The Tamaqua Invitational has always been somewhat of mini Schuylkill League meet. Friday’s edition was no different, with 12 of the league’s 14 teams taking part.
The previous four editions were held early in the season, serving as a preview of what’s to come for the upcoming spring. This year’s meet was moved to mid-April, and its placement perhaps gave area track and field fans an even better idea of what could be expected at the Schuylkill League Championships set for Wednesday, May 6, at Blue Mountain High School’s Eagles’ Nest.
With the Tamaqua Invitational moved much closer to the league meet, the athletes that competed Friday are starting to ramp up for the postseason. The weather, which is usually lousy, was also ideal. The temperature was perfect, with little or no wind.
Those two factors likely played a part in the fact that four meet records were broken Friday, while another was tied.
Three of those records were set by league athletes.
Jim Thorpe’s Dylan Bucior, Ben Saxon, Jake Saxon and Johnathan Condly smashed the 3,200 relay record with 8:20.31, besting the old mark of 8:29 set by Shamokin in 2013. Schuylkill Haven’s Noah Fritz (49 feet, 11 inches) set a new high in the boys’ shot put — Mahanoy Area’s Tyler Cavenas (47-1) had the old record from 2013 — as did Pine Grove’s McKayla Lally in the girls’ 400. She ran a 1:00.59 on Friday, beating the old mark of 1:01.84 by Mount Carmel’s Ali Varano in 2013.
Jim Thorpe’s Colleen Hoffman also tied the meet record in girls’ pole vault at 10-0.
The Olympians’ relay record was one of the many highlights for Jim Thorpe on Friday. The current Division I-leading Olympians won nine events — including four by Rayan Green (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump, triple jump) — and rolled to the team title with 149 points, 52 ahead of runner-up Palmerton (97).
Fritz, a junior, is one of the many athletes who are making tremendous strides this season.
He wasn’t surprised that he broke the meet record Friday. It wasn’t because Fritz is arrogant, but it was based on his performance last Thursday in a dual meet against Marian and Shenandoah Valley when he threw a season-high 50-9¼.
Fritz didn’t waste any time in breaking the record Friday, hitting the mark on his first attempt of the competition. Tamaqua’s Trevor Skripko (44-11½) was second.
“I felt it was a good throw because it was quick out the circle, out the back,” Fritz said. “I kicked real hard and landed in a good position and I got my hips through it. I killed the release, flicked it real hard. I had a lot of momentum behind it.”
Last year, Fritz threw 43-6 at the league meet and 45-2½ during the District 11 Championships. Fritz put in a ton of time during the offseason and feels his technique is good at this point. He wants to get stronger and improve his footwork.
One of Fritz’s big goals for the season is to break the school record of 52 feet.
“Working hard in the weight room and just support from everyone, technique,” Fritz said on what’s been the keys for him so far this season. “I have a set goal in front of me that I just keep climbing for.”
Lally, a sophomore, is a part of a talented group of underclassmen for the Cardinals. She qualified for states last season in the 400 and 1,600 relays.
Lally came into Friday with a seed time of 1:01.34 and shaved 35 seconds off that during her win, beating Pottsville’s Aysia Centano (1:01.56).
“I was very surprised,” Lally said. “I wanted to try and go for our school record, but unfortunately, I didn’t break that. I had no idea I would break the meet record.
“I wanted to try and stay with the girls and do that kick at the 200 that I always give. That’s how I always win the 400.”
Lally finished off the night by anchoring the Cardinals’ 1,600 relay team of Nilitza Malave, Chloe Readinger and Maddie Frew. The four won the race in 4:19.21, beating Lehighton (4:19.80) as Lally held off the Indians’ Jennifer Beers at the end to give Pine Grove the win.
“I wanted to give her a little bit of lead,” Lally said. “I like to chase people in the 4-by-4. Near the 200, I started to kick it in and in the last 100, I just gave it my all.”
League athletes
headed to Penn Relays
The 120th running of the Penn Relays Carnival, the world’s oldest and largest track and field meet, takes place Thursday-Saturday at Penn University’s Franklin Field in Philadelphia. As is the case in recent years, the Schuylkill League will be well represented with Marian, Pine Grove and Tamaqua sending athletes to the meet.
