State College boys’ track & field crowned District 6 champs, while the girls’ finished a close 2nd
Unsatisfied.
Despite taking gold in three events and helping his team to the District 6 Class 3A track and field title with 216.5 points on Thursday, State College sprinter Eniayo Ogunranti left Mansion Park feeling like he could have done more.
Ogunranti began his day with a victory in the boys 100-meter dash, finishing with a time of 10.91. Even though he had a better time in the finals, Ogunranti felt that his start during the preliminary run was better with a time of 11.35.
“I wasn’t happy with this win,” Ogunranti said. “I know that I won, but I wasn’t happy with this one because my start in the prelims was better. For the finals, if I had the prelims start, I could’ve done way better than I did.”
Ogunranti also finished first in the boys’ 200-meter dash (22.28) and competed in State College’s gold medal-winning 4x100 relay with a time of 42.19. Ogunranti was joined at the finish line in both the 100m and 200m by teammate Carson Franks, who finished a close second in both races.
Ogunranti wasn’t the only Little Lion to win multiple events. Brady Bigger came up with victories in the boys’ 800-meter (1:55.75) and 1600-meter (4:19.27) races. His boys’ 4x800 relay team won with a time of 7:50.99. He credits his teammates with being able to better gel in distance running than in past seasons.
“I think that this year, we’ve been especially good at coming together,” Bigger said. “The past few years, especially our distance side, have been lacking. This year, a lot of underclassmen have risen up. I think that we have a good chance at a state title and I’m looking forward to it next week. I’m really, really looking forward to the competition.”
Not only did State College’s boys’ team take home multiple medals, but the girls did, as well, finishing in second place with 182 points to Altoona’s 182.5. Winning gold for the Little Lions were: Casie Eifrig in the 400-meter dash (59.40); Grace Morningstar in the 800m (2:18.56); Marlee Kwasnica in the 1,600m (5:14.58); Jordan Reed in the 3,200m (10:58.69); the 4x800m relay team (9:35.69); Victoria Lesher in discus (29.29 meters); Shannon Mullin in high jump (5.65 meters) and Mia Iceland in pole vault (3.35 meters).
Sophomore Kwasnica led the 1,600-meter race from the onset and outpaced teammates Karsyn Kane (5:26.55) and Maya Ikenberry (5:27.09), who finished second and third, respectively. With each of her teammates pushing each other in practice and striving to win states, Kwanica remained hopeful that the Little Lions would win the meet.
“It’s really good and it’s a lot of points that we just scored,” Kwasnica said. “We’re just trying to get every point that we can because we know that it’s going to be a close team competition. It’s just really exciting to be on the podium with two of my teammates.”
Reed’s excitement stems from the opportunity to end her high school career at the PIAA championships next weekend. She began the year with an injury to her iliotibial band — a tendon that runs from the hip to the knee and shinbone. Being able to overcome injury and get to the point that she’s been at has made the season all of the more sweeter.
“I’m so excited. I wasn’t expecting this during the season and I started off with an injury at the beginning of the season,” Reed said. “Being able to get the win here and to have some really good competition next weekend is super exciting for me.”
Bellefonte also competed at Thursday’s meet. The Raiders’ performance was highlighted by third-place finishes from Ella Underwood and William Brininger in javelin, and John Besch in shot put.
PIAA District 6 Class 3A Track and Field Championships
(Thursday at Altoona)
State College’s boys’ team placed first with 216.5 points, while the girls’ team was second with 182 points to Altoona’s 182.5 Bellefonte’s girls’ team finished seventh with 24 points and the boys’ were seventh with 33 points. Centre County athletes who qualified for the PIAA Class 2A Championships in Shippensburg on May 29 by placing in the top three in their events or finished in the top eight and met the state qualifying standard were: boys’ 110m hurdles: 3rd: John Sicree, State College, (16.46); boys’ 100m: 1st: Eniayo Ogunranti, State College, (10.91); 2nd: Carson Franks, State College, (11.00); girls’ 1,600m: 1st: Marlee Kwasnica, State College, (5:14.58); 2nd: Karsyn Kane, State College, (5:26.55); 3rd: Maya Ikenberry, State College, (5:27.09); girls’ 4x100m relay: 3rd: State College (52.28); boys’ 4x100m relay: 1st: State College (42.19); girls’ 400m: 1st: Casie Eifrig, State College, (59.40); boys’ 300m hurdles: 1st: Ryan Lindenberg (39.70); girls’ 800m: 1st: Grace Morningstar, State College, (2:18.56); 2nd: Natalie Koncoski, State College, (2:26.53); 3rd: Abigail Bigger, State College, (2:27.21); boys’ 800m: 1st: Brady Bigger, State College, (1:55.75); 2nd: Sean Adams, State College, (1:55.94); 3rd: Bennett Norton, State College, (1:56.84); boys’ 200m: 1st: Eniayo Ogunranti, State College, (22.28); 2nd: Carson Franks, State College, (22.36); 3rd: Nolan Markowski, State College, (23.23); girls’ 3,200m: 1st: Jordan Reed, State College, (10:58.69); 3rd: Amy Devan, State College, (11:58.94); boys’ 3,200m: 2nd: Charles Endres, State College, (9:55.23); 3rd: Trent Dinant, State College, (10:16.90); girls’ 4x400m relay: 2nd: State College (4:10.42); boys’ 4x400m relay: 1st: State College (3:23.99); boys’ high jump: 1st: Conrad Moore, State College, (6-07.00); boys’ pole vault: 1st: Ian Dorefice, State College, (13-03.00); girls’ pole vault: Mia Iceland, State College, (11-00.00); 2nd: Victoria Sodeinde, State College, (11-00.00); 3rd: Sarah Neely, State College, (10-00.00); girls’ long jump: 1st: Shannon Mullin, State College, (18-06.25); girls’ triple jump: 2nd: Shannon Mullin, State College, (36-09.00); boys’ shot put: 2nd: Ben Spencer, State College, (49-01.75); 3rd: John Besch, Bellefonte, (48-07.00); boys’ discus: 2nd: Mitchell Maher, State College, (154-09); girls’ discus: 1st: Victoria Lesher (96-01); boys’ javelin: 3rd: William Brininger (159-10); girls’ javelin: 3rd: Ella Underwood, Bellefonte, (98-02).
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 11:35 PM.
