Central time: Dragons making their mark this year
Altoona Mountain Lion Track & Field Classic Class 2A
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When Altoona's Steve Rhodes presented Central boys track and field coach Blake Over with the Class 2A team championship trophy from Friday's Altoona Mountain Lion Track & Field Classic, he said it has been quite some time since he's given the trophy to a Central team.
Then he corrected himself to saying that he actually didn't think he ever had.
The Scarlet Dragons continued their impressive turnaround from a program that struggled to fill out events to one of the best in the area by topping two of the better programs in District 6 for the title, 66-56, over Central Cambria and 66-55 over Penn Cambria at Mansion Park.
"I came into the program last year and started teaching at Central and started trying to find athletes to come out for the team," Over said. "We haven't really been known as a track school in the past really, but I'm trying to build it. The kids came out, and they work hard. They do everything I ask them to do, and they are starting to see the results. It's really cool."
Senior Rylan Daugherty won the javelin with a personal-best throw of 177 feet, 4 inches, Eli Lingenfelter finished second in the high jump and the Scarlet Dragons were just a hundredth of a second behind Central Cambria in the night's final event, the 1600-meter relay.
But that close setback did not damper the mood of Central's midfield celebration minutes later when the Dragons were announced as the team champions.
"These kids are really good athletes that are used to winning," Over said. "They have won in other sports. They came in here last year, and we weren't winning. They wondered why we weren't winning. They put a lot of work in, a lot of training and worked their butts off at practice. They are really great kids."
Next up for Central will be the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference meet on Tuesday and then the District 6 meet.
"If you come into this meet and win," Over said. "It's looking up for districts."
Central Cambria will certainly be a factor in both meets as well.
The Red Devils got an individual victory from Jon Wess in the 110-meter hurdles, and both their 3200- and 1600-meter relay teams came out on top. Penn Cambria got wins from Andre Marinak in the 300-meter hurdles and Josh Stolarski in the 400-meter dash, where he ran a personal-best time of 51.22 and had to take a little extra time to recover. Stolarski was able to bounce back after a short rest and finish second with another personal best in the 200-meter, won by Conemaugh Township's Ethan Black.
Black, who won Class 2A state championships in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes last year, broke the meet record in both events Friday. They were previously held by current Tyrone track and field coach Brad Kanuch, who went to high school at Westmont Hilltop.
"I was 100 percent confident that they would be broken today," Kanuch said. "I knew going into it. He's a special talent. Kids like that don't come around too often, and to see him do it is special. Hopefully he can hold it longer than I did. They are all meant to be broken. To have a kid from the Johnstown area come in and do it, I'm proud of him. The records are there to be broken. I couldn't be happier for him."
Kanuch's current rival, Bellwood-Antis, took home both pole vault championships. Dylan Andrews cleared 14 feet, 6 inches to win the boys vault, and Lydia Worthing cleared 11 feet to win the girls competition.
Forest Hills dominated the girls team battle, 88-54, over Somerset.
The Lady Rangers were led by Coach Bill Reimer Outstanding Performer Delaney Dumm, who won the 1600- and 3200-meter runs. Black captured the award in the boys competition.
In addition to those awards, the Gutzwiller Awards for Outstanding Performer among Blair County schools were also handed out. Winners included Andrews and Alexis Lovrich for Bellwood-Antis, Reagan Irons and Justin Jackson from Tyrone, Jade Carper and Justin Brubaker from Williamsburg and Ella Garner and Shalen Yingling from Central.
BOYS
TEAM RESULTS/KEY
1, Central (C) 66; 2, Central Cambria (CC) 56; 3, Penn Cambria (PC) 55; 4, Punxsutawney (P) 45; 5, Conemaugh Township (CT) 44; 6, Kane (K) 41; 7, Penns Valley (PV) 39; 8, Bellefonte (B) 37; 9, United (U) 31; 10, Chestnut Ridge (CR) 29; 11, Penns Manor (PM) 27; 12, Windber (W) 23; 13, Westmont Hilltop (WH) 22; 14, Huntingdon (H) 20; 15, West Branch (WB) 17; 16, Bellwood-Antis (BA) 15; 17, Kiski Prep (KP) 14; T-18, Bishop Carroll (BC) 12; T-18, Homer-Center (HC) 12; 20, Somerset (S) 11.5; T-21, Juniata Valley (JV) 10; T-21, Philipsburg-Osceola (PO) 10; 23, Tyrone (T) 9; T-24, Purchase Line (PL) 8; T-24, Marion Center (MC) 8; T-27, River Valley (RV) 7; T-27, Forest Hills (FH) 7; T-27, Warren (W) 7; 30, Portage (P) 6; T-31, Southern Huntingdon (SH) 2; T-31, Bishop McCort (BM) 2; 33, Cambria Heights (CH 1; 34, Elk County Catholic (ECC) 0.5.
