Moon Area’s Rachel Stepp continued her standout freshman season Friday, as she posted the fifth-fastest time during the preliminary heats of the 400-meters in the Class 3A portion of the PIAA Track and Field Championships, which got underway at Shippensburg University.
Stepp, who won the 400 at last week’s WPIAL meet, clocked a time of 57.17 seconds to earn a berth in Saturday’s finals at Seth Grove Stadium.
Kaddel Howard of Cedar Crest posted the top qualifying time in the 400 at 53.12.
The 400-meter final is set to take place at 1:40 p.m. Saturday.
Stepp was the lone West Hills area athlete to reach the finals in any event Friday, although a number of events are scheduled to be contested Saturday.
Several of Stepp’s teammates competed Friday but did not advance past the prelims.
Lydia Delsite wound up 18th in the triple jump with a mark of 37 feet, 1.75 inches, and Marcus McGill posted a time of 50.48 seconds and finished 24th in the 400.
In the 1,600 meters, Moon senior Tyler Giunipero finished 18th with a time of 4:21.14. Carter Smith of Mifflin County won the event in 4:01.54.
In the Class 2A meet, Carlynton posted the 12th-fastest time – 50.44 — in the girls 4×100 relay. Hayleigh Loeffert, Jordynn Carter, Riley Mauro and Clare Ruffing took part in that race.
“We were flying,” Carlynton coach Nate Milsom said of his relay quartet. “But we messed up the last handoff. We adjusted some things for the meet but just couldn’t put it together.”
Ryan Lewis, the Carlynton senior who was competing with a torn knee ligament, finished 24th in the long jump with a mark of 20 feet, 2.5 inches.
Area athletes will be competing today in several events, including Carlynton’s Lani Blevins in the girls 3,200; Montour’s Tiffany Miller and Moon’s Samuel Herrera in the girls and boys 800, respectively; Moon’s Maria Depner in the discus; and Carlynton’s Carter in the girls triple jump.
Carlynton’s 4×800 relay team, consisting of Blevins, Isabella Sysak, Grace Prepelka and Bridget McNamara, also is scheduled to run.
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