Fort LeBoeuf girls repeat as District 10 track and field meet's Class 2A champions

SLIPPERY ROCK ― Alena Urbanowicz's victory couldn't have been closer.

The Fort LeBoeuf sprinter edged Farrell's Janiya Daniels by .01 seconds for first place the Class 2A girls 100-meter final of Saturday's District 10 track and field meet.

Emily Samluk's gold medal performance was significantly larger by comparison.

The javelin thrower for the Bison won that event by more than 11 feet on a field across the street from Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

Regardless of margins, though, each still accounted for 10 points in LeBoeuf's team score.

A team score high enough to defend as the district's best small-school girls program.

The Bison repeated as district titlists with 86 1/2 points. Seneca followed with 56 and Grove City with 55.

"We've given the girls an offseason workout plan," LeBoeuf coach Erick Friedman said. "That plan is for them to peak at districts, which is what we've done. We had a couple (personal records) and school records (Saturday), so the plan is working as designed."

Complimenting the Corritores

Urbanowicz defeated Daniels with a photo-finish time of 12.36 seconds. So close was her victory that Wilmington's Maya Jeckavitch, who was seeded first, still finished third despite her 12.39 in the title race.

"I kind of thought to myself, 'Well, if I'm going to (win this), then persevere,'" Urbanowicz said. "I kept my cool, and that's what got me through (the race)."

Samluk's best javelin attempt stuck the sod at 123-6. That exceded her top-seeded distance by exactly two feet.

Samluk, as she's done before, praised Friedman for helping better her throws. Friedman is a former world masters titlist in that discipline.

"Coach is so amazing," Samluk said. "I only started throwing last year, so this is so awesome to have (the work) pay off in this competition."

Although LeBoeuf seniors Ella and Hailey Corritore weren't gold medalists during their final district appearances, they supplemented Urbanowicz and Samluk with multiple top-eight medals. The sisters, who still qualified for next weekend's PIAA meet with at-large berths, will resume their track and field careers when they enroll at the United States Coast Guard Academy this fall.

"They're fun to work with," Friedman said, "but they're very hard workers and that's important. They're always in the weight room and always the last to leave practice."

County's other 2A champs

Seneca was second in the team standings even though it won more events than LeBoeuf.

Morgan Wilhelm and Mackenzie Nelson bracketed teammates Olivia Paris and Madison Morvay when they won the 400 relay (4:07.21).

Wilhelm was an individual victor for the 300 hurdles (45.51) and Nelson for the 400 (59.75).

"This feels so good," Nelson said. "I've been working so hard since my freshman year, this doesn't even feel real."

Corry came through as the favorite for the 3,200 relay. Sisters Jordan and Camryn Fox joined fellow Beavers' Haley Mumau and Haeleigh Bayle atop The Rock's podium thanks to a combined time of 9:47.86.

Abby Malesiewski was the district champ by the end of her first such meet. The North East freshman, at 14.83 in the 100 hurdles final, prevailed over Ella Corritore and Wilhelm.

Prep second despite firsts

The Hickory Hornets, highlighted by sprinter Josslyn Hancock's sweep of the 100 and 200 finals, were the meet's Class 3A victors with 151 1/2 points.

The Cathedral Prep Ramblers were second with 128 1/2. They placed second despite dominating Saturday's 1,600 and 3,200 individual and relay races.

Lauren Raimy's first-place performance of 5:03.41 in the 1,600 doubled as that event's new record. The Prep senior and Fordham University recruit erased the former mark of 5:05.24, held by Mercyhurst Prep graduate Lindsey Havko since 2002.

The answer to how Raimy came about her record time wasn't unique.

"A lot more training and a lot more miles under my belt," she said. "And with each race, you learn more and you experience more. Those are valuable lessons."

Anne-Catherine Brown, daughter of Ramblers' coach Therese Brown, won the 3,200 in 11:24. She also started on Prep's victorious 3,200 relay (9:56.26), as did Raimy with its first-place 1,600 relay (4:11.82).

More: View results for District 10 track championships, boys tennis and more: May 13-18

More from county

Erie High and McDowell, two other 3A teams from the county, also boasted winners.

Teyaja Carr will represent the Royals in the state's 300 hurdles. She cleared them at The Rock for a low time of 48.99.

McDowell's Josslyn Schnell swept the long and triple jump titles with respective distances of 17-2 and 34-6 1/2. Trojans teammate Caroline Lewis also topped the javelin field at 113-6.

Erie Times-News staff writer Jeff Uveino contributed to this report.

Mike has worked for the Erie Times-News editorial department since 1997 and full time with its sports department since 2004. He was the sports editor for the former Titusville Herald from 1991-93.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Fort LeBoeuf girls finish first at District 10 track and field meet