INDIVIDUAL
100 dash: 1, Black, CT, 10.38*; 2, Zitnay, WH, 11.01; 3, Stolarski, PC, 11.07; 4, Wyrwas, CC, 11.16; 5, Marshall, PM, 11.24; 6, Yingling, C, 11.36; 7, Dean, P, 11.45; 8, Tunstall, CT, 11.64. 200 dash: 1, Black, CT, 22.07; 2, Stolarski, PC, 22.62; 3, Zitnay, WH, 23.02; 4, Good, PV, 23.11; 5, Dean, P, 23.39; 6, Sharp, B, 23.49; 7, Yingling, C, 23.57; 8, Okeugo, KP, 23.77. 400 dash: 1, Stolarski, PC, 51.22; 2, Good, PV, 51.34; 3, Seslow, S, 52.05; 4, Defibaugh, CT, 52.37; 5, Carr, WB, 52.63; 6, Bartlebaugh, P, 52.85; 7, Ferguson, BM, 53.072; 8, McFarlin, RV, 53.073. 800 run: 1, Radar, H, 1:56.81; 2, Groce, P, 1:58.68; 3, Roberts, CC, 1:58.71; 4, Bollman, CR, 1:59.87; 5, Grassmyer, U, 2:04.14; 6, Illerbrun, K, 2:04.43; 7, Kunselman, P, 2:06.54; 8, Stavola, WB, 2:08.1. 1600 run: 1, Radar, H, 4:24.31; 2, Crist, B, 4:30.22; 3, Bollman, CR, 4:32.67; 4, Lechleitner, CC, 4:37.28; 5, Ebeling, B, 4:38.66; 6, McKelvey, W, 4:40.82; 7, Erwin, SH, 4:43.75; 8, Kuntz, CC, 4:44.51. 3200 run: 1, Muckey, PO, 9:40.17; 2, McKelvey, W, 10:06.77; 3, Lindell, W, 10:09.25; 4, Kuntz, CC, 10:15.52; 5, Vinnedge, B, 10:21.73; 6, Henning, U, 10:22.49; 7, Myers, CR, 10:24.44; 8, Williams, B, 10:25.24. 110 hurdles: 1, Wess, CC, 14.8; 2, Albright, CR, 14.99; 3, Marinak, PC, 15.86; 4, Long-Yarrison, C, 16.38; 5, Jackson, T, 16.54; 6, Dickinson, BA, 16.59; 7, Lingenfelter, C, 17.54; 8, Gapshes, U, 17.58. 300 hurdles: 1, Marinak, PC, 39.66; 2, Albright, CR, 40.26; 3, Kimler, PV, 41.29; 4, Gapshes, U, 43.16; 5, Benton, C, 43.2; 6, Stiffler, U, 43.39; 7, Dickinson, BA, 43.45; 8, Best, W, 44.44.
400 relay: 1, Conemaugh Township, 43.52*; 2, Central, 44.18; 3, Kiski Prep, 44.59; 4, Tyrone, 44.75; 5, Westmont Hilltop, 44.92; 6, Somerset, 45.03; 7, Bellefonte, 45.34; 8, Punxsutawney, 45.5. 1600 relay: 1, Central Cambria (Snyder, Wilson, Lechleitner, Roberts), 3:34.22; 2, Central, 3:34.23; 3, West Branch, 3:36.82; 4, Bellefonte, 3:39.51; 5, Homer-Center, 3:40.4; 6, Elk County Catholic, 3:40.76; 7, Punxsutawney, 3:41.6; 8, United, 3:42.77. 3200 relay: 1, Central Cambria (Kuntz, Wilson, Roberts, Lechleitner), 8:10.61; 2, Punxsutawney, 8:20.65; 3, West Branch, 8:28.44; 4, United, 8:40.06; 5, Forest Hills, 8:59.37; 6, Bald Eagle Area, 8:59.85; 7, Windber, 9:07.8; 8, Cambria Heights, 9:12.32. High jump: 1, Lundeen, K, 6-2; 2, Lingenfelter, C, 5-10; 3, Bark, JV, 5-10; 4, Dunn, C, 5-10; 5, Shannon, RV, 5-8; 6, Marinak, PC, 5-8; 7, Dean, P, 5-8; T-8, Housley, S, 5-8; T-8, Wortman, ECC, 5-8. Long jump: 1, Brooks, PV, 22-2; 2, Lundeen, K, 21-10.75; 3, Williams, KP, 21-7.5; 4, Hummel, B, 21-4.5; 5, Stolarski, PC, 21-0.75; 6, Sotosky, CT, 21-0; 7, McDermott, PC, 20-10.25; 8, Wyrwas, CC, 20-8.5. Triple jump: 1, Zampogna, K, 45-2.5; 2, Brooks, PV, 44-4; 3, McDermott, PC, 42-8.5; 4, Sotosky, CT, 41-0; 5, Turnage, WH, 40-9.5; 6, Cunningham, BC, 40-7.5; 7, Kimler, PV, 40-1; 8, Hummel, B, 40-1. Shot put: 1, Klosky, W, 51-4.5; 2, Polenik, PM, 49-1.75; 3, Harker, BC, 48-5.5; 4, Brown, K, 47-9.5; 