WW-PN’s Henry and Ewing’s Howell qualify for MoC
PENNSAUKEN >> Victoria Henry feels like she’s running faster than she ever has before.
The proof, as they say, was in the pudding at the Group 3 Meet on Friday afternoon at Pennsauken High.
Henry ran 12.64 to finish second in the 100 meter dash and book her first ever trip to next Saturday’s Meet of Champions.
“It’s like surprising,” said Henry, a sophomore from West Windsor-Plainsboro North. “I feel like I haven’t been doing well throughout the season, so it was nice to come out and do well.”
But Henry was sharp in the prelims when she had the second fastest time at 12.64. Her secondplace finish was just behind winner Rett Schnoor of Middletown North, who went 12.59.
“She was like right next to me,
so she definitely pushed me to do better,” Henry said.
The top three in each individual event earned an automatic qualifier into next Saturday’s Meet of Champions at South Plainfield. The next nine best marks from the site (Groups I and III) get wildcard berths.
Another standout performance came from Ewing senior Zyon
Howell, whose PR long jump of 16-11 was good enough for fifth place and a wildcard entry.
“I feel like I have a lot more to come,” Howell said. “Today was a PR, but even as I was running, I felt that build up and have a lot more to give out.”
Howell is happy with her progress ahead of her second trip to the MoC.
“I’m always in my head and very hard on myself,” Howell said. “Even though I PR’d later in the season, I did it little by little, so I’m proud of where I’m at right now. I’m excited.”
Allentown’s Jessica Lyons qualified automatically in the 1600 after she ran a 5:05.78 PR to finish third.
Other girls qualifiers were Hopewell Valley’s Lucia GarciaBeltran (12.85) and Jamie Wills (12.96) in the 100, Emily DeNero in the 400 (59.49), Milan Couillens in the 400 hurdles (1:08.09) and Hamilton West’s Mikayla Hall (16-04) in the long jump.