Journey Brown (Meadville Area) / Photo by Don Rich
Pro Bike and Run/ Brooks Baldwin Invitational - MEET PREVIEW
The annual Baldwin Invitational in Pittsburgh is once again jam-packed with many of the biggest names in western PA, as we get a glimpse of what to expect at the WPIAL Champs set for later this month with a few other top teams mixed in. Here's what we're watching for:
BOYS PREVIEW
Sprints/Hurdles: Plenty of big names are set for the 100 meters. The reigning AAA state champ is in the field in Meadville Area's Journey Brown. Brown won at McDowell and now he'll head down to Baldwin on Friday. He'll be pushed, though. Ambridge Area's Isaac Elliott, who challenged him many times during indoors should supply a challenge. So will PA#7 James Krandel of Bethel Park, who pulled out a nice PR at South Fayette last week. Look for Kennedy Catholic's Channing Phillips, who is PA#3 in the 200 meters as well. Shenango's Dom Data is also in the field.
Ayden Owens (NA) / Photo by Barry Marcella
Brown, Phillips, and Data return for the 200 meters. We talked about Phillips' prowess in that event, but we'll see what Brown, a Penn State running back recruit, has in store in the 200 (his PR is 22.04). North Allegheny's Ayden Owens is also in the 200 meters. He was second in the event at indoor states.
But Owens, a junior, will have a busy day. He's the top seed and heavy favorite in the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles. Owens won the AAA state title in the 300s last spring and this past winter, he was second in the state in the 60 meter hurdles. He's already ran 37.56 in the 300s, just off his PR from states last year, so we could see something big here.
In the 400 meters, watch for a battle between plenty of sub-50 guys. Elliott is the top seed. He went PA#2 49.16 a few weeks ago at his county champs. Phillips, who sits at PA#4 will be a worthy opponent. Norwin's Nicholas Coleman (PA#6) and Greater Latrobe's Zakharee Williams (PA#10) will make for a fast race here.
Zach Skolnekovich (Quaker Valley) / Photo by Phil Grove
Distance: The invitational mile is loaded with talent. Quaker Valley's Zach Skolnekovich has been on a tear this spring so far. He ran 4:16.77 over 1600 meters for the win at Butler a few weeks ago. What's he got in store for this week? Winchester Thurston's Tristan Forsythe, fresh off a race at Penn last week will look to contend. Waynesburg Central's Ben Bumgarner, who raced the 3K at Penn is here. So is Kiski Area's Eric Kennedy, South Fayette's Sam Snodgrass, Seneca's Phoenix Myers, Penn Trafford's Nick Wagner, and Mercyhurst Prep's Noah Curtin. This one will be very fast.
Skolnekovich, who had an impressive 16/32 double at Butler, will attempt the same double on Friday. He's the top seed in that race, but Butler's Noah Beveridge will be fresh and should push both to fast times. Curtin and Snodgrass are also back in a race that also includes Winchester Thurston's Ben Littmann, Baldwin's Casey Conboy, Norwin's Matt O'Neill and Taylor Allderdice's Amadou Diallo. Forsythe is the among those returning for the 800 meters. Also in the half mile field is Seneca's Donovan Myers, Penn Hills' Isaiah Bailey, and Cathedral Prep's Derek Jones.
Jordan Geist (Knoch)
Field: Knoch's Jordan Geist will be at it again at Baldwin. Fresh off an incredible series in Philadelphia this past weekend, what does "The Beast" have to bring to the table this week? He has a new discus PR, a 201-10 from a dual meet at Moniteau this week. He'll be in search of big throws once again in the shot and disc. After a Penn shot put series where he didn't have one throw under 73 feet, it seems like it may be time for a big one at Baldwin.
There's plenty of talent after Geist in the disc. Seneca Valley's Zach Gehm had a big PR at Mars that vaulted him to PA#5, so he'll look to replicate that. PA#6 Sam Mastro of South Fayette will be in the mix and so will the Cathedral Prep brothers Nolan Landis (PA#7) and Cameron Landis (PA#14). In the shot put, we'll see Mastro, the Landis brothers, Hempfield Area's Alex Murray and Upper Saint Clair's James Pollock in what should be one of the day's premiere events.
In the javelin, Hempfield Area's Hayden Fox will look to follow up his big PR in the event from Ship. Fox threw a PA#1 206-8 that day in some less-than-ideal conditions. Does he have another big throw for this week? Greater Latrobe's Austin Butler (PA#7) will look for the upset win. Fox is also one to watch in the pole vault, along with Baldwin's Dave Johnston.
