Sunshine and Track and Field go nice together. On a beautiful but windy day at the Bellwood-Antis Track 18 boys teams and 19 girl’s teams got together for the annual B-A Invitational to produce some outstanding performances.
“We wanted to bring together some of the best AA teams from both ends of the district to our invitational for some great competition leading up to districts,” Athletic Director John Hayes said. The B-A Invitational has turned into one of the best AA meets heading into districts that teams and individuals can see where they are at going into the district meet in a couple of weeks.”
“This meet gets better and better every year,” Tyrone’s Coach Tony Yaniello said. You have to give the people from Bellwood all the credit in the world for such a great job running the meet. The Altoona folks who run the AA and AAA district meet are there with the FAT timing system we use at districts. That gives coaches and athlete’s that experience of fully automatic timing use in all district meets and the PIAA State Meet.
The Blue Devil boy’s team ran away with the team title scoring 101 points easily out pointing runner up United (73). Brandon Pruznak (200, 400, Long Jump) was outstanding winning three individual events and ran on the winning 1600 relay team.
“Brandon Pruznak was a part of four firsts, three individual,” said B-A boys coach Nick Lovrich. “Now is the time of the year when you want your big guns to produce. Brandon took it personal-he wanted to prove he was the best runner and best jumper.”
Ben Hatch (800, 1600 Relay) scored valuable points placing first in two events and Adam Mueller made a huge contribution in the hurdles and an on the winning 1600 relay. Pole vaulter Ricky Shawley bested a strong field in the pole vault leaping 12-0. B-A scored 20 points in the last two events of the evening (pole vault and 1600 relay) to grab the team title away from United and Bishop McCort.
“The boys were really focused out there, winning the B-A Invitational was one of our goals, and we knew there would be lots of good competition,” explained Lovrich.
The Golden Eagle boy’s team placed an respectable sixth place out of 18 teams and were led by Johnny Franco, and Ben Ingle. Phil Kreckel placed fourth in the pole vault and Tyrone’s 400 relay team placed and had their best time of the year.
B-A and Tyrone girl’s teams fared well with the Lady Blue Devils finishing fifth overall and the Lady Eagles placing seventh.
Liz Tepic had another banner day winning the 100 hurdles in a season best 15.99 and breaking the meet record and her own personal record in the triple jump with a leap of 36-10 1/2. Rachel Emigh won the pole vault with a person best of 9-6. Rachel just missed clearing 10 feet and she will be one of the favorites to win districts.
The Lady Blue Devils scored in the top six in several events with Chelsea Wilson’s second place in the 400, and sixth-high jump, Liz Erickson-third shot put, Emily O’Shea-fourth 100 hurdles, Lauren Leap-fourth long jump, sixth-300 hurdles, Kaylene Walter-fifth Discus, Jenna Nevling-fifth 200, and the 400 and 1600 relay teams placed third and fourth.
Next up for the Blue Devils and Golden Eagles is the West Central Coaches Meet, this Friday at Altoona Mansion Park.
BOYS
Key, team scoring: 1, BA–Bellwood-Antis, 101; 2, U–United, 73; 3, BM–Bishop McCort, 71; 4, BG–Bishop Guilfoyle, 58; 5, CH–Cambria Heights, 53; 6, T–Tyrone, 28; 7, NC–Northern Cambria, 26; 8, Bed–Bedford, 23; 9, JV–Juniata Valley, 22; 10, PO–Philipsburg-Osceola, 20; 11, H–Huntingdon, 18; 12 (tie), PV–Penns Valley and SH–Southern Huntingdon, 17; 14, Cen–Central, 11; 15, Wil–Williamsburg, 10; 16, MU–Mount Union, 6; 17, E–Everett, 4; 18, WB–West Branch, 0.
