Fast times and first-rate performances
Led by Carlton Lavong in two events, these boys' track and field athletes set the pace.
Here's a look at the members of the all-Southeastern Pennsylvania first team:
100 meters: Tyler Smith, Norristown, junior. Smith posted a mark of 10.59 seconds - the state's second-fastest time - in winning the Colonial Classic. He also placed first at the Class AAA state meet and Suburban One American championships.
200: Corey Brown, Cardinal O'Hara, senior. Brown ran a 21.18, the nation's 17th-fastest time according to MileSplit.us, to win the Philadelphia Catholic League race. The Ohio State football recruit's meet-record time was the second-fastest in the state. Brown also finished second at the Class AAA state meet.
400: Matt Gilmore, Cheltenham, junior. Gilmore posted a 47.46, the nation's 20th-fastest time, according to MileSplit.us, to finish second at the Class AAA state meet. It was the second-fastest time in the state. He also won the Suburban One American race.
800: Tom Mallon, Central Bucks South, senior. Mallon recorded the nation's fastest time of the season as of Friday, according to MileSplit.us, 1:49.01, to win the Pennsylvania Distance Festival race. The Stanford signee also won his third consecutive Class AAA state and second straight District 1 titles.
1,600: Will Kellar, West Chester Henderson, senior. Kellar ran the state's best time, 4:12.00, to finish first at the Class AAA state meet. The senior also won the Henderson Invitational.
3,200: Matt Fischer, Unionville, senior. Fischer recorded the state's fastest time, 9:03.01, in winning the Class AAA state meet. The senior was the District 1 meet runner-up.
110 hurdles: Eric Futch, Penn Wood, sophomore. Futch ran 14.18, the state's fourth-fastest time, to place first at the Delaware County National Division Championships. He also placed fourth at the Class AAA state meet and first at the Spring Invitational.
300 hurdles: Ptah Osayande, Strath Haven, senior. Osayande posted a 37.99, the state's third-best time, en route to winning the District 1 Class AAA meet. He also won the Delaware County American Division race.
Shot put: Blake Davenport, Kennett, senior. Davenport won the District 1 Class AAA meet with a 57-foot, 11/2-inch mark, the state's third-best effort. He also finished first at the Class AAA state meet, the Henderson Invitational, and the Ches-Mont championships.
Discus: Eric Masington, Bensalem, senior. Masington won both the District 1 and state Class AAA competitions. At the district meet, he released a state-best toss of 178-1.
Javelin: Tom Lang, St. Pius X, junior. Lang posted a 213-10 effort - the state's second-best distance - to win the Class AA state title. Lang also won the District 1, Pottstown Classic, and Pan-Ram Invitational competitions.
Pole vault: Mick Coleman, William Tennent, senior. Coleman cleared 15-6, the state's best height, to place first at the Neshaminy Invitational. He also won the District 1 Class AAA, Suburban One National, and Central Buck West Relays competitions.
High jump: Marcus Blakely, Coatesville, senior. Blakely cleared a state-best 6-9 to win three meets: District 1 Class AAA, Ches-Mont championships, and Lower Merion Invitational. He also won the Class AAA state meet.
Long jump: Carlton Lavong, Methacton, senior. Lavong won the Class AAA state meet with a state-best leap of 24-81/2. According to MileSplit.us, only three competitors in the nation had longer jumps. He also won the District 1 meet and placed third in the Penn Relays high school boys' competition.
Triple jump: Lavong, Methacton. The Michigan State signee produced the nation's fourth-best distance, 51-0, according to MileSplit.us, to win the Henderson Invitational. He also went 50-5, a record-setting performance, to win the Class AAA state meet.
4x100: Central Bucks South (R.L. Knuckles, Yacine Zerdoum, Tyler Dougherty, and Jon Eisemann). The quartet ran the state's fastest time, 41.98, in the trials of the Class AAA state meet. The Titans followed that by winning the final. Central Bucks South also nabbed the District 1 Class AAA and Penn Relays High School Boys Large School titles.
4x400: Cheltenham (Matt Gilmore, Brandon Bennett-Green, Harold Alfred, Bernard Bennett-Green). The foursome ran the nation's sixth-fastest time, 3:13.60, according to MileSplit.us., to win the Suburban One American race at the Penn Relays. The Panthers followed that with a fifth-place finish in the carnival's Championship of America race.
4x800: Central Bucks West (Matt Bee, Nick Scarpello, Connor Manley, Matt McGarvey). They placed second at the Class AAA state meet with the nation's fifth-fastest time, 7:44.13, according to MileSplit.us. In the process, C.B. West recorded the area's best time.
- Keith Pompey