Hampton’s Dale Hall golden again, but in a different event, at PIAA meet

By: Chris Harlan
Sunday, May 26, 2024 | 12:23 AM

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SHIPPENSBURG — Hampton’s Dale Hall won a state title in the 800 meters Saturday at the PIAA track championship, a year after winning gold in the 1,600 meters.

Winning two different events shows the senior’s versatility.

In fact, Hall wants to next try the 2,000-meter steeplechase next Friday during “Night at the Island,” a distance-running event organized on Neville Island by the Pittsburgh Track Club.

“We’ll give the state record a run,” Hall said with a smile. “We’ll see how that goes. That could be just a bunch of smoke right now. I’ve never done steeplechase.”

After that race, Hall plans to run a 1,600-meter co-ed relay with two of his sisters and a Hampton track teammate. Basically, if there’s a race, Hall is ready to compete.

That was clear Saturday on the track at Seth Grove Stadium when he won the 800 meters by less than a half-second over two other runners. Hall crossed the line in 1 minute, 51.29 seconds. North Hills junior Kayden Lightner was second (1:51.35) and Mifflin County sophomore Carter Smith was third (1:51.77).

“It’s a big blessing,” Hall said. “I’m super grateful to get to win that one. It was a fun fight the whole way through. I definitely couldn’t have done it all on my own.”

Hall, as a PIAA champion in the 1,600, considered himself to be the best distance runner in the 800-meter field. That meant, the longer the race, the better for him.

“I had to trust that I’m the best 5K guy, the best miler in this field,” he said. “And I’ve got some pretty good top-end speed. But next to some of these kids, the earlier it was hotter, the better I would do, just because I have more endurance and can handle that.”

The strategy worked.

“It barely worked,” Hall added. “I was fighting down the backstretch when Carter Smith came up on me. … That kid is quick. He’s got two more years. I can’t wait to see what he does.”

Hall placed third in the 1,600-meters on Friday. A year ago, he won that event by defeating Butler’s Drew Griffith in a dramatic finish. On Saturday, Hall celebrated yet another razor-close win.

“God has been very good,” he said. “They’re both huge blessings. I think last year might have been a little more exciting, but this year certainly is a huge relief.

“If you told me to pick one of them, I don’t think I can. They’re both special.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

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