Keith Pompey: Highs and lows of Pennsylvania track

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Southeastern Pennsylvania track and field enthusiasts can talk at length about the area's dominance at the PIAA state championships.

Folks were in awe of Central Bucks South's record-setting performance in the Class AAA boys' 4x800-meter relay final. Swenson junior Shanae Bailey's invincibility in the Class AA girls' sprint events was another hot topic.

Local athletes didn't win the predicted 28 gold, 23 silver and 16 bronze medals due to some disqualifications, faulty tactics, and unfortunate mishaps. Area standouts did, however, exit Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium with 22 gold, 25 silver, and 17 bronze medals.

And two girls' squads - Swenson in Class AA and Abington in Class AAA - won state team titles. In the process, Swenson became the first District 12 team to win three consecutive outdoor state championships.

Here are some highs and lows involving area athletes at the state meet.

Highlight of the meet. The Central Bucks South boys' 4x800-meter relay team set the National Federation of State High School and PIAA state-meet records. The quartet of Jeff Dickson, Dave Manion, Matt Poiesz, and Tom Mallon did that by winning the Class AAA event in 7 minutes, 33.48 seconds. Wissahickon set both previous records by running a 7:36.24 in 1982.

Mallon followed that by coasting to his second consecutive victory in the 800 meters in 1:52.77.

The unbeatable Bailey. Bailey has yet to lose a final at the state meet. The Swenson junior has claimed nine Class AA gold medals. Saturday, the 17-year-old won her third consecutive 100 and 200 titles in the state meet. Bailey also joined Jayee Wright, Anthonia "Mouse" Ballard and Vanessa Mack on the Lions' winning 4x100 relay team. The quartet won the event for a third straight season.

A great finale. As a freshman, Gwynedd-Mercy Academy's Taylor Bumpas came in with a lot of promise. A season later, Bumpas appeared on her way to greatness after running the 800 in 2:10.92.

Unfortunately for Bumpas, that was last time she ran that fast in the event.

Correction.

It was last time she ran that fast before Saturday. The University of Maryland signee won the Class AAA girls' 800 race with a personal-best time of 2:09.0. She posted a time that is tied for the nation's seventh best by a high school girl this season, according to Dyestat.com.

Tough luck of the meet. Abington's Leah Nugent had a chance to win the Class AAA 100 hurdles. The sophomore was in the lead heading into the ninth hurdle. After losing her balance, Nugent fell over the hurdle and ended up face-down on the track. She got up, ran under the final hurdle, and finished the race. Nugent was disqualified for running under the hurdle.

What tough luck? Nugent regrouped by crushing the field in the 300 hurdles. Her time of 41.64 seconds tied the state meet record set by Methacton's Ryann Krais in 2006.

In doing so, Nugent posted the nation's third fastest time of the season, according to Dyestat.com.

The iron man. Upper Dublin's Mike Palmisano was a major reason why his team finished third in the Class AAA boys' team standings. The senior had a hand in 24 of the Cardinals' 28 total points.

Palmisano won the 1,600 in 4:13.93. He also finished third in the 800 with a 1:54.85. And the standout ran a leg on Upper Dublin's second-place 4x800 relay team (7:40.04).

Statement race. Conestoga proved it still has the state's premier girls 4x800 relay team. The Pioneers won the event at the Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association's indoor state championships in February. But North Penn, Downingtown East, and Central Bucks West had garnered most of the attention during the outdoor season.

That was until Saturday.

Conestoga's quartet of Dina Ramadane, Kacie O'Neil, Meghan Shanley, and Marta Klebe won the Class AAA girls' race in 9:09.94. It was the fifth-fastest time in the country, according to Dyestat.com.

Talk about close. Phoenixville's Courtney Kedra won the Class AAA girls' long jump on Friday, perhaps the most competitive event of the meet.

Kedra prevailed with a leap of 18 feet, 93/4 inches. Cheltenham's Brittany Howell was second in 18-9½. Penncrest's Lauren Tusar, at 18-9¼, rounded out the top three.

Most disappointing outing. Methacton's Carlton Lavong was heavily favored to win the Class AAA boys' long- and triple-jump events. However, the junior finished third in the long jump with a 23-31/2 effort. He also placed third in the triple with a 48-51/2 performance.

Lavong has a personal-best jump of 24-61/2 in the long jump and 49-21/2 in the triple jump.