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THE CLARION OFFICE OF
BROOKVILLE, Pa. – It was a day of records, one tight team race, and one dominant team performance at the District 9 Class 2A track and field championships on Friday.
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When the dust settled, Brookville reigned supreme as boys’ team champions with 129 points (Union/A-C Valley was second after results of the throws were corrected Saturday and Punxsutawney was third), while the Elk County Catholic girls, with 62 points, edged Moniteau (58.5), defending champion Redbank Valley (58) and Punxsutawney (57).
The Elk County girls’ track and field team. Photo by Rich Rhoades.
In addition, Union/A-C Valley’s Evie Bliss (javelin), Hayden Smith (high jump), and Coudersport’s Kevin Sherry (1600) established District 9 meet records in their respective events.
The James Manners’ Awards (athletes with the most total points), meanwhile, went to Redbank Valley’s Mylee Harmon and Aiden Ortz. This was the second consecutive year Harmon won the award.
Redbank Valley’s Mylee Harmon (left) and Aiden Ortz. Photo by Rich Rhoades.
Also See: DuBois Sweeps Team Titles in 3A
The first record to fall on the day came in the high jump, where Smith, the defending state champion in the event, cleared 6-8 ¼ on his final attempt to break a 24-year-old record that was set in 1999 by Mario Bernardi of Clarion at 6-8. The D9 title was Smith’s third.
Watch Smith set the record
“I felt good coming into the meet,” Smith said. “It started raining but I didn’t let that get to my head or anything. I just wanted to come out, try and stay as consistent as possible and get the district record and I did that.”
See Smith’s full interview:
On the girls’ side for Union/A-C Valley, Bliss’ toss of 155-9 on her first throw in the finals was a personal best in an event where District 9 athletes have traditionally excelled. It broke the old mark set by former Redbank Valley star Brooke Hinderliter of 155-1 set in 2016.
“Going into prelims, I just wanted to get to states,” Bliss said. “After that, I was going to have some fun and see what I could do. As soon as it left my hand I knew it was a great throw.”
See Bliss’ full interview:
Sherry, meanwhile, dominated the 1600 to the tune of a time of 4:23.28, breaking the previous mark set back in by Ben Hahn of Smethport in 2007 of 4:24.20. He went on to set a facility record in the 3200 with a time of 9:30.89, breaking his own mark of 9:37.03 that he set earlier this season at the Brookville Invitational.
“I’ve been sick recently, so running decent times was a big thing,” Sherry said. “I really wanted the 2-mile meet record too, but I’m happy. In the mile, I did what I wanted to do.”
See Sherry’s full interview:
For the Brookville boys, it was a dominant team effort, with Brayden Kunselman helping to lead the way, winning the 100 (10.99) and 200 (22.79) and teaming with Hayden Freeman, Nick Shaffer, and Jack Pete to win the 4×100 relay with a season-best time of 42.57.
Freeman was also second to Kunselman in the 200 for the Raiders and won the 400 (50.65), while Kellan Haines won the 300 hurdles (42.65) and the 4×400 relay team of Pete, Jack Gill, Jacob Murdock, and Daniel Turner won in 3:31.48, edging Union/A-C Valley (3:31.61).
“My goal today was to get sub-11 in the 100 and I did that, so I was pretty pumped about that,” Kunselman said. “The main goal was in the 4×100 to hit the 42s, we have a state lead going into today and wanted to get in the 42s to make sure that we still had that lead and we ran a 46.5, which is crazy.
“All the hard work that we put in all season, it paid off. This is everything we’ve worked for. Last year, after losing to Punxsy, we came in thinking we had to get our revenge.”
See Kunselman’s full interview:
In that 4×100 relay, North Clarion’s team of Isaac Lerch, Owen Shaffer, Dawson Hotchkiss, and Mason Burford established a school record of 44.79, breaking a record that had been held since 1979.
The North Clarion 4×100 relay team of (from left) Isaac Lerch, Owen Shaffer, Dawson Hotchkiss, and Mason Burford. Photo submitted.
The girls’ Manners winner, Harmon, the defending state champion in the 400, won that event with a time of 59.76. She also won the 200 in 26.62, was second in the 100 (12.82) to Cranberry’s Lailya Russell (12.71) and she also ran the anchor leg of the third-place 4×400 relay team.
Ortz, meanwhile was second in the 100 (11.31) to Kunselman, won the long jump with a leap of 21-11, ran on the second-place 4×100 relay team, and was fourth in the triple jump (42-7).
In the girls’ team race, ECC got a win from Grace Neubert in the 3200 (11:19.29), with the 4×800 relay team of Neubert, Sophia Billie, Sami Straub, and Gianna Bille taking first in 9:42.78.
Russell, meanwhile, was a double-winner in the 100 and long jump (17-6).
Moniteau had a trio of winners, with Autumn Stewart taking the shot put (35-8 ¼), Rylee Long the triple jump (35-8 ¼), and Emma Covert the discus (112-5).
DuBois Central Catholic’s Hope Jacob won the high jump (5-0) and teamed with Madelyn Schmader, Chloe Benden, and Faith Jacob to win the 4×400 (4:14.74).
Elsewhere, Punxsy’s Jordann Hicks was seeded fifth and won the 800 with personal best of 2:21.92, while Oswayo Valley’s Cheyenne Mehl won the 1600 (5:21.20), Brookville’s Julie Monnoyer the 100 hurdles (16.53), Union/A-C Valley’s Daniella Farka the 300 hurdles (48.72) and Redbank’s Claire Henry the pole vault (10-1).
Monnoyer was also on the winning 4×100 relay team that included Autumn Walter, Hannah Geer, and Kaida Yoder.
Elsewhere for the boys, Punxsy’s Grant Miller established a school record in the pole vault to win at 14-1, while Kane’s Ricky Zampogna took the triple jump (44-5), Punxsy’s Evan Groce the 800 (1:58.11), Union/A-C Valley’s Skylar Roxbury the 110 hurdles (15.89) and Clarion-Limestone’s Ryan Hummell the javelin (177-5).
Punxsutawney’s 4×800 of Garrett Bartlebaugh, Groce, Alex Momyer, David Kunselman took gold, while Union/A-C Valley’s Landon Chalmers and Redbank Valley’s Cam Wagner went 1-2 in the shot put and discus, with Chalmers taking the shot and Wagner the discus.
