Fatherly advice helps Graham earn states bid
CALN TWP. » Dry shoes would have helped on the all-weather track flooded by an unrelenting rain Saturday.
But for Ridley hurdler Tony Graham, nothing was timelier in the bid to earn a firstever trip to states than a pep talk.
It came from his father, Drew Scott, who qualified for the states in the hurdles at Strath Haven in the late 1990s.
“He said to just focus on your race,” Graham said of his pop, who cheered him on from the fence. “He said to use tunnel vision, and you’ve got this.”
Graham got it — twice. He clocked 40.14 in the wash to finish third in the 300 hurdles, a splash behind winner Kyle Magee (39.74) and Christopher Cardamone (40.09), both of Central Bucks South.
That result was a few hours after Graham jumped out to a lead before finishing fifth in the 110 hurdles in 15.32. That earned him his first-ever trip to the states.
“I was a little worried at the end,” Graham said of the 110 hurdles. “In (the 300) I could have been better but I tried my best. I ran my race. I qualified. But I’ve run like a 39.57.”
It was that kind of day for the Delco guys, who weathered the nasty conditions for the right to go to states.
Early in the day the Haverford boys team 4 X 800 relay of Aiden Tomov, Josh Fingerhut, Brendan Campbell and Erik McCallion qualified for states with a fifth-place finish, in 8:02.11, just a stride behind Boyertown.
Tomov, a junior, got the lead and the Fords played their roles.
“I wanted to do a lot but I also wanted to conserve as much energy as possible,” said Tomov, who later qualified for the states in the 1,600 meters. “So, I kind of went out fast for the first 100 meters, then I cruised for the next 300, and then I just went all out the last 300 meters.’
Fingerhut, a sophomore, took the baton and after his leg, handed it to Campbell.
“I was confident handing off to Erik,” Campbell said of the anchor leg. “I knew he would handle business.”
McCallion positioned himself for the big finish, passing the runners he let pass him.
“I was just thinking like, stay in the same spot and save a little for the end just to make sure we got in a good position and qualify for states,” McCallion said. “Which really was the goal all along.”
It’s the second straight year the Fords’ relay made states although Fingerhut was the alternate on the 2017 squad anchored by James Abrams, now at Penn State. The Fords got some good luck texts from Abrams, who last year surged from 11th to eighth with a 1:58 split culminating in a dive over the finish line to get the Fords to Shippensburg. Abrams sustained multiple cuts and abrasions with the late lunge.
“That was the craziest finish I think I’ve ever seen,” Fingerhut said. “That was like inspiration for us this year. We knew we had to get back to states like he did last year.”
Speaking of inspiration, late in the day the Upper Darby and Chester 4 x 400 relay teams salvaged pride for their programs by finishing third and fourth in the event, the times qualifying them for states.
The Royals were third in 3:20.44, the Clippers fourth in 3:21.17. Bensalem (3:19.49) was first, Bishop Shanahan (3:19.77) second.
Jarnail Dhillon, who ran a personal record 1:56.1 to qualify for states in the 800 meters, gave the Royals the lead with his opening leg and Sidney Turner, Richard Moore and anchor Gbarwho Flahn poured it on. It’s the first year the gents made the states.
“Last year when I came here I had the flu,” Dhillon said. “So, I wasn’t able to actually compete. I ran terribly. This year was redemption coming back from what happened last year. Everyone pulled their weight. It’s just on to the next step now. The goal is to go 3:18, 3:17 now.”
Turner, who ran second, is in his first year of track, having played wide receiver. Moore came back from an ailing hamstring. Flahn finished it. Said Turner, ““It’s an honor to share this with a great bunch of seniors and upper classmen.”
The Clippers were on a mission, as well. Malik Langley, Lamaj Curry, Abdul Griggs and Malachi Langley wouldn’t be denied.
Malik Langley, the twin brother of Malachi, set the tone for the Clippers with a powerful start in lane eight.
“I wanted to try to go out hard so I wouldn’t get sucked up by everybody else in the inside lanes,” Malik said.
Malachi Langley was a beast running anchor, but no less important than Curry and Griggs, who ran second and third.
“Don’t get caught,” Malachi said. “That’s what was going on in my head. That and we don’t want to go home early.”
While there were no 3A district championships for Delco boys, the key on the miserable Saturday was to live to compete another day.
Now, about that pep talk to Tony Graham ...
“I try to stay away from being coach,” Scott said. “I like to just be dad. Nineteen years ago today I was in this same position as Tony, so I know how he’s feeling. So, I just said settle down. There’s nobody else out there but you and your hurdles. See the finish line from the starting line and we’ll go from there.”
Mission accomplished.