New Balance Nationals Outdoor PA Recap


Pennsylvanians put down some great performances on the second day of action in Greensboro, North Carolina at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. Check out some links to stories from the action that we've already posted as well as more write-ups on the action down south.

Saturday Recap

Cheltenham's Chanel Brissett closed out her high school career with a strong performance in the 100-meter hurdles, placing second to national record holder Tia Jones from Georgia. While Brissett, the reigning NBNO champion, didn't defend her title, Brissett still ran a season best time of 13.12. Brissett will continue her career at the University of Southern California.

South Williamsport's Katie Jones also had a successful end to her storied high school career. The senior and Penn State recruit cleared 13-5.25 in the pole vault to place second in the championship section. 

In the girls' 2 mile, Northern's Marlee Starliper took ninth in a time of 10:43.12 after going out hard. Neshaminy's Rusty Kujdych was the top PA boys' finisher in the 2 mile, running 9:26.25 for 12th place.

The State College Area boys placed fourth in the 4x800-meter relay in a time of 7:42.73. In the girls' 4x800-meter relay, the Friends' Central also took fourth place to better their own PA#4 with a 9:05.86.

Bloomsburg's Jahvel Hemphill finished off his high school career on a high note. The senior, who won his fourth straight AA state title in the 100 meters last month, took eighth in the finals of the championship 100 meters in a time of 10.52.

Dunmore's Gavin Darcy placed third in the championship boys' javelin, tossing the implement 207-9. Darcy has stood atop the state leaderboard in the javelin since early May. Wyoming Area's Marc Minichello took seventh with a throw of 197-5. LaSalle's Noah Walker was eighth with a best toss of 192-10.

Harry S. Truman's Sayyid Saunders took home the win in the "Emerging Elite" boys' 200 meters. Saunders clocked a time of 21.38, just off his season best.

In the freshman mile, Elizabethtown's Katie Locker placed eighth in the girls' race in 5:13.89. Juniata's Garrett Baublitz closed out his strong ninth grade season with a third place finish in the boys' race in 4:27.38.

Scranton's Ky'Ron Harbin jumped 47-4.5 in the championship boys' triple jump to take 13th in the loaded field. He returned on Sunday to take _ in the Emerging Elite boys' long jump


Sunday Recap

Knoch's Jordan Geist out together a legendary performance on Saturday, winning the shot put in a new US#1 and PA state record, immediately followed by a win in the hammer throw. On Sunday, he added one last All-American honor. Geist took second in the championship discus throw. Geist tossed it 201-9 to take runner-up to Turner Washington of Arizona.

The Germantown Friends' boys took home the national title in the distance medley relay. The Tigers ran 10:14.85 to run away from the field to win by nearly five seconds. Nick Dahl anchored GFS with a 4:15.68 1,600 meter anchor leg--by far the fastest anchor split. State College Area ran 10:22.56 to take fifth in the race.

Photo by Nolan Jez

Hatboro-Horsham's Nick Marino finished off his great high school career on Sunday. The Bucknell-bound senior cleared 16-1.25 in the championship boys' pole vault to place third in the nation. Erick Duffy from Massachusetts jumped 17-1 for the win.

St. Joseph's Prep's Miles Green placed sixth in the championship boys' 400-meter hurdles. Green, a junior, ran 52.87, which a few tenths off his PR in the event from NBNO last year. He won his heat. Bishop Shanahan's Keegan Hughes took tenth in 53.91, a strong PA#2.

Fresh off a state title in the 400 meters a few weeks ago, Imhotep's Ade Jones-Roundtree came down to the 200 meters at NBNO and came away an All-American. Jones-Roundtree blasted a 21.46 (with a -2.1 headwind) in the prelims to qualify through to the championship boys' final. In the final, he took sixth in 21.73. His 21.46 is a PA#6.

Photo by Jeff Sides

Bishop Shanahan's Josh Hoey placed fourth in the championship boys' mile. Hoey ran a time of 4:16.16 to earn All-American honors. Dalton Hengst, who live in York, Pa., but attends school in Maryland placed third in 4:115.06.

Berwick's Payden Montana continued her strong postseason with another great performance. Montana threw 47-1.5 in the championships girls' shot put. That's just a few inches off her PR which she set at the PIAA State Championships in May. The junior placed seventh overall.

Athens Area's Breana Gambrell took ninth in the championship girls' long jump with a leap of 18-11.75. Gambrell broke the "no wind indicated" state record this spring in the long jump, going 20-8.5.

In the Emerging Elite girls' 400-meter hurdles, Cheltenham's Bria Barnes showed once again that she can be a serious threat in the hurdles. Barnes won in a time of 1:00.48. Neumann Goretti's Sydni Townsend ran 1:01.12 to take third in that race.

The Neumann Goretti girls placed ninth in the championship 4x400-meter relay, running a time of 3:48.83. The Saints have been PA#1s since the Penn Relays.

Chetlenham's Alexis Crosby was the top finisher in the championship girls' 400 meters. Crosby, a junior, ran 54.55 for 11th place. That's also a new PR for Crosby, who will head into her senior season with a good deal of momentum. Avonworth/Northgate's Hunter Robinson also capped off a strong junior season with a 13th place finish in the championship girls' 400 meters. Robinson ran a time of 55.04.

In the 800 meters, New York's Sammy Watson dominated the field, winning in 2:05.70, but Friends' Central's Gabrielle Wilkinson, who was apart of strong a FCS the night before, placed 15th in 2:11.38.

Palisades' Lydia Bottelier was the top PA finisher in the championship girls' high jump. The sophomore cleared 5-7 to take 19th in this deep field.

Neumann Goretti's Kamil Jihad placed sixth in the Emerging Elite 800 meters, running 1:53.33, just off his season best.