Perk Valley’s Warren wins gold in long jump

Boyertown’s Kasitz places ninth in first heat of 1,600; boys’ 4X800 tenth in 2nd heat

SHIPPENSBURG >> Christina Warren saved her best for last.

There’s a good chance it won’t be her last either.

The Perkiomen Valley sophomore became a state champion Friday by winning the girls’ Class AAA triple jump with a 39-9 3/4, hitting the mark on her final attempt.

“I knew I had the gold (once they announced 39-9.75) because everyone else had 38’s. So I was aiming for a 38 and I was like, ‘Oh, 39, cool,’” Warren said. “I wasn’t quite sure (when I first landed the jump), I just looked back and saw the general area, compared to where my last jumps were.”

Warren, whose seed jump was 39-9 ½, overtook runner-up Madison Langley-Walker of Upper Dublin (38-10¾) and thirdplace finisher Gabby Holmberg of Hempfield (38-8 1/2).

Warren took a great leap forward in her second season – she placed 14th in the triple jump as a freshman (36-8 1/4) – besting last year’s mark by more than three feet.

“It’s what I was hoping for,” Warren said of winning gold in her premier event. “It makes me excited for next year.”

A change in her form carried her to fourth place at the Penn Relays (top American finisher) and now to a state title.

“It’s a relief actually. Probably my form is what made the difference for me,” Warren said. “This year I switched up my triple form. Instead of singling where you use your arms, I’ve been doing single-double form (to drive my body forward and up), which I had been working on all summer. So that kinda helped with the breakthrough. (Getting the gold) feels great.”

Warren is also competing in the 100 hurdles – she finished second in her heat in the 100-meter hurdle preliminaries – and long jump, which will be contested Saturday.

In other first-day competition, Owen J. Roberts’ Liam Conway won his heat of the boys AAA

1,600. Conway, who finished second in the District 1-AAA meet, ran a 4:17.53 in the second heat.

For the Roberts girls, Teneisha Myers won the third heat of the 200. Myers ran a 25.06 in qualifying.

Allison Brunton and Mary Bernotas qualified high in their heats of the 1,600. Brunton was fifth in the first heat with a 5:00.27 while Bernotas went eighth in the second heat with a 5:05.65.

Savanna Sachar placed 19th for Owen J. in the pole vault final, clearing the 10foot mark.

Spring-Ford had another finals advancer in Stephen Chapman, who placed fourth in his heat of the 300 intermediate hurdles with a time of 39.48. The Rams’ girls 4x800 relay made its event final, placing seventh in the first heat in 9:34.

The Perkiomen Valley girls got thirds from Rebekah Bondi and their 4x800 relay. Bondi ran a 12.13 in the first heat of the 100, and the Vikes’ 4x8 clocked a 9:23.70 in the first heat.

On the boys’ side, Joshua Magee went fifth in the second heat of the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.58.

Boyertown’s Gillian Kasitz placed ninth in the first heat of the 1,600, running a 5:07.17. On the boys’ side, the Bears’ 4x800 relay was 10th in the second heat with a 8:08.23.

Amy Domenick was fifth in her heat of the 300 hurdles, the Methacton junior clocking a 47.21. The Methacton girls’ 4x100 relay placed third in the second heat with a 48.79.

For the Warrior boys, Michael Clark ran a 2:00.06 in the first heat of the 800.