ALTOONA — The scholastic track and field season just got started, and State College Area High School senior returning PIAA medalist Shannon Mullin already is taking things places they haven’t been before.
The Altoona Igloo Invitational is considered something of the unofficial kickoff to the track year, and Mullin made her mark quite literally in the 45th running of the event on Saturday, April 2, at Mansion Park Stadium by establishing new meet records in the girls’ long and triple jumps.
“I went into that meet with no intention of it just being a rust-buster. So, I felt pretty accomplished to walk away with those records,” Mullin said.
State College was one of four Centre County schools represented at the meet. No team score was kept, but 11 county athletes and relay teams brought home medals from an event that boasted some very strong performances for so early in the campaign, including numerous personal records.
All 11 winners were from State.
Thirty-one schools were at the meet from all over the state. Both Class 3A and 2A performers compete against each other.
“We had our meet last week postponed so it was good to get this one under our belts and see where we are. I was pretty impressed with the team’s show of support for each other and having a real sense of where and what everyone was doing.” State College boys’ and jumping coach Artie Gilkes said.
“The first real big highlight has to be Shannon Mullin jumping meet records, first in the triple jump and then in the long jump. In the triple jump she tied the state lead and in the long jump she took over the state leading jump of 18 feet, 11.75 inches and improved to number two alltime in SCTF history. To me it’s funny to think how far she’s come since her freshman year.”
Mullin’s distance in the triple jump was 38-0.75.
“I was pretty happy that I was able to set two meet records,” Mullin said.
“I actually was unaware of the long jump record until after the meet, so that was a nice way to finish the day. Jumping those distances this weekend gave me more hope for the outdoor season than what I had ended my indoor season with. It was really nice to jump PRs at the first meet of the outdoor season and I hope to improve upon those marks.”
Mullin wasn’t the only Lady Little Lion to hit the board running and get a good jump on the year. In the field, Mia Iceland jumped 10-0 to capture gold in the pole vault.
The results were even stronger on the track. Chloe Poindexter’s 1-minute, 1.58-second circuit was good for the gold in the 400-meter dash, while Marlee Kwasnica finished about 4 seconds ahead of teammate Amy Devan in a time of 11:37.08 for first in the two-mile run — no other runner beat 11:57.
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Of the State College boys’ champions, pole vaulter Ian Dorefice got the outdoor season off to a great start with his best result of the year, clearing 14-3.
“He’s battled through some adversity and has taken ownership of his craft. That’s the path all our great performers take,” Gilkes said.
“I think from our coaching staff’s perspective, seeing him successfully navigate the competitive environment was a real highlight. All our coaches believe in Dorefice a great deal. He’s such a personable, fun kid, so to see him get out there and get his outdoor season going on a positive note was very meaningful.”
In addition, Ryan Lindenberg won the 300 hurdles with a 40.60, Sean Adams took the 800 with a 1:58.22, Trent Dinant prevailed in the mile with a 4:25.23 and Charles Endres triumphed in the two-mile run in 9:53.50. State College’s four-by-400 relay ran 3:29.22 to win that event, as well.
Other Little Lions to medal via topeight showings were Endres (second, 1600), Dinant (third, 800), the 3200 relay team (second), Mitchell Maher (second, shot put; fourth, discus), Ben Spencer (second, discus; fifth, shot put), Mathew Staniar (second, 800), Tony Tzolov (third, 3200), John Sicree (fourth, 300 hurdles; fifth, 110 hurdles), Salahuddin Abdul-Hamid (sixth, 400), Samuel Endres (seventh, 3200), Nathan Haas (eighth, javelin), Jesse Myers (eighth, 200) and Holden Roth (eighth, 110 hurdles).
The other State College girls’ medalists were Natalie Koncoski (second, 800), Grace Morningstar (second, 1600), Sarah Tate (second, 100 hurdles; fifth, 300 hurdles), Irene Garcia (third, discus), Claire Hicks (fourth, pole vault), Abigail Bigger (sixth, 1600) and Alex Steward (sixth, pole vault).
Bronze medalists Zachary Brought, Abby Stitzer and Nathan Upcraft of Penns Valley and Abby Hoover of Bald Eagle Area were the highest non-State College county finishers. Brought was third in the boys’ high jump, Stitzer third in the girls’ 800, Upcraft third in the girls’ high jump and Hoover third in the girls’ javelin.
Penns Valley produced eight medalists in all. Micah Good was fourth in the boys’ 400, Colin Niewinski fourth in the javelin, Alexis Durn fifth in the girls’ 1600, Braucht seventh in the boys’ 100 and Simon Smith eighth in the boys’ 3200.
Angelina Grieb was fourth in the girls’ high jump, Owen Irvin fifth in the boys’ triple jump and Heather Leskovansky eighth in the girls’ pole vault for Bald Eagle Area, which also garnered eighth-place showings from both 1600-meter relays.