5, Jodon, BEA, 44-5.25; 6, Grusky, P, 43-5.25; 7, Roessler, RV, 41-11; 8, Severance, K, 41-7.25. Discus: 1, Polenik, PM, 156-8; 2, Bence, HC, 133-11; 3, Layo, P, 131-8; 4, Griffin, C, 130-9; 5, Grusky, P, 128-2; 6, Harker, BC, 127-3; 7, Huber, K, 124-6; 8, Jodon, BEA, 121-4. Javelin: 1, Daugherty, C, 177-4; 2, Elick, PL, 165-4; 3, Rhule, C, 157-1; 4, Lewis, PM, 148-9; 5, Proctor, B, 146-10; 6, Hockensmith, FH, 143-7; 7, Plants, K, 140-1; 8, Platt, S, 138-5. Pole vault: 1, Andrews, BA, 14-6; 2, Risinger, MC, 13-6; 3, Blankenbicker, U, 13-6; 4, Miller, P, 13-0; 5, Weirich, JV, 12-6; 6, Roberts, CC, 12-6; 7, Payne, U, 12-6; 8, Robison, S, 12-0.
GIRLS
TEAM RESULTS/KEY
1, Forest Hills (FH) 88; 2, Somerset (S) 54; 3, Punxsutawney (P) 49.5; 4, Huntingdon (H) 44; 5, Central (C) 40.5; 6, Tyrone (T) 32.5; 7, Elk County Catholic (ECC) 32; 8, Penns Valley (PV) 28; 9, Cambria Heights (CH) 27.5; 10, Warren (W) 26.5; 11, Purchase Line (PL) 23; T-12, Bellwood-Antis (BA) 22; T-12, Chestnut Ridge (CR) 22; 14, Derry (D) 20.5; T-15, Homer-Center (HC) 20; T-15, Portage (P) 20; 17, Marion Center (MC) 19; 18, Conemaugh Township (CT) 18; T-19, River Valley (RV) 16; T-19, Bald Eagle Area (BEA) 16; 21, Juniata Valley (JV) 15; 22, Westmont Hilltop (WH) 14; 23, Kane (K) 11; 24, United (U) 10; 25, Grier 8; 26, Penns Manor (PM) 7; T-27, Southern Huntingdon (SH) 6; T-27, Windber (W) 6; T-29 West Branch (WB) 3; T-29, Bishop McCort (BM) 3.
INDIVIDUAL
100 dash: 1, Rush, S, 12.28*; 2, Slezak, CT, 12.33; 3, Cam. Burkett, P, 12.69; 4, Ross, S, 12.95; 5, Lewis, T, 12.96; 6, Madigan, W, 13.09; 7, Brower, JV, 13.23; 8, Hopsicker, JV, 13.25. 200 dash: 1, Slezak, CT, 25.54; 2, Cam. Burkett, P, 26.5; 3, Urban, S, 26.75; 4, Lewis, T, 27.07; 5, Newton, W, 27.2; 6, Garner, C, 27.47; 7, Brower, JV, 27.75; 8, Smith, S, 28.1. 400 dash: 1, Newton, W, 1:01.04; 2, Ward, PL, 1:01.14; 3, Stitzer, PV, 1:01.99; 4, Faight, WH, 1:02.79; 5, Miller, P, 1:03.4; 6, Taylor, BEA, 1:03.44; 7, McMath, SH, 1:04.25; 8, Felix, FH, 1:04.55. 800 run: 1, Ryen, MC, 2:19.2; 2, Stitzer, PV, 2:25.34; 3, Hicks, P, 2:27.7; 4, Hoover, CH, 2:29.27; 5, McMath, P, 2:30.37; 6, McMahan, P, 2:30.4; 7, Chobany, P, 2:31.75; 8, Whysong, CR, 2:32.92. 1600 run: 1, Dumm, FH, 4:58.65; 2, Manfred, Grier, 5:25.95; 3, Bille, ECC, 5:30; 4, Berkhimer, C, 5:32.82; 5, Chobany, P, 5:39.7; 6, Whysong, CR, 5:41.47; 7, Durn, PV, 5:41.68; 8, Surkala, P, 5:42.04. 3200 run: 1, Dumm, FH, 10:43.28; 2, Neubert, ECC, 11:17.26; 3, Smith, PV, 11:41.27; 4, Berkhimer, C, 11:43.43; 5, Lovrich, BA, 11:47.78; 6, Rulander, W, 11:51.04; 7, Huss, D, 11:57.6; 8, Alexander, W, 11:58.01. 100 hurdles: 1, Glessner, FH, 16.24; 2, Stephen, K, 17.06; 3, Hillegass, S, 17.35; 4, Marshall, U, 17.43; 5, Irvin, BEA, 17.58; 6, Taylor, D, 17.64; 7, Dodson, CR, 17.86; 8, McClellan, CH, 17.9. 300 hurdles: 1, Papcunik, FH, 47.31; 2, Glessner, FH, 49.42; 3, Dodson, CR, 50.0; 4, Decker, C, 50.68; 5, Marshall, U, 50.89; 6, Stoltzfus, BA, 51.38; 7, Straub, ECC, 51.85; 8, Smith, PM, 51.96.
