Rams无毛视频� Pajak opens state meet with silver medal in 1,600
Ringgold senior Ryan Pajak ran the finest 1,600 race of his career, but finished second after Butler无毛视频檚 Drew Griffith broke the national record for the gold in the PIAA Class AAA Individual Track & Field Championship at Shippensburg University无毛视频檚 Seth Grove Stadium.
Griffith sprinted out at the gun, seizing the lead 100 meters into the four-lap race. Griffith didn无毛视频檛 let up and finished in 3:57.08 to break the state and national record time. Allen Webb held the record for 23 years when he ran the 1,600 in 3:59.51.
Pajak settled into second place in the final 700 meters, crossing the finish line in a personal-best 4:04.72.
无毛视频淚 still feel I have a little bit left in me in that last lap. I was running by myself for two laps,无毛视频� said Pajak.
The two will battle once again Saturday morning in the 3,200.
California junior Ella Neil tied for fifth place in the Class AA high jump after she cleared 5-2.
Neil was clean in her first attempts at 4-10, 5-0 and 5-2. She faltered at 5-4 on all three attempts.
River Valley无毛视频檚 Sara McConnell won the gold medal by clearing 5-7.
Neil accomplished what she set out to do in her second trip to the state meet.
无毛视频淢y main goal was to clear 5-2,无毛视频� explained Neil.
Neil said she was solid through the first three heights.
无毛视频淚 had a lot of room on each attempt. I was in the zone and cleared my head,无毛视频� said Neil. 无毛视频淚 was (previously) struggling with the height (at 5-2).无毛视频�
Neil felt she had three solid attempts at 5-4.
无毛视频淚 had three very good attempts. I was going flat over the bar. I needed to be arched,无毛视频� said Neil, adding, 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a big jump from 5-2 to 5-4.无毛视频�
Neil capped her junior season with her first state medal.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 very surreal. All of my hard work paid off, but I think the job is not done. There无毛视频檚 a lot more work to be done,无毛视频� said Neil, adding, 无毛视频淚 can achieve what I put my mind to.无毛视频�
Laurel Highlands junior Jaden Brambley finished seventh in the Class AAA pole vault after she cleared 12 feet, a season best, on her third attempt at the height.
无毛视频淚 stayed calm,无毛视频� Brambley said of her mindset to the final vault at 12 feet. 无毛视频淚 was hitting the bar on my way up. I moved my step a little bit.
无毛视频淚 was actually close at 12-6.无毛视频�
Brambley passed at the opening height of 10-6. She needed two vaults to clear 11 feet and only one attempt to clear 11-6.
Brambley was pleased to medal, but left Seth Grove Stadium wanting more.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not content at all, but I无毛视频檓 happy with today,无毛视频� added Brambley. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 my first state medal. It无毛视频檚 really exciting.无毛视频�
Mount Saint Joseph Academy junior Veronica Vacca won the gold medal with a top vault of 14 feet.
Charleroi freshman Braedin Lunger won his first state medal after finishing seventh in the Class AA long jump with a top effort of 21-9录 on his final of six attempts.
Lunger entered the final round in ninth place with a jump of 21-6.
Lunger did not advance to the finals of the 110 high hurdles after he finished 11th in the prelims with a time of 14.97 seconds.
He competed in a third event in the afternoon field session, tying for 11th place in the Class AA high jump. Lunger needed one attempt to clear the opening height of 5-10, and two to get over the bar at 6 feet and 6-2. He went out at 6-4.
California junior Lee Qualk, the defending WPIAL champion, placed 19th in the long jump with a top effort of 20-11录. Qualk did not advance to the finals of the 100 after he finished 35th with a time of 11.48 seconds.
Mount Pleasant junior Jarett Garn did not advance out of the Class AA 100 preliminaries after he finished 29th in 11.38 seconds. Garn finished 14th in the 200 with a time of 22.83 seconds, just .39 seconds off the final qualifying berth.
Laurel Highlands sophomore Diondra Brown finished 20th in the Class AAA 400 prelims with a time of 58.58 seconds. She was 26th in the 200 in 26.03 seconds.
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 Adam Halinka missed advancing to the finals of the Class AA 300 intermediate hurdles after placing 20th in 40.46 seconds.
(Washington Observer-Reporter sportswriter Jonathan Guth contributed to this story.)