Taylor James and Asa Reynolds finished seventh, respectively, in the boys’ 200 and 800 to lead St. Joseph’s, while Brandi Carmack was eighth in the girls’ 1600, Amber Fisher eighth in the girls’ 3200 and Colin Simander eighth in the boys’ mile.
BELLEFONTE, PENNS VALLEY SPLIT
The Penns Valley boys edged Bellefonte, 76-74, while the Lady Raiders took down the Lady Rams, 93-53 in a Mountain League double-dual that also included Huntingdon on Tuesday, April 5.
Braucht keyed the Rams, who also trimmed Huntingdon, 78-72, with wins in the high and long jumps. Penns Valley also took the 400 relay and got individual wins from Good in the 400 and Niewinski in the javelin.
Bellefonte’s William Spratt was first in both the discus and the shot put, while the Raiders’ Chase Ebeline took the 3200 and Jacob Showers the 110 hurdles.
Bellefonte also finished ahead of the field in the 1600 and 3200 relays en route to a 91-59 team win against Huntingdon.
In the girls’ half of the meet, Bellefonte’s Kerri Shutika shone, winning the 100, 200 and 100 hurdles.
The Lady Raiders also received firstplace scoring from Emma Liadis in the 3200, Gabrielle Deitrich in the discus and Ruthann Smoyer in the 300 hurdles.
Bellefonte beat Huntingdon, 81-68.
Stitzer’s firsts in the 400 and 800 spearheaded the Lady Rams, who came up short against Huntingdon, as well, 87-57.
Penns Valley, though, didn’t have a shortage of event winners, including Durn in the mile, Upcraft in the high jump and its teams in both the 1600 and 3200 relays.
Bellefonte also opened the season on April 2, hosting Brookville and Selinsgrove in a double dual at Jeremy Herbstritt & Lt. Jonas Martin Panik Track at Rogers Stadium. Both the Raiders and Lady Raiders dropped both team competitions.
“While the team results are not what we were hoping for, I could not be more pleased with our efforts,” Bellefonte coach Seth Miller said.
Bellefonte’s boys’ event winners were Alexander Crist in the 3200 and the 3200-meter relay. Dietrich won the discus, Liadis the 1600 and Ella Underwood the shot put for the Lady Raiders.
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
The Philipsburg-Osceola girls split a Mountain League double-dual on April 5, besting host Clearfield, 87-63, but dropping an 84-65 decision to Tyrone.
Kalista Butler sparked the Lady Mounties by winning the javelin and the pole vault. Philipsburg-Osceola also did well in the girls’ distance races, as Jaylee Cook in the 1660, Kylie Timko in the 3200 and the four-by-800 relay all won their events.
Rounding out P-O’s girls winners were Olivia Hutton in the discus, Reilly Vroman in the shot put and the 400 relay team.
Despite Chad Muckey’s victories in the 1600 and 3200, the Philipsburg-Osceola boys fell 91-55 to Clearfield and 102-47 to Tyrone.
The Mounties’ Josiah Kephart, Braydon Little and Matthew Reese were winners in the discus, 400 dash and pole vault, respectively.
STATE COLLEGE
The Little Lions and Lady Little Lions cruised to dual-meet wins over visiting Harrisburg on April 5 in the Mid-Penn Conference. The State College boys won 119-31. The girls prevailed by a 113-34 count.
Max Bodner captured two individual events for the Little Lions, the long jump and the triple jump. Meanwhile, Adams won the 400, Dinant the 3200, Dorefice the pole vault, Charles Endres the 800, Sam Endres the 1600, Nathan Haas the javelin, Maher the shot put and Spencer the discus.
Reese Kramer spearheaded the State College girls by taking first in both hurdle races.
Also winning for the Lady Little Lions were Alex Antoniono (long jump), Clare Banker (triple jump), Bigger (800), Devan (3200), Iceland (pole vault), Maya Ikenberry (1600), Kwasnica (400) and Katie McQueary (high jump).
State College swept all six relays.
BALD EAGLE AREA
The Bald Eagle Area boys and girls each dropped a Mountain League contest on April 5 to visiting Hollidaysburg. The boys dropped a 112-38 decision, while the girls fell, 104-45.
Irvin accounted for two of the Eagles’ wins, placing first in the long and triple jumps, while Matthew Knepp won the shot put and Kevin Taylor the pole vault.
Hoover paced the Lady Eagles with victories in the discus and javelin. BEA’s Alexandria Hacker prevailed in the 3200, while Emily Ream finished first in the 100 hurdles.
“I went into that meet with no intention of it just being a rust-buster. So, I felt pretty accomplished to walk away with those records.”
Shannon Mullin
State High jumper
