Neil, Dade win two golds in Section 6-AA meet
COAL CENTER 鈥� The wealth was spread around Wednesday afternoon with 12 girls winning at least one gold medal in the annual Section 6-AA Track & Field Championship at California.
California鈥檚 Ella O鈥橬eil and Brownsville鈥檚 A鈥檢yia Dade both won two section titles, and Dade added a third gold medal as the anchor of the Lady Falcons鈥� 400 relay.
Brownsville鈥檚 Zhariah Reed was just .04 seconds shy of winning two gold medals, but was edged by Charleroi鈥檚 Eden Smith by a mere .04 seconds in the 100 high hurdles. Reed breezed to a first-place finish in the 300 intermediate hurdles with a winning time of 48.39 seconds.
鈥淚 wanted to get a state-qualifying time in the 300 (intermediate hurdles), which I just did. I got 48.39 (seconds) and the state-qualifying time is 48.7,鈥� said Reed.
Reed noted what drives her to improve each time she hits the track.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really just what other people think I can do. They see the potential in me, so it motivates me,鈥� said Reed, adding, 鈥淚t鈥檚 just the fear of losing. I don鈥檛 like to lose.鈥�
Reed and her teammates have a busy couple of days with the FCCA championship on Saturday and the Mid Mon Classic on Monday.
鈥淚 look forward to the competition. The competition is the only thing that is going to push me to do better. I can鈥檛 push myself,鈥� said Reed.
Beth-Center鈥檚 Mackenza Spangler won the discus with a throw of 98 feet. The senior accomplished half of what she hoped to do.
鈥淚 wanted to win. I wanted to throw over 100 feet, but that didn鈥檛 happen,鈥� said Spangler.
Spangler tenuously is sitting in the top 16 in Class AA, but understands that could change by the final qualifying day.
鈥淩ight at the moment, I鈥檓 set to go (to the WPIAL championship), but not everyone has entered yet. Hopefully, Monday (at the Mid Mon Track Classic), I鈥檒l get a better score. That is where I鈥檇 love to throw 105. It鈥檚 against better competition, bigger schools.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to throw at least 105 before the end of the year.鈥�
California freshman Hayley Gibson made the most of her first section championship by winning the shot put with a top throw of 33-1.
鈥淚t was a new PR in the shot put. I was heading towards 35 feet, but 33 is still very good for me. I was hoping for a little bit more, but I鈥檓 proud of myself because I鈥檓 a little bit sick,鈥� said Gibson. 鈥淚 hope to get a new PR each time I throw. This time I got a PR by three feet.鈥�
Gibson hopes to secure a berth into the district meet.
鈥淢y coach said I was second or third in WPIALs right now. I just want to get a little bit further,鈥� added Gibson.
Teammate Morgan Ross won the gold medal in the long jump with her top effort of 15-4录. She was third in the 100 and was on the 400 and 1,600 relays that placed second.
鈥淚 wanted to run my best and get a PR,鈥� said Ross. 鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to get done the most that I can with the little time we have left.
鈥淗opefully, I want to get in the 16s (feet) at some point.鈥�
Bentworth freshman Madelyn Johns ran the opening leg on the gold-medal winning 3,200 relay. She placed fourth in the 400 with a time of 1:09.54.
鈥淵es, I was so nervous. You want to win and there is a lot of competition,鈥� said Johns.
As for her performance, Johns said of her approach to the relay, 鈥淚 just try to stay behind one of the faster runners and towards the end I try to pass them. And, I see where I get to.鈥�
Johns was pleased with her performance in the 400.
鈥淚 just run it the whole time and hope I get a good time,鈥� said Johns. 鈥淚t was a PR time. I ran 1:09 in a scrimmage in the beginning of the season. This year I was struggling at the beginning with time and I just kept getting 1:12, 1:10, and finally I went back to a 1:09.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely proud of where I am now compared to the beginning of the season.鈥�
Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Lake Litwinovich had third-place finishes in the 300 intermediate hurdles and 800, and was fourth in the 100 high hurdles.
Litwinovich is setting her sights 鈥� and hopes 鈥� on the 300 intermediate hurdles.
鈥淚 want to PR big in the 300 hurdles. That鈥檚 my best option (to qualify for WPIAL meet). I want to run 50.8 seconds and I ran 52.33 today,鈥� said Litwinovich, adding. 鈥淚 think now that I鈥檓 done stuttering I鈥檓 finally getting it under control.鈥�
Charleroi freshman Ionnah Hamilton placed second in the long jump, and was third in the triple jump and 100 high hurdles.
鈥淚 was only nervous in hurdles. I get so nervous. I do so good in jumping, so I鈥檓 not nervous,鈥�
explained Hamilton.
Hamilton has goals set as the season winds down to a close.
鈥淚鈥檓 only high up (in the WPIAL) in long jump, even though triple is my best,鈥� said Hamilton. 鈥淚 want to go 15 feet in the long jump. My PR is 14-2, but I haven鈥檛 been jumping good this year.
鈥淚 need 36 (feet) in the triple jump to get to states My PR now is 34 (feet).鈥�
Bentworth鈥檚 Jesse Laskey (1,600) and Amber Sallee (3,200), Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Ember Weber (pole vault), Charleroi鈥檚 Ella Sypolt (400) and Bella Carotto (javelin), and Beth-Center鈥檚 Jaslyn Debnar (800) all won individual section titles.