SR's McCall, Allen soar to crowns
SLIPPERY ROCK — And to think, had Macy McCall not returned to Slippery Rock's track and field team, Saturday never would have happened.
In her final District 10 championship meet, the Rocket senior earned a trip to the state meet by winning the triple jump and meeting the state-qualifying standard in the 100-meter hurdles with a 2nd-place time of 15.2 seconds at Slippery Rock University.
It was during her sophomore year that McCall donned her track shoes once again. That was a decision she thought back to on Saturday.
“I ran track in middle school, but not as a freshman,” McCall said. “In the spring of my sophomore season, I saw some of the girls running on the track and realized I really missed it.”
McCall reached districts that year and earned medals in the 100 hurdles and 200 dash. Last year, she just missed out on a trip to states by placing second in the triple jump.
There was a sense of satisfaction and relief after her effort in Saturday's hurdle event. Her win in the triple jump came later in the day.
“I wanted to get to states and I did that,” she said. “Everything's been clicking for me this year in the hurdles. I can just feel that I'm a lot faster.”
Competition within her own team certainly helps. Teammates Claudia Allen and Kira Bellis placed third and eighth, respectively, in the 100 hurdles.
“We all push each other,” said McCall. “It's great to have good hurdlers to go up against in practice.”
Considering she had competed in the triple jump just once this season entering districts, McCall's victory in the event with a distance of 36 feet, 4½ inches may have surprised some, but not Slippery Rock coach Tom Meling.
“She is such a talented athlete,” he said. “She rose to the occasion today. That's Macy.”
Allen came off the awards podium wanting more after receiving her third-place medal in the 100 hurdles. A senior, she has never competed in the PIAA meet before and had one chance remaining to change that.
It came in the 300 hurdles and Allen seized the moment, winning the event in a personal-best time of 48.48 seconds.
“I was hoping to medal (top eight) in the 300, wasn't expecting to win it,” said Allen, “but the 100 motivated me.
“I'm really excited about making states.”
“That had to be tough for her in the hurdles earlier, but she knew she had one chance left and went out and grabbed it,” Meling said of Allen. “The 300 is not her favorite event, but everything was hitting right for her today. It comes from her great work ethic.”
Freshman Maryann Ackerman will be joining McCall and Allen for the state meet at Shippensburg University after finishing second in the javelin with a 2nd-place throw of 124 feet, two inches.
“My goal was to make states, but anything can happen,” she said. “So, I'm really pleased with how things turned out.”
Ackerman's previous best throw was 111-11, which she topped by over 12 feet.
“We had a whole week off and got a lot of practice time in,” she said. “That helped.”
Slippery Rock's 4x100 relay team did not advance, but still managed to make history. The quartet of Allen, Anna Kadlubek, Tessa McHattie and Sierra Nagy broke the school record in the event with a time of 50.84 seconds.
Grove City had two girls advance — Abby Biddle and Emma Isenberg, who placed second in the 800 run and high jump, respectively.
Following are the Slippery Rock and Grove City athletes who qualified for the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Saturday's District 10 meet at Slippery Rock University.Class AAABoys110 hurdles: 1-Connor McEwen (GC) 15.44; 1,600 run: 1-Jonah Powell (GC) 4:26.99; 400 run: 1-Cody Drexler (GC) 51.3; 800 run: 1-Jonah Powell (GC) 1:56.46; 1,600 relay: 1-Grove City (Will Hannon, Nick Murawski, Jonah Powell, Cody Drexler) 3:28.44Javelin: 1-Nick Smither (GC) 159-9Girls100 hurdles: 2-Macy McCall (SR) 15.2; 300 hurdles: 1-Claudia Allen (SR) 48.48Javelin: 2-Maryann Ackerman (SR) 124-2; Triple jump: 1-Macy McCall (SR) 36-4½Class AA Girls800 run: 2-Abby Biddle (GC) 2:25.91High jump: 2(tie)-Emma Isenberg (GC) 5-0
