H.S. TRACK & FIELD: 4 PIAA No. 1 seeds: Chambersburg Trojans will try to hold places at top

By ED GOTWALS

Sports editor

Earning a No. 1 seed in your event for the PIAA Track & Field Championships is quite an honor, even though it doesn't guarantee you anything.

Having four No. 1 seeds from one team in Class AAA is remarkable.

Yet that's where the Chambersburg track and field team finds itself heading into the first of two days of competition at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium today.

The Trojans listed at the top of the performance sheets after last week's district level meets include junior Marshay Ryan in the long jump and triple jump, senior Ryun Holder in the 800 and the all-senior boys 4 x 800 relay team of Nick Rotz, Adam Harriger, Aaron Powell and Holder.

"I'm almost certain we've never had four No.

1's in one year," Chambersburg boys coach Bob Walker said. "We haven't had that many No. 1's ever. I can think of maybe three or four in my time here.

"It might add a little pressure, especially if you focus on your seed. But as a coach I never pay attention to the seeds. The only thing that matters is to be on the list so you're competing."

Take the 4 x 800 team as an example. The Trojans won the District 3 race last week in 7:48.94. The next three best times are Bensalem (7:49.11), Pennridge (7:49.54) and Cumberland Valley (7:49.67). That's a very small margin for error.

Chambersburg girls coach Chris Monheim said, "There's no room for error. We'll have to run a good race in the trials Friday just to get into Saturday's final."

Holder's

winning time of 1:53.56 leads the field in the 800, but Vincent Tonzo of North Allegheny is right behind at 1:53.66.

"The guys that Ryun has to race against are guys he's seen," Walker said. "He's been in big meets with them before."

Ryan does have some distance between her winning jumps last week at districts and her nearest competitor, but that can be a little deceiving. She won the long jump at 18-9.5 and the triple at 39-8.5. The No. 2 seeds are 18-4.75 in the long jump (Jordan Matthews of Abington) and 38-2.5 in the triple (Katie Catania of Methacton).

Walker said, "I think the long jump could be closer than the triple jump. Two girls have hit 19 feet in the long jump (Ryan's best was last week), but I don't think anybody else has hit 40 in the triple (Ryan's best is 40-5)."

Ryan is the defending champion in the long jump with an effort of 18-7.

Four other area athletes are seeded in the top 10.

Chambersburg's Rotz has the 10th-best time coming in for the 1600 (4:19.92). The Trojans' Jess Whitmore is seeded sixth in the 100 with her 12.07 time from last week. In girls AA, Nikki Fleming of McConnellsburg is seeded ninth in the high jump (5-2), just two inches off the top seed, and in AA boys, Jacon Ashkettle of

Southern Fulton is seeded 10th in 50.51.

Chambersburg has two other relay teams that qualified - boys 4 x 400 (seeded 14th) and girls 4 x 100 (seeded 16th).

Monheim said, "It will be fun for the 4 x 100 relay. Jess is really into the relay, as much as she is individually. It's nice that two are freshmen (Miana Harrison and McKensi Washabaugh) so they can get that experience."

Ryan runs the leadoff leg on that relay.

Also for Chambersburg, Kellen Williams qualified in the 300 hurdles. In AAA boys, James Buchanan's Liam Corcoran will run in the 1600 and 3200, while Greg Boyer of Greencastle-Antrim is in the 110 hurdles and Johnny Adgers of Waynesboro is competing in the long jump.

In Class AA boys, Ryan Stoeckle of McConnellsburg, who is a Forbes Road student but competes for the Spartans through a co-op program, has qualified in the shot put and discus, and Southern Fulton's Steven Meyer made it in javelin.

Abby Turner of Fannett-Metal will have a busy weekend, having qualified for three events - the 100, 200 and 400 in Class AA girls. Macey Hollenshead of Southern Fulton will compete in the 1600 in AA.

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Ed Gotwals can be reached at 262-4755 and egotwals@publicopinionnews.com or on Twitter @EdGotwalsPO.

Ship hosts PIAA track

Shippensburg University will once again host the PIAA Track & Field Championships, today and Saturday, at Seth Grove Stadium.

Friday: Field event finals 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; Track trials 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday: Field event finals 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; Track trials 10-11:45 a.m.; finals 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cost: Adults - $14 (both days), $6 (Friday), $8 Saturday; Students - $7, $3, $4

Area top seeds: Boys AAA - Chambersburg's 4 x 800 relay; Chambersburg's Ryun Holder (800); Girls AAA - Chambersburg's Marshay Ryan (long and triple jumps)

PIAA Championships

AREA SEEDS

Boys Class AAA

4 x 800 relay - 1.Chambersburg (Nick Rotz, Adam Harriger, Aaron Powell, Ryun Holder), 7:48.94

110 hurdles - 19.Greg Boyer (Greencastle-Antrim), 15.16

1600 - 10.Nick Rotz (Chambersburg), 4:19.92; 17.Liam Corcoran (James Buchanan), 4:22.64

300 hurdles - 22.Kellen Williams (Chambersburg), 39.89

800 - 1.Holder (Chambersburg), 1:53.56

3200 - 20.Corcoran (James Buchanan), 9:29.59

4 x 400 relay - 14.Chambersburg (Powell, Williams, Rotz, Holder)

Long jump - 30.Jonny Adgers (Waynesboro), 21-7

Girls Class AAA

100 - 6.Jess Whitmore (Chambersburg), 12.07

4 x 100 relay - 16.Chambersburg (Marshay Ryan, Miana Harrison, McKensi Washabaugh, Whitmore), 49.45

Long jump - 1.Ryan (Chambersburg), 18-9.5

Triple jump - 1.Ryan (Chambersburg), 39-8.5

Boys Class AA

400 - 10.Jacob Ashkettle (Southern Fulton), 50.51

Shot put - 22.Ryan Stoeckle (McConnellsburg), 49-0

Discus - 16.Stoeckle (McConnellsburg), 142-1

Javelin - 16.Steven Meyer (Southern Fulton), 165-11

Girls Class AA

100 - 22.Abby Turner (Fannett-Metal), 12.85

1600 - 24.Macey Hollenshead (Southern Fulton), 5:31.02

400 - 19.Turner (Fannett-Metal), 59.95

200 - 33.Turner (Fannett-Metal), 26.89

High jump - 9.Nikki Fleming (McConnellsburg), 5-2