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GIRLS FIELD FINALS: Rivera-Wiltrout JT showdown surpasses expectations!

• 169-6 meet record javelin throw by NSAF Project Javelin’s Sophia Rivera (Brentwood, MO jr), second only to her own US#1 175-10 (#5 all-time) and holding off Madison Wiltrout (Connellsville, PA soph) at US#2 168-5.  Ayesha Champagnie (St. Andrew Tech, JAM) was 3rd with 157-5 as the top three all broke the previous meet record (156-2 by Laura Kinney in 2011).  Wiltrout took the lead in the 2nd round with a PR 166-4 and held it through the 5th round.  Rivera threw 165-7 in the 4th round to move into 2nd, then took the lead with her winner in the next-to-last throw of the competition.  Wiltrout responded with her best of the day to move up one more spot on the national list and to #11 all-time.  Rivera’s win is thought to be the first-ever by a Missouri prep in any event at Penn.
• US#1 and meet record 50-8 shot put for Nickolette Dunbar (Whippany Park, NJ senior), taking the lead in the 2nd round and hitting her winner in the 3rd – a PR by nearly two feet for the NBNI 3rd-place finisher.  The record she broke was one of the oldest in the meet, dating back to 1980 (Elaine Sobansk, 50-0.75).  Dunbar defeated Portious Warren (St. Augustine, TRI) at 48-2.5 and Rochelle Frazier (Edwin Allen, JAM) – the 2014 Penn discus champ – at 47-3.  She’s the first New Jersey athlete to win the event since 2003.
• 43-10w(+3.8) triple jump by Tamara Moncrieffe (Holmwood Tech, JAM), just a half-inch shy of Keturah Orji’s all-conditions meet best from last year (43-10.5w) and finishing ahead of Shanique Wright (Manchester, JAM) at 42-2.75w(+4.3) and Marie-Josee’ Edwea-Bile (Benjamin Cardozo, NY) at US#1 42-1.25(+1.4w). 
• 170-5 discus throw by Paul-Ann Gayle (Edwin Allen, JAM), #2 in meet history and the 6th straight win by a Jamaican athlete in the event.  It was also further than any U.S. prep has thrown this year.  Gayle finished five feet exactly ahead of Shanice Love (Excelsior, JAM) – who was the furthest-throwing non-winner in meet history and improved 47 feet and 12 places from last year.  Alyssa Wilson (Monsignor Donovan, NJ) was the first U.S. finisher in 3rd at 149-2.
• 20-0.5w(+3.2) long jump by Shanice Lewis (Edwin Allen, JAM), leading a 1-2 finish for her school with teammate Danique Bryan – who leapt 19-8.25w(+3.9).  Lewis had a remarkably consistent series, with no fouls and every jump at least 19-2.75.  Jewel Smith (Western Branch, VA) was the top U.S. finisher in 3rd with a 19-0.75(+0.3).  Yet another Edwin Allen athlete, now-graduated Claudette Allen, won the school’s first title in the event in 2014.
• 12-3.5 pole vault by Jackie McNulty (Oakdale, MD), beating on misses two others at the same height – Megan Fry (State College, PA) and Tesia Kempski (Bishop McDevitt/HBG, PA).  All three cleared 12-3.5 on their 2nd attempt, but McNulty had cleared the previous bar – 11-11.75 – on her first try (her only other jump).  Fry and Kempski tied for 2nd.  McNulty had been just 10th in 2014.  Defending champ Olivia Gruver (Franklin, MD) entered the competition at 12-3.5 and no-heighted.

GIRLS TRACK FINALS: Murphy builds on NBNI success

• US#1 9:32.82 3,000m run by NBNI 2M runner-up Katie Murphy (Lake Braddock, VA soph), outkicking fellow Virginia soph sensation Libby Davidson (E.C. Glass) at 9:34.12.  Davidson – last fall’s Great American champ – made a big move into the lead in the final lap, but Murphy was best over the final 200.  Canadian Shona McCullough (Longfields-Davidson Heights, ONT)  was 3rd at 9:38.74, while defending champ Hannah Debalsi (Staples, CT) – who led several laps – was 6th.  Virginia girls now have 3 wins in 4 years in this event (Sophie Chase 2012-13).
• US#4 11:51.85 distance medley relay by the Patriot, VA team of Candace Jones (3:42.82), Erin Andrewlevich (57.59), Sierra Bieberr (2:21.29) and Rachel McArthur (4:50.16).  McArthur’s previous 1,600 best was 4:53.17.  They came from behind to beat West Windsor-Plainsboro South, NJ at 11:54.49 and Blacksburg, VA at 11:57.69.  Virginia schools have won 3 of the past 6 DMR titles here.
• 4:54.38 1-mile run by Malia Ellington (Davidson, NC), improving from 4th in 2014.  She took the lead into the final lap and held off Sage Hurta (Hamilton Central, NY) at 4:54.98.  Marissa Sheva (Pennridge, PA) took 3rd with 4:58.10.  Ellington is the first North Carolina girl to win an individual running title at Penn.  NBNI champ Suffern, NY, the top seed coming in, was 6th.

GIRLS TRACK QUALIFYING: Western Branch (4x8), St. Jago (4x4) and Edwin Allen (4x1) lead the way

• US#2 9:09.43 4x800m relay by NBNI champ Western Branch, VA, winning Race #105 (Large Schools) and qualifying 1st overall to the Friday’s Championship of America.  Vere Tech, JAM won the 2nd Small Schools race (#104) and qualified 2nd overall with 9:10.31.  Race #103 top two finishers Cornwall, NY at 9:17.38 and Unionville, PA at 9:18.57 qualified 3rd and 4th overall.  The last four qualifiers were Great Valley, PA at 9:20.39 (2nd Race #104); Holmwood Tech, JAM at 9:20.93 (3rd Race 103); North Penn, PA at 9:22.20 (1st, Race #106) and McDonogh School, MD (4th, Race #103).
• 3:46.54 4x400m relay by St. Jago, JAM, winning Race #142 and leading all qualifiers to Friday’s final.  They pulled away from Columbia, NJ, which ran 3:49.64 for the #2 time overall, and Holmwood Tech, JAM also qualified from that race with 3:51.22 for 5th overall.  Race #143 winner Vere Tech, JAM hit 3:50.65 for 3rd place overall, while Race #144 victor Nansemond River, VA clocked 3:50.69 for 4th overall.  The final three qualifiers were Western Branch, VA in 6th overall at 3:51.50 (2nd, Race #143); Edwin Allen, JAM in 7th at 3:51.75(1st, Race #145); and North Penn, PA in 8th at 3:52.10 (1st, Race #152).
• 46.26 4x100m relay by Edwin Allen, JAM, taking Race #108 and pacing all qualifiers to Friday’s Championship of America and the only school under 47.00.  Qualifying 2nd overall was Race #107 winner St. Jago, JAM with 47.02, while Long Beach Poly, CA was the top U.S. qualifier – taking 2nd behind Edwin Allen in #108 and 3rd overall at 47.23.  Race #107 runner-up Holmwood Tech, JAM at 47.30 was 4th overall, while the two Maryland schools behind them – Bullis School at 47.84 and Riverdale Baptist at 47.85, earned the next two spots in the final.  The final two qualifiers were Wolmer’s Girls, JAM at 47.93 (3rd, Race #108) and St. Augustine’s, BAH at 48.00 (5th, Race #107).