Jim Thorpe star no longer one to leap to conclusions
Junior sprinter Kaila O’Connor discovers she likes the 300 hurdles
Kaila O'Connor has been sprinting for years, but it was beginning to get boring.
Maybe that's what happens when you often blow away the competition, but the Jim Thorpe standout was looking for a new challenge. Coach Frank Miller found it during last year's indoor season: the 300 hurdles.
O'Connor was game but cringed at the initial outcome. So, too, did her mother. Both agreed that once was enough.
“I was going to quit,” she said. “My mom saw the first hurdle and she's like, ‘Wow, never do that again.'
“I said, ‘You might be right.' I told Coach that I didn't think it was going to work out.”
Miller knew better. He long ago recognized the competitor O'Connor is and how athletically gifted she is. So he insisted she give it another shot.
O'Connor did. The results are staggering. She lowered her school-record time in the event at Thursday's Olympian Invite to a state-best 43.84.
“He's like, ‘If I were to let you quit this event, I'd be stupidest man alive,'” O'Connor recalled.
But the perfectionist and hyper critical competitor said after Thursday's record-breaking performance that there is much work to be done.
When asked what needed improvement, she said, “I'm not going to lie, everything. My trail leg is gone. My arms windmill instead of actually running.”
While the junior may be uber analytical, she also is mature and maintains perspective. She's been doing this event for little more than a year and recognizes that perfect form is not attainable.
O'Connor doesn't chase it with endless hours of practice every week. In fact, she spends little time hurdling.
The Olympian remains one of District 11's elite sprinters and loves competing with her teammates in the 1,600-meter relay, so she has to be smart in her training.
Miller got the idea of using a runner in the 300 hurdles from former Tamaqua coach Tom Kanger, who a few years ago had standout distance runner Monika Shimko take on a new event.
“The 300 hurdles is a hybrid event,” Miller said. “You need speed and stamina. You don't need much hurdle form.
“It's one of the easier events to qualify for the state meet. Kids don't want to do it because it's a longer event and there are eight barriers in the way.”
After talking with Kanger, Miller moved Olympian standout Lydia Wallace to the hurdles. Wallace graduated with school records in the 100s and 300s. Miller then turned to O'Connor to fill the void in the 300s.
O'Connor is blossoming despite an ugly beginning and form that needs refining. She enters the postseason having surpassed Wallace's program mark in the 300s by more than two seconds.
“This year when I hit 44,” she said, “I told coach , ‘I think you're right. Thank you for making me stay in this.'
“He's like, ‘Yeah, I told you so.” Miller also was thinking about O'Connor's future.
She is a stellar sprinter and could leave high school as a PIAA champion in the 100 or 200. But those are worldly events. One has to be elite to be a Division I college sprinter.
O'Connor's potential in the 300s creates another avenue for the next level. Her work ethic sped up her progress. Her dedication to detail has her in contention for a state title this season.
“She has that elongated step,” Miller said. “She's more proficient in her trail leg mechanics, which you need more than your lead leg. She's gotten the stride patterns down. She can do alternate legs to cut out the chop stutter she had last year.
“Her form over the hurdle could use work, but the approach into it is most important. It is tremendously way better than last year.”
O'Connor may venture into the 100 high hurdles next season, which would open even more doors at the college level.
For now, she is focused on being a District 11 champion and a PIAA qualifier in four events. She'll figure out a plan after that. It is challenging because the 300 hurdles, 200 dash and 1,600 relay are consecutive events at states.
It is unlikely she would stick with all of those events, but as she's learned about herself anything is possible.
One thing is for sure, though. O'Connor changed how she feels about the 300 hurdles.
“They are definitely my favorite,” she said. “Everything else is ehh!”
Laser focused
Parkland coach Stephen Ott made sure time was taken prior to Tuesday's EPC South Division showdown with visiting rival Emmaus to thank athletic director Bill Dreisbach and the rest of the school's administration for the purchase of the Fully Automatic Timing System, or FAT, and LaserLynx measuring equipment to provide the most accurate results in all events.
Parkland, Easton and Whitehall, which debuted its FAT system late last month at its Zephyr Invitational, are the only EPC South schools with the timing program.
East Stroudsburg South shares its equipment with East Stroudsburg North and Stroudsburg.
Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Tamaqua, Minersville and Schuylkill Haven are the Schuylkill League schools with FAT timing.
“We knew where our times were,” Ott said. “FAT really helps because it's accurate. You see some times, and get a little worried.
“We tell them to just stay the course because we know what's coming. important, it's the way to go in the state. We're going to follow that model and compete with that. That's the goal. We can't thank Mr. Dreisbach and others in the Parkland administration enough for purchasing the equipment. It's fantastic.”
FAT timing is required at all postseason competition.
Half a century of dedication
Northwestern Lehigh honored Tim Carey for his service in all 50 years of the track program. The coaching staff and athletic director Jason Zimmerman presented him with a plaque Tuesday prior to the Tigers' final home meet of the season.
