Freeport's Malcolm vaults to victory

By DEREK PYDA Eagle Staff Writer

May 10, 2006 Last Updated: May 10, 2006 02:35 PM High School

Freeport's Dana Turley finished third in the 300-meter hurdles and sixth in the 100-meter hurdles at the Class AA Northern Track and Field Qualifiers Tuesday and advanced to the WPIAL championship meet.

ADAMS TWP — It might not have been Merrissa Malcolm's top priority to be the top pole vaulter Monday afternoon at the WPIAL Class AA Northern Track and Field Qualifiers

But she managed it just the same.

Malcolm, a Freeport sophomore, vaulted 8 feet, 6 inches at the event, which was held at the Mars Athletic Complex.

"It was a pretty good day," Malcolm said, who will now focus on the WPIAL championships next Tuesday at South Side Beaver High School.

"My career best is a 9-9, which I set this year," she added. "My goal coming into the season was 10 feet, and that's what I'm still shooting for."

Two of Malcolm's teammates gave the Yellowjackets the top two spots in the discus.

Marisa DeSalvo (115-2) and Jamie Shockey (103-1) finished first and second in the event. The duo also took second and fifth, respectively, in the shot put.

"If they can do it again at (South Side Beaver), they'll be going to states," said Freeport coach Bill Dillen. "We're just trying to send as many kids to states as we can."

Freeport's Dana Turley took third in the 300 hurdles and sixth in the 100 hurdles.

The boys side saw Mars take two first-place finishes: Derek Workman in the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 1.7 seconds) and Justin Piocquidio in the long jump at 21-2Z\x feet.

Cody Kier also represented the Planets well with a third-place finish in the 1,600 run and a fourth-place finish in the 3,200 run.

Kier also teamed with Brandon Stadelmyer, Justin Stadelmyer and Workman to place third in the 3,200 relay event.

Kier's career best in the 1,600 is 4:40 and he has managed 10:09 in the 3,200. Both marks were set this year.

"You want to do good (at the qualifier), but you don't want to kill yourself, either," said the junior. "We've got another meet coming up on Thursday."

Kier was referring to the Planets' upcoming appearance in the Class AA team championships, also to be held at South Side Beaver.

Freeport's Bryan Zimmerman placed second in the javelin (179-7) and Brendan Reilly was second in the 1,600 run (4:40.9).

Junior Nate Kotecki placed fourth in the triple jump and helped the Yellowjackets' 400 relay team advance with an eighth-place finish.

"I've never been to (the AA championships)," Kotecki said. "But I'm just hoping to make it to states. I think I'll be able to do that."

Following are all of the area qualifiers for the WPIAL Class AA Championships, to be held next Tuesday at South Side Beaver High School. The top eight finishers in each event advanced.

Boys3200-meter relay: 3-Mars (Cody Kier, Brandon Stadelmyer, Justin Stadelmyer, Derek Workman) 8:39.73;

100-meter dash: 6-Terrence Burton (Summit Academy) 11.7, 6(tie)-Bill Bair (Mars) 11.7;

1,600-meter run: 2-Brendan Reilly (Freeport) 4:40.9, 3-Cody Kier (Mars) 4:41.2;

400-meter dash: 2-Darwin Banks (Summit Academy) 51.9;

400 meter relay: 3-Mars (Ryan Stephan, Josh Keil, Bill Bair, Justin Piocquidio) 44.7, 4-Summit Academy 44.9, 8-Freeport (Mat Caripolti, A.J. Vidra, Brady Sherrieb, Nate Kotecki) 46.1;

800-meter run: 1-Derek Workman (Mars) 2:01.7;

200-meter dash: 2-Terrence Burton (Summit Academy) 23.4;

3,200-meter run: 4-Cody Kier (Mars) 10:18.4, 8-Brendan Reilly (Freeport) 10:29.2;

1,600-meter relay: 5-Mars (Justin Piocquidio, Luke Martin, Bill Bair, Derek Workman) 3:36.6

High jump: 8-Tim Frye (Mars) 5-9;

Long jump: 1-Justin Piocquidio (Mars) 21-2Z\x;

Triple jump: 4-Nate Kotecki (Freeport) 41-2;

Shot put: 6-Frank Roscoe (Summit Academy) 43-7C\v;

Discus: 8-Josh Brezinski (Freeport) 125-8;

Javelin: 2-Bryan Zimmerman (Freeport) 179-7, 6-John Payne (Summit Academy) 158-0;

Girls3200-meter relay: 4-Freeport (Jordan Dunn, Kirsten Knappenberger, Kristen Prazenica, Melanie Lutz) 10:33.48;

100-meter hurdles: 6-Dana Turley (Freeport) 16.7;