Bulldogs enter district meet with several No. 1 seeds
May 21—The Meadville Bulldogs boys and girls track and field teams each could put several athletes on the medal stand in today's District 10 Track and Field Championship meet.
The meet is set to begin at 10 a.m. at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
On the boys side, Nick Williams is expected to have a big day, according to head coach Amy Lynn.
"I look for Nick Williams to have a great day," Lynn said. "His hard work and determination is incredible."
Williams is seeded third in the 100-meter-dash with a time of 11.21 seconds. The sophomore transfer from Jersey Shore is also seeded second in the 200-meter-dash (23.46). He is also on the 4x100-meter-relay team that is in a competitive heat.
The 4x100 team is seeded sixth with a time of 44.92. The top five seeds are seeded between 44.17 and 44.92. Also on the team is Khalon Simmons, Alex Kinder and Konner Sayre.
"The boys 4x100 relay has really come together and they have been practicing handoffs every day to try to shave a few tenths off their time," Lynn said.
Simmons is also seeded high in the long jump and triple jump. The junior is seeded third in the long jump with a mark of 21-feet and 7-inches. He is also seeded third in the triple jump (43-7.5).
"Khalon Simmons has the ability to jump both qualifying standards in the long and triple jump," Lynn said. "There is some good competition in those events but with a good mindset, he can do it."
To qualify for the state meet, an athlete needs to either win the district event or hit the state qualifying standard. The state standard in the long jump is 22-3 and is 45-0 in triple.
The boys 4x800 relay team is seeded ninth (9:09.88). Running the relay is Sayre, Kyler Woolstrum, Max Dillaman and Charlie Minor.
Dillaman is seeded sixth in the 3,200-meter-run (10:22.05). Woolstrum is also an entrant in the race.
Also competing today is Minor, who is seeded eighth in the pole vault with a mark of 10-feet and nine-inches. Simmons and Kinder are also entrants in the 100 with Kinder also running the 200.
In the throws, Justice Esser is seeded fourth in discus (141-08). The state standard is 153.
"Justice has been practicing very well, he increased his distance in the last meet by seven or eight feet," Lynn said. "If he can pop one out there, he could hit the state qualifying standard."
Esser is also seeded ninth in the shot put (43-10.5).
For the girls, the Lady Bulldogs have a lot of speed on the track.
In the 100, Sydney Burchard is seeded first (13.02), Marlaya McCoy is seeded second (13.10) and Jessie Aitken is seeded fourth (13.31). The girls are also running the 200, with McCoy seeded second (27.31), Burchard third (27.43) and Aitken ninth (27.99).
Burchard, McCoy, Aitken and Jordyn Bean also make up the top seeded 4x100 relay team (51.75).
"The girls 4x100 is seeded first," Lynn said. "They need to stick their handoffs and run a clean race to give them a chance to win the event."
In the distance events, the girls 4x800 relay is seeded fourth (11:07.56). The team consists of Riley Fronce, Camryn Guffey, Adelaide Phillis and Jazalyn Andrews.
Guffey will also run the 1,600-meter-run, where she is seeded fourth (5:37.64).
Also competing for the girls are Jamie Larson and Kayla Baker in the triple jump, Payton Costello in discus, Burchard and Alex Gallagher in javelin, Emily Schnauber in high jump and Bean in pole vault.
Today's meet will likely be the last time Meadville's seniors take the track as a Meadville Bulldog.
"All of them will be missed immensely. Riley Fronce, Addie Phillis, and Konner Sayre took care of most of our middle distance. We will need our underclassmen to step up next year to replace them," Lynn said. "Lance (Axton) contributed to the distance team and hopefully we can pick up some more distance runners from the middle school program.
"Tomorrow they just need to leave everything they have on the track. Riley will be going on to compete in college, which is always great to see."
Alex Topor can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at .
