Penncrest’s Arndt glides into states

CALN TWP. » Matt Arndt prefers the glide to the spin.

In the never-ending rain of the District 1 track and field championships Saturday at Coatesville Area High School, the technique helped the Penncrest senior hurl the shot a personal-best 48-feet, 9-inches, good for fourth place and a berth in the state championship meet.

How nasty was it outdoors? The pole vault was postponed due to unsafe conditions.

“It means a lot,” Arndt said. “Going from states indoors to states outdoors, it’s awesome. It was pretty bad. I kept a couple pairs of extra socks just in case my feet got water logged. It came in handy.”

Arndt finished within range of shot put winner Yoba Moreno (Bensalem), who threw 51-10.

“The people who were spinning, they looked like they had some trouble just because it was so slippery,” Arndt said. “I did the glide. I think people who did the glide generally were better off.”

Arndt is headed to Pitt next year, possibly to walk-on throwing shot. Until then, he has business to take care of in Shippensburg.

*** Zack Forney qualified for the states in the metric mile, the Ridley senior opening up a 30-meter lead in the 1,600 meters before being overtaken at the wire in the homestretch.

Forney was third in a personal best 4:21.38.

“I just wanted to go out and run my race, make sure it was in my control whether I went to states or not,” said Forney, a first-time PIAA qualifier. “And I was really trying to go for a PR, which I got.”

Frank Brown of Radnor got jammedup in the pack, and finished .11 of a second off the state qualifying time.

Brown’s teammate, Ethan Zeh, qualified in states with a 1:56.11 in the 800 meters.