North East high jumper Noah Crozier one of two D-10 champs at PIAA track and field meet

SHIPPENSBURG — The top platform of the PIAA track and field meet's podium measures less than two feet off the ground.

That's meager compared to the 6 feet, 8 inches North East's Noah Crozier cleared on his best attempt during Friday's Class 2A boys high jump competition.

However, none of that event's eight medalists stood taller on it than Crozier. The senior was declared the winner after a late-round duel with Union-Allegheny Valley rival Hayden Smith at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium.

They were the only athletes in the field of 24 who cleared 6-8. To determine a victor, each were given three rounds with the bar set at 6-10.

Smith cleared that height before this weekend, but not Crozier.

"(Knowing) that was hard, honestly," he said. "It was nerve-wracking because I knew Hayden had been over 6-10 pretty consistently. He's even been over seven feet."

Not Friday, though. PIAA officials reverted to high jump's first tiebreaker when neither jumper cleared 6-10.

That tiebreaker was why Crozier, who cleared 6-8 in an earlier round than Smith, lived up to his status as the event's top seed. His state-winning height was an inch higher than his best effort during last weekend's District 10 meet.

"This is unreal," Crozier said. "I never expected this win because Hayden is such a great high jumper. But I came through because I worked on my consistency.

"I got the heights (Friday) on my first tries. That came in handy."

North East's other potential champ

Crozier was one of two Grapepickers who arrived at Shippensburg as an event favorite.

The other was Abby Malesiewski, who remains in state title contention at the end of her first varsity season.

Malesiewski, who was seeded first in the 2A girls 100-meter hurdles at 14.83 seconds, went even lower for her qualifying heat. The freshman crossed the finish line at 14.69, which held up as the best preliminary time.

"There was a lot of pressure (Friday), for sure," Malesiewski said. "I knew there would be great competition here and the sun was super draining, so I was also nervous about that. Fortunately, it didn't affect me that much.

"That (qualifying time) was good, but I know I can do better. That's why I'm super excited for (Saturday's final)."

Also excited are Fort LeBoeuf's Ella Corritore and Seneca's Morgan Wilhelm. They're assured medals for that same race thanks to respective qualifying times of 15.23 and 15.28.

Rock star repeat

Crozier was presented a state gold medal hours after Levi Prementine became the district's first PIAA meet victor.

Unlike Crozier, though, it was the second time in as many Memorial Day weekends the Slippery Rock star experienced such a moment.

Prementine joined an elite list of PIAA track and field athletes who repeated as an event titlist. The senior did so in the 2A boys long jump with a distance of 23-3/4.

"Obviously, I knew I had to come back out here and jump my best because there's so many guys here who jump crazy distances," Prementine said. "Even though I won last year, I wasn't seeded first this year. That was my motivation."

Prementine wasn't even the district's highest seed. He started fifth behind Mercyhurst Prep's Ja'son Ellman, who began second.

Ellman medaled, but in eighth at 21-6 1/4. Conwell-Egan's Anthony Conrey, who was listed as the field's favorite, finished third at 22-10 1/2.

Laker comes up lame

Friday's results weren't as golden for the district's other top-seeded state athletes.

Mercyhurst Prep's Vincent Feliciano, Jacob Applebee, Ellman and anchor Camden Bryant were listed first (41.91) in the 2A boys 400 relay. They won their heat at 42.94, which meant they clinched a lane for Saturday's championship race.

However, Friday's preliminary win came at a potentially mammoth cost.

Bryant's right hamstring locked up on him with roughly 30 meters left. The Slippery Rock University recruit was helped to the trainer's tent immediately after he crossed the finish line.

"It was a little sore before the race, so I tried stretching," Bryant said. "But once I started, it got worse. There was a lot of the race left when it finally popped."

Bryant had a large ice bag wrapped around his right leg as he spoke. While he still plans to compete Saturday, not just in the 400 relay but in the individual 100 and 200 sprints, plans is the vital word.

"I honestly don't know how I'll feel," Bryant said.

Kyndra Seddon was one of three Mercer County females who were seeded first in the meet's 2A field events. The Lakeview sophomore topped Friday's list of discus throwers at 128-11.

However, Seddon placed 13th overall based on her only successful attempt of 109-11. She fouled on her other two tries.

Corry junior Lindsey Hasbrouck and North East senior Tessa Bemiss, two of the district's at-large entrants, took advantage of Seddon's misfortune. Hasbrouck was the event's bronze medalist at 125-5 and Bemiss medaled sixth at an even 115 feet.

"It's sad that Kyndra fouled out," Hasbrouck said. "I really wanted to go on (the medal stand) with her."

More: Season finale: The Erie Times-News' last list of Erie County top performers for 2023-24

3A in a bad way

There were no district medalists for any of Friday's completed Class 3A track or field events.

Jonah Stucchio came the closest to a top-eight result. The Grove City sophomore was ninth in the boys triple jump at 44-11 1/4.

Cathedral Prep senior Lauren Raimy placed 11th for the 3A girls 1,600. The Fordham University recruit, who set the district record at 5:03.41, completed Friday's four laps in 4:57.43.

However, Mt. Lebanon star Logan St. John Kletter nearly set the PIAA record with her victorious time of 4:38.54.

Butler runner gets national record

Drew Griffith recorded a time in the 2A boys 1,600 that was never achieved before Friday.

Not just in the PIAA, either.

Griffith, a Butler senior, completed his four laps in 3:57.08. Not only did that oblierate the state's former state mark of 4:01.56, held by Archbishop Wood's Gary Martin since 2022, but the National Federation of High Schools record of 3:59.51.

Alan Webb of Virginia's Reston South Lakes had held the country's former low since 2001.

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: North East's Noah Crozier claims 2A boys high jump title at PIAA meet