Over the years, Pennsylvania has established itself as one
of the best high school track and field states in the country.
It seems only fitting then for Keystone state athletes to
perform at or near end-of-season form in the oldest and largest meet in the U.S.,
the Penn Relays, even though it is a full four weeks before the PIAA state
meet.
Vaulter leads way for
PA champions
Now a freshman at the University of Washington, Veronica
Vacca had a career record at the Penn Relays that couldn’t be topped by a high
schooler and has been matched by just three others in meet history. The former
Mount Saint Joseph Academy standout claimed four consecutive pole vault titles
beginning in 2022 at Franklin Field, a feat duplicated only by New Jersey’s
Carol Lewis in the long jump from 1978 to 1981, and Garden State shot putters
Nick Vena from 2008-11 and Nicole Sims from 1990-93.
Vacca’s winning jumps of 13 feet, 3 inches in both 2024 and
2025 are the second highest ever for a high schooler in the Penn Relay Carnival.
Vacca isn’t the only Pennsylvania girl to top the pole vault competition in
late April as a home state product has won 13 times since 2004, with Lindsey
Regan and Abigail Schaffer of Easton Area both having a pair of Penn Relays
victories during this title run.
Jordan Geist, Pennsylvania’s all-time leader in the shot,
discus and hammer throw, also had virtually unmatched success in Philadelphia.
He was 3-for-3 in the high school shot put and owns the two longest puts as a
prep at the Relays – 74-9 as a senior in 2017 and 73-0.75 the previous year.
In his only trip back to Philadelphia as a collegian, Geist
notched a win for the Arizona Wildcats in meet-record fashion, tossing the
16-pound ball 68-7.75 (20.92 meters) in 2023. He has five of the 10 longest
throws in college meet history and earlier this year was the world indoor
silver medalist in a 2-3 performance for the American men.
Skylar Ciccolini of Mifflin County holds the girls javelin
record of 184-2 from 2019 and is a two-time winner of the event along with
Christine Streisel (2012-13) of Tamaqua. Including HS national record holder
Madison Wiltrout of Connellsville in 2017, Pennsylvania has won 16 girls javelin
title, including six in a row from 2009-14.
Friends’ Central’s Avery Lewis also has several Penn Relays
watches in her collection, claiming the girls long jump crowns in 2022-24.
Middle distances
stars shine at Penn
Current middle distance superstar Josh Hoey started a run of
PA victories in one of the marquee events each year at Franklin Field, the boys
mile. Running for Downingtown West in 2016, the indoor 600- and 800-meter world
record holder led the field in 4:11.90.
Fast forward to 2022, then Archbishop Wood ace and now
Virginia standout Gary Martin brought Franklin Field to its feet as he set the
meet record in pursuit of sub-4 in his hometown, finishing first in 4:01.04.
Hatboro-Horsham’s Brian DiCola topped the milers the following year in 4:11.23,
while Drew Griffith of Butler also had his sights set on the mile milestone in
2024, eventually providing a highlight moment with a 4:03.35 victory.
On the girls distance side, the late Kim Gallagher was a
multi-time 1,500/mile winner, dominating the fields in 1979 and 1981. State
College great Lynne Strauss won the HS 3,000 meters in 1981-82 before returning
to Franklin Field the following year for another 3K win as a member of the
North Carolina State Wolfpack.
More recently, Angel Piccirillo wore Homer-Center colors to
mile victories in 2010 and ’11 before starting an All-American career at Villanova.
As a Wildcat, Piccirillo collected nine watches as a member of championship
relay quartets.
Pitted against the powerhouse programs from Jamaica in the
relays, victories on the track at Franklin Field have been elusive but ever so
sweet. The greatest successes for Pennsylvania squads have come in the boys
distance medley relay as Henderson has the most recent victory at 10:03.77 in
2014. Five other PA boys DMR squads have reached the finish first since 2002.
Although he was not a watch winner as a high school track
standout at Youngsville, Mike Shine stands amongst the leaders in Penn Relays
history as a hurdler. Shine won a pair of 110 titles and a 400 hurdle crown in
the mid-’70s for Penn State before winning again in the 110s and four
consecutive times in the 400s from 1978-81 in Olympic Development competition,
matching the exploits of just three others in Penn Relays history with at least
eight individual victories.
In addition to his successes at Franklin Field, Shine is
known for chasing legendary Edwin Moses across the finish line in a USA 1-2 at
the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Moses registered his first world record in
47.64 seconds in his international debut, while Shine recorded his lifetime
best of 48.69 for the silver medal.