Trinity’s Sammel discovers power of 4

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Mark Marietta Trinity's Ella Sammel leads the girls 100m hurdle event in the Washington and Greene County Coaches Track and Field Meet at Canon McMillan's AHN Field on April 24.

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Mark Marietta Teams from Trinity, Peters Township, Waynesburg, and Fort Cherry make the handoff in the first exchange of the co-ed relay in the April 24 Washington-Greene County Coaches Track and Field meet at Canon McMillan's AHN Field.

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Mark Marietta Trinity's Ella Sammel clears the high jump bar at five feet, four and a half inches in the Washington and Greene County Coaches track and Field meet at Canon McMillan's AHN Field on April 24.

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Mark Marietta Girls relay teams from Peters Township, McGuffey, Chartiers Houston, Canon McMillan, and Fort Cherry pass the first exchange in the 4x100 race of the April 24 Washington and Greene County Coaches Track and Field Meet at Canon McMillan's AHN Field.

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Mark Marietta Trinity's Ella Sammel cruises to victory in the girls 300m hurdle race in the Washington and Greene County Coaches Track and Field Meet at AHN Field on April 24.

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Mark Marietta Canon McMillan finishes first in the girls 100m race of the April 24 Washington and Greene County Coaches Track and Field Meet at AHN Field on April 24.

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Mark Marietta Canon McMillan passes the baton for the anchor leg of the girls 4x400 relay in the April 24 Washington and Greene County Coaches Track and Field Meet at AHN Field

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Mark Marietta Trinity's Ella Sammel clears the high jump bar at five feet, four-and-a-half inches.

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CANONSBURG – One could tell it was a good day for Ella Sammel by the sound the first place medals made when they clanged every time she swayed her shoulders.

Sammel, a junior at Trinity, took first place in the 300-meter hurdles, the high jump, long jump and 100-meter hurdles. That was good enough for 40 points in the Washington-Greene County Track Meet Friday afternoon at AHN Stadium in Canonsburg.

Those wins got her the Overall MVP for the meet.

This was the second time she tried the long jump and she turned in an impressive 17-1 3/4.

“Obviously, I can jump pretty high so I thought that would help me in the long jump,” said Sammel. “Everyone I know told me to try it because if I go to college, they might want me to try it. I’ve practiced it only once. I’ve been working on my landing.”

If she qualifies for all four events at the WPIAL Championships, she will compete in all four.

Sammel hopes to one day become an anesthesiologist. Some schools she has in mind are Dartmouth, Bucknell, Lehigh, Rhode Island.

“I’m taking my visits over the summer and with the students still in class,” said Sammel. “Education is important to me.”

Alayna Fink, a senior from McGuffey, won the pole vault at 9-3 and set a PR and school record.

“I started three years ago,” said Fink. “I did gymnastics for 10 years. It’s fun. I love it.”

Sofia Holmes of Fort Cherry had a strong day, throwing the javelin 127, to take first place. She won the javelin at last year’s meet.

“It’s a beautiful day and I realize that I get so wound up,” said Holmes. “I take a deep breath, I know what to do, and just throw the stick.”

Tatum Gatten of Peters Township, the daughter of former Washington great Aaron Gatten, won the track MVP.