100 dash: 1, Smith, BG, 11.07; 2, Seidel, BM, 11.22; 3, Franco, T, 11.41; 200 dash: 1, B. Pruznak, BA, 22.95; 2, Smith, BG, 23.05; 3, Seidel, BM, 23.15; 4, Franco, T, 23.16; 400 dash: 1, B. Pruznak, BA, ; 52.07; 2, Pompa, CH, 52.46; 3, Henry, Bed, 53.15; 800 run: 1, Hatch, BA, 2:00.77; 2, Pompa, CH, 2:04.76; 3, Komisar, PO, 2:08.68; 4, Ingle, T, 2:08.73; 1600 run: 1, Spisak, BM, 4:37.09; 2, Garver, BM, 4:47.42; 3, Ingle, T, 4:48.37; 4, Hatch, BA, 4:37.09; 3200 run: 1, Spisak, BM, 9:55.52 (new meet record); 2, Digorgio, U, 10:12.29; 3, Barber, BM, Garver, 10:30.89; 110 hurdles: 1, Librizzi, BG, 14.78 (new meet record); 2, Mueller, BA, 15.98; 3, Long, U, 16.30; 300 hurdles: 1, Librizzi, BG, 40.16; 2, Long, U, 42.18; 3, Alexander, PV, 43.07; 4, Mueller, BA, 43.30; 400 relay: 1, Bishop McCort, 44.54; 2, Cambria Heights, 45.25; 3, Bellwood-Antis, 45.74; 4, Tyrone, 45.93; 1600 relay: 1, Bellwood-Antis (Canfield, Tomchick, Hatch, B. Pruznak), 3:36.39; 2, United, 3:43.04; 3, Bishop Guilfoyle, 3:43.10; 3200 relay: 1, Bishop McCort, 8:32.92; 2, Bellwood-Antis, 8:51.98; 3, United, 8:53.33; High jump: 1, Baranik, CH, 6-2; 2, Belles, Cen, 6-0; 3, Yaworski, U, 6-0; Long jump: 1, B. Pruznak, BA, 20-11§; 2, Baranik, CH, 20-4 3/4; 3, Rocco, NC, 20-4; 6, Humphries, BA, 18-8; Triple jump: 1, Rocco, NC, 44-1¢; 2, Greaser. Wil, 39-8˙; 3, Freidoff, U, 39-7 1/2; Shot put: 1, G. DeVore, JV, 44-8; 2, D. Miller, SH, 44-3 1/2; 3, Skedel, U, 43-4; 4, Jenkins, BA, 43-2; Discus: 1, G. DeVore, JV, 128-5 1/2; 2, Goss, H, 126-10 1/2; 3, Guinard, BA, 123-3; Javelin: 1, Skedel, U, 197-7; 2, Johnson, PV, 160-3; 3, Lieb, NC, 156-9; Pole vault: 1, Shawley, BA, 12-0; 2, Landry, H, 12-0; 3, Henderson, Bed, 11-6; 4, Kreckel, T, 11-6;
GIRLS
Key, team scoring: 1, NC–Northern Cambria, 84; 2, PV–Penns Valley, 65 1/2; 3, Cen–Central, 52; 4, CH–Cambria Heights, 48 2/3; 5, BA–Bellwood-Antis, 37 5/6; 6, BM–Bishop McCort, 36; 7, T–Tyrone, 34; 8 (tie), Bed–Bedford and PO–Philipsburg-Osceola, 32; 10, MU–Mount Union, 25; 11, U–United, 23; 12, PC–Penn Cambria, 19; 13, H–Huntingdon, 18; 14 (tie), SH–Southern Huntingdon and Wil–Williamsburg, 16; 16 (tie), BG–Bishop Guilfoyle and JV–Juniata Valley, 9; 18 (tie), E–Everett and WB–West Branch, 0.
100 dash: 1, G. Lanzendorfer, Cen, 12.69; 2, Harris, Bed, 12.87; 3, Dunchack, NC, 12.89; 200 dash: 1, G. Lanzendorfer, Cen, 26.26; 2, Dunchack, NC, 26.68; 3, Morey, BM, 26.99; 5 (tie), Crater, PV, and Nevling, BA, 27.57. 400 dash: 1, Snedden, CH, 1:01.34; 2, Wilson, BA, 1:02.83; 3, Cornelius, SH, 1:03.26; 800 run: 1, Montminy, PV, 2:24.81; 2, LaSota, CH, 2:35.50; 3, Brooks, Wil, 2:36.83; 1600 run: 1, Brooks, Wil, 5:30.23; 2, Woods, MU, 5:37.05; 3, Williams, BG, 5:41.24; 3200 run: 1, Kitko, PO, 12:25.58; 2, Woods, MU, 12:35.90; 3, Riva, NC, 12:42.70; 100 hurdles: 1, Tepsic, T, 15.99; 2, Staily, Cen, 16.36; 3, Kline, CH, 16.81; 4, O’Shea, BA, 17.15; 300 hurdles: 1, Stanek, CH, 47.08; 2, Kochinsky, NC, 49.11; 3, Lissy, PV, 49.83; 4, Tepsic, T, 50.53; 6, Leap, BA, 51.53. 400 relay: 1, Central, 51.24; 2, Penns Valley, 51.94; 3, Bellwood-Antis, 52.03; 1600 relay: 1, Penns Valley, 4:18.38; 2, Cambria Heights, 4:20.98; 3, Central, 4:27.89; 4, Bellwood-Antis, 4:32.56; 3200 relay: 1, Bishop McCort, 10:41.28; 2, Penns Valley, 10:52.74; 3, Penn Cambria, 10:53.07; High jump: 1, Harris, Bed, 5-0; 2, Adams, PO, 5-0; 3, Dunchack, NC, 5-0; 6 (tie), Leighty, Cen, Smith, Cen, and Wilson, BA, 4-8, 4-8. Long jump: 1, Harris, Bed, 18-0; 2, Dunchack, NC, 16-8 1/2; 3, Adams, PO, 16-6; 4, Leap, BA, 16-4 3/4; Triple jump: 1, Tepsic, T, 36-10˙; 2, A. Rocco, NC, 34-11 3/4; 3, Adams, PO, 33-9˙; Shot put: 1, Kendrick, U, 35-2; 2, Price, MU, 33-3¢; 3, Erickson, BA, 31-10; . Discus: 1, M. Rocco, NC, 107-10; 2, Thomas, NC, 104-4; 3, Kendrick, U, 98-5; 5, Walter, BA, 84-11; Javelin: 1, Leitzel, PV, 121-2; 2, Eichenlaub, SH, 119-1; 3, M. Rocco, 116-9; Pole vault: 1, Emigh, T, 9-6; 2, Varner, H, 9-0; 3, Paronish, NC, 9-0;
