Ringgold’s Pajak 3rd in 1,600-meter run
By Jonathan Guth/Staff writer
Ringgold’s Ryan Pajak (No. 7), Hampton’s Dale Hall (No. 11), Heverford Township’s Patrick Lawson (No. 13) and Butler’s Drew Griffin (No. 1) begin the third of four laps in the boys Class 3A 1600-meter run Friday morning at the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium in Shippensburg. Pajak finished third behind Hall and Griffith for a WPIAL sweep of the event. The Ram junior ran a personal record of 4:09.64. Hall edged Griffith at the finish line to win the race in 4:08.53. Griffith came in at 4:08.60.
By Jonathan Guth/Staff writer
Washington’s Dane Asbury (No. 4) and Richland’s Evan McCracken compete in the preliminaries of the 200-meter dash in Class 2A Friday afternoon in the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium in Shippensburg. Asbury, a junior, won the heat to advance to the finals. Asbury also qualified for the finals in the 100-meter dash. He is assured two medals when action concludes this afternoon.
By Jonathan Guth/Staff writer/jguth@observer-reporter.com
Burgettstown senior Sondre Lunde knocks over a hurdle but recovers to qualify for the 300-meter hurdle finals in Class 2A during Friday’s action in the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium in Shippensburg.
SHIPPENSBURG – Who said track and field wasn’t a contact sport?
If you ask Ringgold’s Ryan Pajak, Hampton’s Dale Hall and Butler’s Drew Griffith, the trio will tell you it is, along with those who witnessed the boys 1,600-meter run in Class 3A Friday morning during the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium.
In a tightly contested race where first-through-eighth-place were a tad over three seconds apart, Hall outlasted Griffith and Pajak to take the title in 4:08.52. Griffith clocked in second at 4:08.59 and Pajak came in third at 4:09.64.
Hall may have come away with the championship, but it was not without some pain, as he was spiked and needed medical attention to heal the wound.
Pajak didn’t suffer any wounds that needed assistance from the trainers, but he admitted to having to fight for position during the four laps around the track.
“I was just so boxed in,” Pajak said. “I was tripping a little near the finish line going into the last lap. It definitely would have been better if I didn’t get boxed in a bunch of times, but that is all about learning. We all took a chance in the last 300, but I just think I should have stayed more attached to Drew (Griffith) and Dale (Hall) the last 200.”
Seven of the 16 runners in the second section of the 1,600 final completed their final lap in less than 60 seconds. Hall finished his bell lap in 57.54, Griffith in 57.85 and Pajak in 58.13.
Pajak, a junior, wanted the title, but was glad to break his personal record and looks forward to tomorrow morning’s 3200, which he believes is his best race.
“I am excited for the two mile,” Pajak said. “My legs feel pretty good right now. It definitely feels like an under nine-minute to win it, which I will go for it. I just need to stay more attached and make a move earlier. Today was a pretty good confidence booster for me. I still wanted to win, but a 4:09 is still pretty good and I got my PR.”
Peters Township’s Brett Kroboth placed 11th in 4:13.20.
Washington’s Dane Asbury will have a spot on the podium when tomorrow after qualifying for the finals in the 100 and 200-meter dash in Class 2A.
Asbury won both his heats to make the final eight. The junior ran 10.99 in the 100 and 22.03 in the 200. Asbury teamed with Tyler Crawford, Tyler Roberts and Elijah Thomas in the 400 relay, but the quartet didn’t qualify for the finals.
“It was nice to win both heats so I didn’t have to wait to see if my time was good enough,” Asbury said. “I felt pretty good with my start, but I slowed down a little at the end. I didn’t get my personal best today, but I hope to be able to get it tomorrow.
“I am happy that I will be able to get on the podium tomorrow. I am just trying to do well and make my parents proud. I have some college coaches talking to me about running track in college, which is something I am looking to do. I hope I can do really well tomorrow to impress those coaches.”
Burgettstown’s Sondre Lunde finished third in his heat of the 300 hurdles in Class 2A, but the senior finished with the seventh-best time (39.81) in the field to qualify for the finals. Lunde will receive a medal tomorrow as a top-eight finisher in the state.
Lunde was 11th in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.15. Lunde’s teammate, Zack Schrockman finished in a tie for 11th place in the high jump at 6-0.
Canon-McMillan’s Colton Dean finished 10th in the 200 in Class 3A with a time of 21.84. Teammate Jake Egizio was 17th in 22.16. Dean was 13th in the 300 hurdles (40.47). The Big Macs’ Austyn Winkleblech placed 13th in the 100-meter dash (10.84).
Canon-McMillan was 19th in the 1,600 relay in 3:25.10. The team conisted of Nick Gasparovic, Isaiah Hicks, Spencer Pierce and Jake Egizio.