PHILADELPHIA – Padua’s domination in the distance events proved to be the difference for the Pandas as they recaptured the indoor track and field title on Feb. 21 in Philadelphia. The Pandas were led by senior Anna Bockius, who won the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs in convincing fashion on the track at the Ott Center for Track and Field at the University of Pennsylvania.
Bockius had three of Padua’s five wins at the championship meet. The other two came in relays, and she was the anchor for one of those foursomes.
The Pandas finished with 123 points, outdistancing three-time defending champion Tatnall, who had 80, and Smyrna with 62. It was Padua’s 19th overall championship and first since 2022.
Shea Lowman joined Bockius, Paige Ballinger and Teresina DeAscanis on the victorious 4×400 relay team, which finished nearly seven seconds ahead of Tatnall. The 4×800 team of Audrey Burris, Leah Campbell, Vera Cincilla and Mary Drost took first place by exactly seven seconds, ahead of the Saint Mark’s quartet of Oivia Hardy, Sadie Trumbull, Tessa Palm and Marijose Cantoran.
Ballinger was the runner-up to Bockius in both the 1,600 and 3,200. DeAscanis made it a Padua sweep of the top three spots in the 1,600, and she also came in third in the 800. Italia Kain was second in the pole vault, and Amirah Laster was third in the shot put.
Saint Mark’s Kiara Davis won the long jump, and Archmere’s Kindred Ballard was first in the shot put. Ursuline’s Julia Lundgren took third in the high jump.
Saint Mark’s came in 10th, Archmere 14th and Ursuline 16th of the 25 teams.
Salesianum took third in the boys’ championship, behind Middletown and Dover.
Roan Samuels was the Sals’ lone winner, capturing the shot put. That event also included Archmere’s Josh Cox in third, Saint Mark’s Elijah Burke in fourth, and Dominic Carucci of St. Elizabeth in fifth.
Salesianum had a third-places finish in the 1,600-meter run from James Dempsey. The 4×200 relay team of Charles Prosser, Chase Mellen, Sean LaFave and Jamar Taylor also came in third.
Saint Mark’s had a second-place showing in the 4×800. The team included Abner Murillo, Connor Wrinn, Evan Paskevicius and Alex Jurgaitis.
The Spartans finished in sixth place overall, while Archmere was 18th. St. Elizabeth placed 28th.
Photos by Mike Lang.