400 relay: 1, Somerset, 49.86; 2, Central, 51.9; 3, Westmont Hilltop, 52.3; 4, Tyrone, 52.63; 5, Bellwood-Antis, 52.87; 6, Bishop McCort, 53.19; 7, Penns Valley, 53.54; 8, Huntingdon, 53.74. 1600 relay: 1, Forest Hills, 4:16.57; 2, Central, 4:18.4; 3, Purchase Line, 4:19.66; 4, Punxsutawney, 4:19.66; 5, Penns Valley, 4:25.53; 6, Marion Center, 4:25.89; 7, Windber, 4:30.37; 8, Juniata Valley, 4:31.99. 3200 relay: 1, Elk County Catholic, 9:44.25; 2, Punxsutawney, 10:07.92; 3, Purchase Line, 10:08.84; 4, Forest Hills, 10:10.04; 5, Marion Center, 10:34.18; 6, Juniata Valley, 10:54.12; 7, Penns Manor, 11:04.81; 8, Kane, 11:08.22. High jump: 1, McLeary, FH, 5-0; 2, Mark, H, 5-0; T-3, Newton, W, 4-10; T-3, Griebel, P, 4-10; 5, Irons, T, 4-10; T-6, Repak, D, 4-10; T-6, McMillen, CH, 4-10; 8, Brubaker, W, 4-10. Long jump: 1, Rush, S, 17-1.5; 2, Lewis, T, 16-6; 3, Mark, H, 16-5; 4, McMillen, CH, 16-4.5; 5, Krug, FH, 16-2.75; 6, Buonaccorsi, H, 15-11; T-7, Hall, C, 15-10; T-7, Irons, T, 15-10. Triple jump: 1, Mark, H, 35-11; 2, McMillen, CH, 35-9.5; 3, Manyara, JV, 35-6; 4, McLeary, FH, 35-6; 5, Irons, T, 35-4.5; 6, Brubaker, W, 34-9; 7, Buonaccorsi, H, 34-6.5; 8, Kane, WH, 34-6. Shot put: 1, Sharp, HC, 43-5.75; 2, Jackson, RV, 36-11; 3, Easterling, CH, 35-7.75; 4, Garner, C, 35-2.25; 5, R. Miller, P, 34-11; 6, J. Miller, P, 34-10.5; 7, Leasure, MC, 34-8.75; 8, Newton, ECC, 34-4.25. Discus: 1, Sharp, HC, 143-0*; 2, Jackson, RV, 108-8; 3, Richard, S, 107-2; 4, Lewis, D, 105-3; 5, Grusky, P, 98-6; 6, Goncher, PL, 96-1; 7, Costanzo, K, 95-1; 8, Walls, T, 93-9. Javelin: 1, Bosch, CR, 151-5; 2, Mazzoni, D, 136-9; 3, Grusky, P, 134-4; 4, Newton, ECC, 119-10; 5, Hoover, BEA, 117-7; 6, Croyle, WB, 113-3; 7, Taylor, BEA, 108-8; 8, McCaulsky, BA, 108-7. Pole vault: 1, Worthing, BA, 11-0; 2, Rolley, H, 10-6; 3, Buonaccorsi, H, 10-0; 4, Krug, FH, 9-6; 5, Bowman, PM, 9-0; 6, Leskovansky, BEA, 8-6; 7, O'Neil, WH, 8-6; 8, Ressler, U, 8-6.
*--Meet record