TRACK AND FIELD: Triple-medalist Mellow leads 9 PAC athletes on podium at PIAA Championships

SHIPPENSBURG >> Summer Mellow didn’t get her hopes up.

The Methacton senior became a three-time Pioneer Athletic Conference champion in the 100 meters on May 11, but in her two earlier seasons, a chance at the PIAA podium did not follow.

In the weeks leading up to the PIAA Track and Field Championships, Mellow downplayed her chances in the sprint events, instead pinning her hopes to the long jump, which she placed third in at the 2023 meet.

Mellow picked a good weekend to prove herself wrong.

She treated herself to three medal-winning performances on Saturday in the final day of the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University. Mellow kicked off the day with a third-place finish in the 100 meters then picked up a second long jump podium finish by placing second. She rounded out her titanic day with an eighth-place finish in the 200 meters.

Mellow headlined a strong day from Pioneer Athletic Conference performers at states that featured nine other medalists: Pottstown’s Tyrese Washington (4th, 110 hurdles), Owen J. Roberts’ Matt Gregory (8th, 100 meters), Perkiomen Valley’s Ian Johnson (5th, 3,200 meters) and Doug Ledger (4th, javelin), Spring-Ford’s Justin Johnson (5th, long jump), Owen J. Roberts’ Jane Kratz (6th, 800 meters) and the Owen J. Roberts girls’ 4×800 (8th) and Spring-Ford boys’ 4×800 (7th) and 4×400 relays (5th).

“I was really excited about the 100,” Mellow said. “I didn’t think that I, because last year I didn’t even make it past the trials. I was over the moon to be able to have a third-place finish. That was really, really cool.”

Mellow, who is bound for William & Mary University, put down a marker Friday in prelims by qualifying in second for the 100 in a school record time (11.85), knowing she had already secured a pair of medals entering Saturday.

Finishing near the top in the long jump was a known commodity for Mellow, but sprint success on the state stage brought an extra level of satisfaction.

“It feels good because now I’m like, okay, you can do this. You just needed some work in order to get there. It feels nice to have done all of this and to be on the podium at all, actually. It feels really good.”

Such is who Mellow is that she was the first to congratulate race winner Amirah Nesmith of Cheltenham, whose 11.84 was just ahead of Spring Grove senior and LSU-bound Laila Campbell (11.87), who later won a fourth consecutive title in the 200 meters.

“I think what makes it for me is that, especially at the 100 again, being that happy for somebody else makes it so much more enjoyable for you to just be there. I find it easier to be happy for someone when they do really well and to be nice to people because it just makes your whole experience more.”

She was in golden position after hitting 18-10¼ on her third attempt until Susquehanna Township’s Jaylynn Dorsey unleashed a 19-0¾ on her fifth try after three straight fouls to overtake first.

“I think I was really looking for first place in the long jump. Not that I didn’t do well, but I think I was looking for first place in the long jump and I think a lot of people were hyping me up for it,” Mellow said. “When I heard that I lost by however much, it kind of crushed me.

“I’ll admit, it was disappointing. I mean, tomorrow I’ll have forgotten about how I feel. Having a goldfish mind is what I’ve been practicing these last years.”

Pottstown senior Tyrese Washington ran to fourth place (14.25) in the boys’ 110-meter hurdles. Washington was the reigning champion in the event but was unable to go back-to-back with a subpar start.

“It was a bad block start. I started picking it up but it was too late by then,” Washington said. “I won last year with a good time. It was just a bad race, nothing else to it. Gotta learn from it and be better in college.”

The level-headed Washington, who is considering Kutztown, Pittsburgh and Shippensburg for his next step, embraced the challenge of being defending state champ, even if another trip to the top of the podium didn’t come.

“It was a good amount of pressure and maybe people would notice if I wasn’t running as fast as last year,” he said. “But other than that, it was pretty chill. There’s a bit of pressure of trying to do better than last year, but that was really it.”

Spring-Ford junior Johnson hit 22-6 ¾ on his second attempt, good for a fifth-place finish in the boys’ long jump.

Johnson, the PAC champion two weeks ago, entered down the seed sheet in 23rd after jumping 22-2 at districts but had a rise up the ranks Saturday.

“I’m feeling pretty good. I wasn’t seeded to score so it’s a blessing to be here and win this (medal),” Johnson said.

Johnson placed 15th at districts in 2023 but has made significant gains in the last year and earned his first trip to PIAAs.

“I feel like all the people here, we all qualified and earned our place here. I earned it just as much as everyone else and I tried to remind myself that I belong,” Johnson said.

Johnson was satisfied with his placement while leaving something in the tank to run on the Rams’ 4×400 relay with the knowledge that he’ll be back to make a bang as a senior.

“I wanted to break my school record of 22-11 but I was coming off a couple injuries these last few weeks so just to be here and be able to put forth my best effort means the world to me,” Johnson said. “Knowing I’ll be back next year better than ever is a great thing.”

Johnson earned a second medal in the event-ending 4×400 relay when he joined Jack Stanick, Belal Abdelrahman and Chris Brittingham to a fifth-place finish (3:17.39). It was a school record, even bettering the Rams’ second-place finish of a year ago (3:18.20).

Coatesville won the race by .07 seconds (3:13.80) over Cardinal O’Hara thanks to anchor Robert Turner diving for the finish line to deliver the Red Raiders (27) the team title by a single point over Palmyra (26) and Butler (26), which featured distance star Drew Griffith, who backed up his national record in the mile on Friday by winning the 3,200 meters.

Stanick and Abdelrahman scored twice as they teamed with William Wiles and Elijah Dunham to place seventh in the 4×800 relay (7:49.83).

Perkiomen Valley senior Doug Ledger medaled in the javelin by finishing fourth thanks to a personal-record 186-3.

“Today I did pretty good, I PRed by two feet,” Ledger said. “I came in wanting to medal, (finish) top 8 and I did that.”

Ledger qualified for states last year as a junior and finished 15th. He bested the Perkiomen Valley in his first meet back after elbow trouble in the winter

“Last year was my first time in states and I was very unfamiliar with it. This year it was more relaxing because I knew what I had to do,” Ledger said.

OJR junior Kratz earned two medals on Saturday, anchoring the 4×800 relay alongside Fiona Sanders, Amelie Blatz and Ellie Thompson. Kratz ran the fastest leg by any racer on the final leg to boost the Wildcats from 15th into the last medal placement.

She then ran a 2:11.72 for sixth place in the 800. She was a fraction of a second from the OJR team record (Holly Sullivan, 2014, 2:11.53).

Owen J. Roberts sophomore Declan Gallagher just missed medaling in the boys’ high jump. He cleared 6-4 but placed ninth due to a miss on his first attempt at 6-2.

Pope John Paul II junior Maeve Gallagher placed 15th in the discus.

Also participating in events Saturday were Phoenixville’s Talon Romance (javelin), Owen J. Roberts’ Gianna Leimeister (javelin) and Perkiomen Valley’s Jane Fisher (high jump).

COMPLETE RESULTS