Here’s a list of who’s expected to compete:
• Tamaqua — Paige Demetriades and Morgan Boyle in the high school girls’ javelin Thursday at 4:45 p.m. Demetriades, who’s currently battling an elbow injury, might not compete.
Chelsea Frantz, Janette Kabana, Victoria LaBar and Monika Shimko, along with alternate Nicole Wasserleben, in the high school girls’ 1,600 relay Thursday, with their heat starting at 2:20 p.m.
• Marian — Maureen Kloap, Sadie Kosar, Emily Pulaski and Camaryn Wheeler in the high school girls’ small-school 400 relay Thursday at 10:15 a.m.; Tina Capparell, Natalia Koniter, Sierra Volkert and Pulaski in the high school girls’ 1,600 relay Thursday at 2:25 p.m.
For the Colts, Nico Agosti, Chris Bruno, Dom Mussoline and Mike Witczak will likely run in the high school 1,600 relay Saturday at 10:15 a.m.
• Pine Grove — Rachel Edge, Lally, Malave and Readinger in the high school girls’ small-school 400 relay Thursday at 11:10 a.m.; Malave, Readinger, Frew and Lally in the high school girls’ 1,600 small-school relay Thursday at 3 p.m.
(Carnahan is the track and field beat writer for The Republican-Herald. Follow him on Twitter @mdcarnahan71)
Schuylkill League Track and Field Honor Roll
April 13-20
BOYS
100 — Chris Bruno (Marian) and James Close (Pottsville) 11.44*
200 — Christian Witman (Pottsville) 23.56
400 — Samuel Gilkes (Jim Thorpe) 51.93
800 — Dylan Bucior (Jim Thorpe) 2:02.08
1,600 — Dylan Bucior (Jim Thorpe) 4:38.54
3,200 — Johnathan Condly (Jim Thorpe) 10:22.73
110 HH — Rayan Green (Jim Thorpe) 15.91
300 IH — Rayan Green (Jim Thorpe) 41.54
400 relay — Lehighton (Tyler Crum, Jose Oritz, Tom Ruzicka, Jackson Schaeffer) 45.52
1,600 relay — Blue Mountain (Noah Rhody, Bailey Charters, Dakota Roberts, Cameron Greenawalt) 3:35.51
3,200 relay — Jim Thorpe (Dylan Bucior, Ben Saxon, Jake Saxon, Johnathan Condly) 8:20.31
High jump — Bobby Wagner (North Schuylkill) 6-2
Long jump — Tyler Crum (Lehighton) 20-11½
Triple jump — Rayan Green (Jim Thorpe) 44-5
Shot put — Noah Fritz (Schuylkill Haven) 50-9¼
Discus — Joseph Blauch (Lehighton) 137-2
Javelin — Tom Ruzicka (Lehighton) 155-0
Pole vault — Adrian Dohmann (Blue Mountain) 12-6
GIRLS
100 — Sarah Lombel (Pottsville) 12.64*
200 — Sarah Lombel (Pottsville) 26.04*
400 — McKayla Lally (Pine Grove) 1:00.59
800 — Monika Shimko (Tamaqua) 2:22.98
1,600 — Monika Shimko (Tamaqua) 5:32.22
3,200 — Kaylene Raczka (Minersville) 12:32.30
100 H — Maddie Frew (Pine Grove) 16.28
300 IH — Maddie Frew (Pine Grove) 48.29
400 relay — Pottsville (Marielle Przywara, Alyssa Kondrack, Madison Sherakas, Sarah Lombel) 52.04*
1,600 relay — Pine Grove (Nilitza Malave, Chloe Readinger, Maddie Frew, McKayla Lally) 4:19.21
3,200 relay — Blue Mountain (Caroline Rickard, Emily Leymeister, Aubrey Abel, Katie Thompson) 10:01.39
High jump — Carly Gregas (North Schuylkill) 5-4
Long jump — Brenna Karnish (Marian) 16-3.5
Triple jump — Brenna Karnish (Marian) 34-4
Shot put — Kaylee Ceci (Marian) 32-6.75
Discus — Brenna Karnish (Marian) 103-7
Javelin — Brooke Cope (Jim Thorpe) 143-3
Pole vault — Colleen Hoffman (Jim Thorpe) 10-0
*Hand-held time adjusted to fully automatic timing (FAT)