We'll be looking for some big jumps on the runway this weekend. In the triple jump, New Brighton's Anthony Milliner will look to continue his strong season. The reigning AA state champ is the event currently sits at PA#2 after a jump of 47--6.5 last week. He's favored there, but the long jump should be very competitive. Indoor state champ Harvey Kane of Upper Saint Clair will look to jump up from PA#11, while Ringgold's Brian Vandusen, NA's Owens, and Meadville's Brown will also be in the mix. Seneca's Brady Smith will be the one to watch in the high jump after clearing 6-5 at McDowell last weekend.
Alexis Leech (Butler) / Photo by Phil Grove
GIRLS PREVIEW
Sprints/Hurdles: Obama Academy's Raven Haston started her season off well, running a PA#5 100 meters at South Fayette last weekend. Now Haston will be favored to win the 100 again this weekend at Baldwin. She's also among the top seeds in the 200 meters. In the 100, Keystone Oaks' Tara Gologram will look to challenge her. In the 200 meters,
Butler's Alexis Leech, currently PA#7, will be the one to watch in the 400 meters. South Fayette's Rachel Helbling, Villa Maria's Grace Brown, and Greater Latrobe's Faith Mucci should make that 400 a really quick race.
In the hurdles, there's plenty of talent. Jayla Ellis, PA#7 in the 100 hurdles, is the top seed there. PA#9 Brenna Cavanaugh of Bentworth, PA#11 Bailey Traczynski of Hempfield Area, and PA#12 Melina Owens of North Allegheny are also in the field. Ellis, Traczynski, and Owens will all return for the 300 hurdles, which also includes Hempfield Area's Gabby Holmberg.
Clara Savchik (NA) / Photo by Abby Huber
Distance: Get ready for an exciting invitational mile on the girls' side. Greensburg Central Catholic's Moira O'Shea is PA#6 (and PA-AA#1), so she's the favorite, but Upper Saint Clair's Savannah Shaw (PA#7) and Oakland Catholic's Lauren Finikiotis (PA#9) will make this a close race. Sharon's Jordan Williams, Ambridge Area's Mica Hanish, and Peters Township's Laura Ehrenberger will also look to make things interesting in this race.
In the 3200 meters, watch for North Allegheny's Clara Savchik. She's currently PA#1 after a near PR at Butler last week off a double from the 1600. Looks like she'll be fresh on Friday and the state leader could lower that time even more. O'Shea and Hanish are also entered there, along with Vincentian Academy's Marianne Abdalah, the reigning AA state champ in the 3200.
Last week, West Allegheny's Maddie Salek posted a nice PR of 2:14.90 at MACs. Now she's back in the event for Baldwin. Can the PA#4 move even more up the state rankings? Butler's Liz Simms is also in that race along with Ehrenberger, Finikiotis, Williams, Shaw and Greater Latobe's Anna Ramsey.
Casey Phelan (Laurel Highlands) / Photo by Phil Grove
Field: The pole vault will bring together a number of state medal contenders and some of the best of the west. PA#7 Casey Phelan of Laurel Highlands, PA#9 Taylor Weaver of Butler, PA#10 Molly DeBone of Hempfield Area, and PA#15 Kendall Grossman of Moniteau will look to push each other to some great heights this weekend at Baldwin.
In the discus, Butler's Jena Reimheimer and South Park's Maura Huwalt have season bests just a few inches off each other, so it's only fitting that those two will go head-to-head in the event this weekend. Lillia Allen of Penn Hills, Corry Area's Abby Whitaker, and Mercer Area's Megan Parker are also entered. PA#10 Samantha Orie of Hempfield Area will be the one to watch in the shot put. Allen, Reinheimer, Huwalt, Parker, and Whitaker are also entered in the shot put. Corry Area's Ryann Brundage, who just took ninth at the Penn Relays, is the top seed in the javelin.
The long jump will figure to be a good matchup between Shenango's Miranda Schry, Bentworth's Cavanaugh, Oakland Catholic's Ellis, and Norwin's Jessica Kolesar. Cavanaugh won the indoor state title in the event this past winter. She's also entered in the triple jump, where she'll face South Fayette's Courtney Phoennik, Hempfield's Holmberg, and Schry.