Saint Mark’s, Salesianum and Padua earned state championships in the DIAA track and field meet, which was held May 17-18 at Dover High School. The Sals and Pandas are repeat champs, and the Spartans returned to the top after winning in 2022.
The Spartans had just one win in an individual event, but it was a big one. The 4×800 relay team of Sean Kemske, Brandon Smith, Connor Gebhardt and Brian Yeager won the event and set a new meet record in the process. It was the Spartans’ second state title in the sport.
They were able to score thanks to a deep roster. Senior Chad Dohl, a four-sport athlete, wrapped up his high school athletic career with second-place finishes in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, with Jazonte Levan of Seaford capturing both events. Jude Rykaczewski was second in the 300-meter hurdles.
Yeager placed fourth in the 400-meter run and Gebhardt in the 800. Gebhardt and Alec Jurgaitis took fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 1,600, and Jurgaitis was fourth in the 3,200. In the other relays, Saint Mark’s was fourth in both the 4×100 and second in the 4×200 and 4×400.
Logan Klein was fifth in the shot put and fourth in the discus. Max Batten and Jordon Jones finished second and fourth, respectively, in the high jump, and Michael Burgos took third in the pole vault.
Gavin Andrews of St. Elizabeth finished fourth in the 100-meter dash, and Josh Cox of Archmere was fourth in the shot put.
For Padua, this was the team’s ninth consecutive Division I championship; the program also won Division II in 2012 and ’13. It is the school’s 21rd crown overall.
The Pandas dominated in the rainy conditions at Dover. Juliana Balon completed a storied high school career with a win in the 200-meter dash; she also finished second in the 100- and 400-meter runs. Mary Flanagan won the 800, setting a new meet record, with Anna Bockius behind her in second.
Padua also won the 4×400 and 4×800 relays, and Elce Walsh won the pole vault by nearly two feet. Makiyah Earnest captured the triple jump.
Padua’s Kelsey Wolff, Sophia Holgado and Bockius took second, third and fourth, respectively, in the 1,600, and Holgado, Wolff and Brianna Heffernan came in those positions, respectively, in the 3,200. Libby Neiburg was third in the high jump, and Balon and Earnest were second and third in the long jump. Padua also had several fourth-place finishes.
In Division II, Tatnall was a repeat winner, but several athletes from Catholic schools performed well, winning a bunch of events. Alexis Donovan of Saint Mark’s won the 100-meter dash, and her teammate Reagan Garibaldi took the 200. Samantha Weinert of Ursuline was second to Garibaldi, Donovan was third, and Danielle Wooten of Ursuline was fourth.
The Spartans also won the 4×200 relay, with Archmere coming in third. Ellie Brown of Saint Mark’s was the winner of the pole vault, followed by Sidney McPherson of Ursuline. The Spartans’ Ava Malgiero was second in the high jump, and Hailey Isabell of Saint Mark’s was third in the discus. Alexis Donovan was third in the long jump. Malgiero picked up a win in the triple jump, followed by Jane Willin of Archmere. Katharina Quashne of Ursuline was fourth in the triple jump.
Wooten and Weinert were first and second, respectively, in the 400, with Garibaldi third.
Ursuline came in second in the 4×400, with Saint Mark’s fourth and Archmere fifth. Saint Mark’s was third in the 4×800, and Archmere took fifth.
Arianna Donovan of Saint Mark’s was third in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles. Archmere’s 4×100 relay team was third.
In boys Division I, Salesianum won its fourth straight championship and 20th overall.
The Sals had five wins, with Ethan Walther and Roan Samuels each accounting for two of them. The junior captured the 800 and the 3,200. In the 800, teammate John Barbato was second. James Kennedy was victorious in the 1,600, and Samuels won the shot put and the discus.
The Sals were second in the 4×800 relay, and Julian Cherundolo was third in the triple jump.