Carey has served many roles in his five decades at Northwestern. He also remains a staple in the Tigers press box for home football games.
School records, PRs
Southern Lehigh’s foursome of Emily Stock, Gabriela Netwall, Faith Schiffer and Alexandra Lea ran a season-best 4:05.55 to win their 1,600 relay heat last Saturday at Penn Relays. That foursome is the top seed at the Colonial League meet, which is Tuesday and Wednesday at Whitehall's Zephyr Sports Complex.
Parkland set several new marks in Tuesday's sweep of Emmaus for the EPC South Division title. Andrew Beers (38.24) lowered his record in the 300 hurdles.
The girls 400 relay team of Ivy Dias, Hailey Sammarco, Kaley Seide and Naeema Salau lowered their program mark to 48.54. It was 48.82.
The boys 400 relay squad of Nakhi Bullock, Dylan Simon, Xander McWhite and Trey Tremba broke the record that it was tied with the 2010 team by running a 41.94. It was tied with Emmaus for the season's top time at 42.28.
Jim Thorpe set four school records at Thursday's invitational. The foursome of Ryan Bailor, Ivan Turczeniuk, Jordan Remmel and Ridge Snyder ran an 8:16.31 in the boys 3,200 relay. The old mark was 8:17.24 in 2016.
Celia Rodriguez-Gonzalez ran a 5:26.38 in the girls 1,600. Her previous best was 5:31.71. The old school mark was 5:28.41 in 2014 by Courtney Capper.
Rodriguez-Gonzalez teamed with Aubrey Bonner, Gabby Cinicola and Nicole Carroll to break the girls 3,200 relay in 10:07.86. The previous mark was 10:24.82 in 2015.
O'Connor lowered his school
mark in the 300 hurdles to 43.84. It was 44.11.
Jim Thorpe will get another chance on its home track to lower those times when it hosts the Schuylkill League meet Tuesday and Wednesday.
Boden Burkhart crushed his personal best in the pole vault in the EPC regular season-ending meet against Whitehall. He cleared 13 feet after previously only getting over 10-3.
Northampton’s ENTERING NEXT WEEK’S LEAGUE MEETS
(All times converted to FAT times)
BOYS
100: Dylan Simon, Parkland, 10.54*
200: Blaise Verrastro, Emmaus, 21.64
400: Thomas Smigo, Palisades, 50.18
800: Thomas Smigo, Palisades, 1:55.54*
1,600: Thomas Smigo, Palisades, 4:23.84
3,200: Paul Abeln, Parkland, 9:34.96
400relay: Parkland (Nakhi Bullock, Dylan Simon, Xander McWhite, Trey Tremba), 41.94* 1,600relay: Pocono Mountain West, 3:27.56* 3,200relay: Parkland, 8:00.87
110hurdles: Andrew Beers, Parkland, 14.53* 300hurdles: Andrew Beers, Parkland, 38.24*# High jump: Robert Allen, Southern Lehigh, 6-7 Long jump: Kyle Moore, Emmaus, 23-8*
Triple jump: Kyle Moore, Emmaus, 46-4.5*#
Shot put: Gian Greggo, Pen Argyl, 57-7
Discus: Gian Greggo, Pen Argyl, 156-7
Javelin: Jeremy Bruzzese, Stroudsburg, 174-2 Pole vault: Taylor LaBarre, Pen Argyl, 15-4* GIRLS
100: Hailey Jenkins, Catasauqua, 12.04
200: Kaila O’Connor, Jim Thorpe, 25.39
400: Alexandra Lea, Southern Lehigh, 57.31
800: Hailey Reinhard, Emmaus, 2:15.94
1,600: Hailey Reinhard, Emmaus, 5:01.54
3,200: Hailey Reinhard, Emmaus, 10:58.04 400relay: Parkland (Ivy Dias, Kaley Seide, Hailey Sammarco, Naeema Salau), 48.54*
1,600relay: Stroudsburg and Southern Lehigh, 4:05.55
3,200relay: Parkland, 9:31.51
100hurdles: Maggie Scalzo, Easton, 15.08 300hurdles: Kaila O’Connor, Jim Thorpe, 43.84*# High jump: Fatikha Tikhtova, Marian Catholic, 5-7#
Long jump: Nataly Walters, Palmerton, 19-1.5* Triple jump: Nataly Walters, Palmerton, 38-10* Shot put: Celis Miranda, East Stroudsburg
North, 36-2***
Discus: Leanne Villante, Easton, 115-0
Javelin: Julia Pinter, Bangor, 129-4**
Pole vault: Annika Flanigan, Liberty, 12-3.25 *School record
**Blue Mountain’s Rosalind Gergely has a District 11-best of 144-5
***Blue Mountain’s Rosalind Gergely has a District 11-best of 36-5
#State’s top performance this season