Surprise! Girls Weekend Recap by RTJ

Hey, everyone! This is RunThrowJump (RTJ) and I’m about to enlighten you on a subject that I enjoy very much. Etrain has asked me to do a weekly update on girls track, I excitedly accepted. I was thrilled that the blog will finally include some girl updates, PA has some of the best girls in the nation, but I was more excited that Etrain asked me to write for him! I feel like royalty or something. Thanks for the opportunity, bud!

So here’s what went down these last few weeks for girls track...

It’s only appropriate that we start with the biggest thing: Millrose Games trials. PA represented big at this meet by taking 1-2-3! Kennedy Weisner and Marissa Sheva qualified for the prestigious Millrose mile with Sara Sargent just missing! Unfortunate for Sargent, but luckily she’s right on the cusp of being invited, meaning after the qualifying meets have finished, the chairmen will meet and select three athletes to fill the field of twelve. They go by last year’s indoor times, so hopefully Sargent’s 4:59.07 gets her that auto bid. I watched the video of this race and Weisner straight dominated. She lead from the beginning to the end and looked smooth doing it. I think she may scare Angel Piccirillo’s State record at State’s this year. In my opinion she is severely underrated. She had to live in Piccirillo’s shadow for the last two years (her whole career). She had the second best 1600 last year and fourth best 800. Now that Piccirillo is gone, Weisner can show just how good she is. Sheva and Sargent looked good as well. They put on monster kicks the last 250 and ran solid times. Those three girls have the top three mile times in the state. Abington Height’s Tessa Barrett was also in that race, running a 5:07 which is a solid time.

The DVGTCA meet had impressive results as always. The girls combine divisions and many more teams come, so earning a medal is a pretty difficult thing to do. Rachel Flynn of Archbishop Carroll won the 800 in 2:21 which is a solid mark for this point in the season. She is a runner that starts off slowly and snowballs as the season progresses. She has a 2:13 to her name so come States she should be in great shape.

Solid 3k race by Tess Meehan of Haverford and Kate Scott of CRN. Meehan has 10:15 speed to her name which is good... but she also has the strange habit of not completing a season track season. Last year she was one of the best in the state in the 3k indoors and 1600 outdoors, but she didn’t complete either season. I assume it’s injury, so let’s hope this doesn’t happen again. Kate Scott was the 8th place medalist in the 3200 outdoor (10:53) and 15th place in XC. She’s a strong racer and continues to look good thus far.

North Penn had a nice 4x800, but I’m more impressed with Swenson! This team is a sprint powerhouse and then goes out and runs a 9:40 (18 seconds under the SQS) and beats solid squads like CB West and CB South. This team won states last year indoors and second outdoor... and no one graduated. They completed this without Markeeta Thomas ( LSU star LaTavia Thomas’ little sister). These girls have range from 60m-800... that’s impressive.

At Kutztown Regan Rome (FL finalist) and Paige Stoner ran solid 3k’s with 10:19 and 10:23, respectively. Both girls have a sub 10:50 3200m/5:03 mile . Both of these girls should be top five at States.

On to the two big meets of the weekend, Kevin Dare and Yale.

Kevin Dare

Allison Wilson and Kristin Miller of Strath Haven’s second place 4x800 last year ran great 800 marks to place 2nd and 4th running 2:16 and 2:18. Methacton’s Seline Tan-Torres ran a 2:17 to break them up. Katie Cassidy of Saint Basil ran 2:18 also to place 6th.

Jamie Costarino ran a 5:13 to win and run 8th best time in the State. Hannah Grubb  of  State College was right on her.

Veronica Eder had her breakout season last year and continues to carry the momentum. I’m not sure if even splitting is what the CB East coach drills in your head, but with his last three stars (Kinkead, Guidara, Eder) they seem to do it so well. Her 10:08 3k is fast and she may break the 10 minute barrier at States. Freshman xc star Mady Clahane ran a solid 10:22 to place second. She was in no man’s land so when she has competition near her, she can drop that 10:22.

The girls from State College came back off the double/triple to run a solid 9:38 4x800.

Yale

On Friday, the girls from Great Valley ran a 9:35 (PA#3) 4x800. Even more impressively, they ran that 9:35 with only one of the runners in their “A” 4x800, the rest were in the DMR. Sadly, are in the same boat as Henderson boys... run a top time, but can’t go to States because of the 4x800-DMR rule. Still a great time to run.

In the unseeded DMR, GFS ran a 12:37 to place 2nd. This team would be my sleeper pick to sneak into the top 5 at States.

Great Valley (12:10) and West Chester Henderson (12:13) ran PA#1-2 and US#3 and #5 marks in the seeded DMR. Both teams may break 12 at States if fresh.

On Saturday Anna Willig ran 10:21 in the 3k which was a 26 second PR from two weeks ago. She was also in the 4x800 that ran the day before. Eliza Yukens-Day ran a 10:23. She was in their DMR the day before.

Sarah Hipwell and Nicole Hajnik ran 2:17 and 2:18. They are two great pieces of the top in the State DMR and 4x800. Natalie Deacon was right behind them in 2:18. Bad race for Deacon who ran a 2:17 on a flat track a few weeks prior. All three were in the loaded DMR the night before.

Stephanie Aldrich ran a 5:09 to place 4th. She’s more of a 3k runner, so that 5:09 shows she has mile speed to her.

At Lavino Relays Pennsbury ran a 12:34 which is good... but Pennsbury can definitely do better. I’m not sure of the line up, but Pennsbury could run a sick DMR with the combination of people in it.

Emma Keenan went MIA this weekend, hopefully it’s not due to injury.

This is always one of the best weekends with these intense meets. New Balance Games should hold fast results as well. I’m sure PA will take over the armory again when that meet comes. PA don’t play.

-RTJ