2012 PIAA Track & Field – Day Two Recap

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, May 27, 2012 | 7:54 AM

At every invitational and championship meet this spring, South Park’s Bill
Stanley has set a meet record in the javelin. But Stanley did a lot more
than set a meet record today. Stanley is now a national record holder.

Stanley, a senior, won the Class AAA javelin title at Shippensburg
University and set a national record with a throw of 246 feet, 9 inches.
Stanley’s throw, which came on his first of the competition, beat the old
record of 244-2, set in 2010 by Sam Crouser of Gresham, Ore. The national
record is recognized by the National Federation of High School
Associations. NFHS national records can only be set at state championship
meets or NFHS-sanctioned meets.

“I’m still a little surprised I got a national record, but I was throwing
in the 240s at practice Thursday,” Stanley said.

Stanley easily beat the PIAA Class AAA record of 224-2. His previous best
this season was 234-9, which was good for second-best in the country.
Stanley scaled back his training this week for the PIAA meet.

“I didn’t lift at all and I practiced only Thursday,” he said. “At the
WPIAL championships [May 17], I was exhausted after every throw. I just
needed a little break to get my strength back.”

*The Numbers*

Stanley was one of eight athletes from the WPIAL to win PIAA titles on the
second and final day of the meet Saturday. The ninth WPIAL champ was
Waynesburg’s Marissa Kalsey, who won the Class AA pole vault Friday.

Overall, the WPIAL won gold medals in 10 individual events and one relay.
One individual won two events.

*Lelis Takes Two*

Just call Springdale’s Emily Lelis a super sophomore. What else would you
call someone who was the only athlete from the WPIAL to win two individual
events as she took home gold medals from the Class AA 100- and 300-meter
intermediate hurdles. She won the 100 in 14.78 seconds and the 300 in 44.48.

*Full Day for Fuller*

Washington’s Dustin Fuller had a busy weekend with all the races he ran.
But he also kept busy walking onto the winners stand for a medal (the top
eight in all events get medals).

Fuller won the Class AA 300 hurdles in 37.78 seconds. But he was also
second in the 400, seventh in the 110 hurdles and was a member of
Washington’s 1,600 relay team that finished fifth.

*One Place Better*

Fort Cherry javelin thrower Jessie Merckle finished second in the Class AA
javelin last year, but moved to the top of the winners stand this year.
“It was a little different than last year because I was seeded first this
year,” Merckle said. “That meant I got to throw last this year, which gave
me a little more comfort. I like throwing last.”

*Emotional Debich Wins*

After Hempfield’s Larisa Debich cleared 12-6 in the pole vault, she broke
down in tears. But they were tears of joy.

“After I cleared 12-6 I just knew I was going to win and I got emotional,”
Debich said.

But there were still a few competitors left in the event and one of them
(Norwin’s Kasey Kemp) actually cleared 12-6.

“I don’t mean to sound cocky, but I just knew I was going to win when I
cleared that 12-6,” Debich said.

Debich was right. She cleared 12-9 to win, and Kemp finished second. Debich
failed on three attempts at 13-0 ¾, which would have been a PIAA record.

*More Gold for Westwood*

Quaker Valley’s L.J. Westwood won a gold medal for the second consecutive
year, finishing first in the boys Class AA 800. He won with a time of
1:55.69. Westwood got more gold when he ran the anchor leg on Quaker
Valley’s winning 3,200 relay team. Other members were Roy Hadfield, Matt
Cooper and Nat Fox.

*It’s Been a While*

The other two winners from the WPIAL were Seneca Valley’s Oliver Philogene
and Penn Hills’ Wil Bailey.

Philogene won the Class AAA 400 in 47.43 seconds. He is the first Seneca
Valley boy to win a PIAA title since 1984.

Meanwhile, Bailey is Penn Hills’ first PIAA champion in 20 years. He won
the Class AAA 800 with a time of 1:51.87.

Tags: Fort Cherry, Hempfield, Washington, Waynesburg Central