. 2 seed at 48.48. Karns City’s Shavon McCanna is also seeded under 50 seconds at 49.2.

800 run: Amanda Williams, Johnsonburg. The defending champion is seeded at 2:22.89, just under two seconds ahead of No. 2 seed and returning runner-up Phylicia Hockman of Clarion. No other runner is seeded under 2:29.

200 dash: Morgan Johnson, Brookville. Similar to the 100 dash, it should be a competitive race for the top-two state spots. She’s at 27.16, one of eight runners under 28 seconds. ECC’s Olivia Sorg and Johnsonburg’s Madeline Cowan finished second and third last year. They’re seeded 2 and 3 as well.

3,200 run: Amanda Ford, Northern Potter. He’s seeded just under the state-qualifying time of 11:35 with a 11:34.85. No. 2 seed Courtney Martin of Northern Potter is at 12:35.55 with three runners within seven seconds.

4×400 relay: Brookville. The Lady Raiders have the top time of 4:14.05 with no other relay under 4:20. Clearfield is the second seed at 4:20.62 with Elk County Catholic and Coudersport just over 4:21.

Pole Vault: Laken Lewis, Clarion. She’s cleared 11 feet, 6 inches and Moniteau’s returning state runner-up Kendall Grossman has gotten over 11 feet, 3 inches. The only other vaulter over 10 feet this year is Brookville’s Mattisen Drake, a two-time state qualifier.

High jump: Taylor Newton, ECC. The returning state medalist cleared 5 feet, 7 inches and she’s one of three jumpers who have gone over the state-qualifying height of 5 feet, 2 inches, including Clarion’s Laken Lewis (5-3) and Kane’s Audri Marconi (5-2), who was third last year with Lewis placing fifth.

Long jump: Maddie Kear, ECC. She’s jumped past the state-qualifying mark of 16 feet, 11 inches with a season-best mark of 17 feet, 1 1/4 inches. But four other jumpers are over 16 feet, 6 inches — Brookville’s Madison Johnson and Dani MacBeth, Clarion’s Lake Lewis and Redbank Valley’s Paiton Rizzo.

Triple jump: Laken Lewis, Clarion. She’s the only jumper over 34 feet at 34 feet, 5 1/2 inches, but six others are seeded at 33 feet or more with Johnsonburg’s Cassidy King No. 2 at 33 feet, 11 1/2 seconds. Returning runner-up Kamme Guisto of Cameron County shares the No. 3 seed with Redbank Valley’s Elisabeth Hook at 33 feet, 9 inches.

Shot put: Sara Knox, Karns City. She’s the top seed in an event that lost the top seven finishers from last year, making it no surprise that it’s the most wide-open event with the top seven seeds separated by 14 inches.

Discus: Sara Knox, Karns City. She’s seeded with a throw one inch above the state-qualifying standard of 113 feet and seven feet ahead of Coudersport’s Rosalyn Page. The only other seed over 104 feet is Redbank Valley’s Lindsay Evans.

Javelin: Skylar Sherry, Johnsonburg. The two-time state runner-up and last year’s third-place district finisher actually guns for her first district title and she’s the heavy favorite at a top-seeded throw of 128 feet, 8 inches. No other thrower has gotten to the state-qualifying mark of 121 feet. The battle for the No. 2 spot appears to be between Sheffield’s Emily Leichtenberger (115 feet, 6 inches) and two of Sherry’s teammates, Haylee Cherry (114 feet, 9 inches) and Keyona Gardner (112 feet, 11 inches). No other thrower has been over 110 feet.