Canon-Mac’s Dean earns overall MVP at county meet
McMURRAY — Colton Dean isn’t ready to jump in the 1,600 or 3,200, but the Canon-McMillan junior has proven he is a well-rounded track & field athlete.
Dean won the 100 and 200-meter dashes, the 300-meter hurdles and the long jump to secure the titles at overall MVP in the Washington-Greene County Track & Field Championships on Saturday at Peters Township’s Confluence Financial Partners Stadium.
Dean has added the 100 to his list of events this year, and he demonstrated he is ready to take on the best sprinters in the WPIAL and state Saturday in breaking the tape in 11.01 to defeat Washington’s Dane Asbury (11.38), who was a fourth-place finisher at the state meet last year in Class 2A.
Dean won the 200 in 21.74, the 300 hurdles in 39.14 and the long jump at 22-02.25.
“My 200 time was pretty good (last year), and the 100 is basically the 200, just a little bit more,” Dean said. “Last year, I was more of a hurdler, but this year I need to work on my flexibility, so while I’m doing that, I’m doing the 100 instead of the 110 hurdles. I am trying to get in the 10.5s in the 100.”
Dean has aspirations of competing in the decathlon in college, and he won a national title in the 15-16 age group last summer at the USATF National Junior Olympics at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.
The decathlon consists of four running events, three jumping and three throwing over the course of two days, with the last event being the 1,500-meter run, which is the one Dean dreads but is working on.
“That is kind of my worst event,” Dean said. “I’m a sprinter and not really long distance, so I just take my dog out in the neighborhood and go for runs. There is a lot of training that goes into the decathlon, and it really helps me mentally and physically.”
Dean may have stolen the overall show at the county meet, but teammate Isaiah Hicks wasn’t too far off in winning the 400-meter dash and being part of the Big Macs’ 4×400 relay team that won the event in 3:38.57. Hicks won the 400 in 51.22 and was second in the 200 (22.63) to earn the track MVP.
“My goal this year is to run the 400 sub-49 and win WPIALs,” Hicks said. “My coach just threw me into the 400 last year. I ran well the first time they put me in it, and they told me that I was a 400 runner. I couldn’t escape it.”
Canon-McMillan earned titles in the 110-meter hurdles and javelin, as Aaron Taylor topped the field in 15.98 and Louis Liberatore’s throw of 177-02 earned an individual gold that helped the Big Macs earn the team title with 152 points.
“I am fortunate to have great teammates,” Hicks said. “We have won this meet a number of years in a row.”
Fort Cherry finished second in the team standings with 97 points and Trinity was third with 81.
The Rangers’ Jonah Pfender won the shot put with a throw of 49-07 and was second to Ringgold’s Maddox Suss, who won the discus with a toss of 132-11.
Pfender’s throw in the discus was 124-09, which helped the junior earn field MVP honors.The Rangers don’t have track & field facilities at their school, but Pfender doesn’t let that deter him.
“It makes it difficult not having track & field facilities at our school, but it is all about want and going wherever you have to train,” Pfender said. “I have trained here at Peters Township, I have trained up at North Allegheny’s Middle School and I have thrown at my house for hours and hours.”
As a member of the football team, Pfender knows a thing or two about strength, but has learned that technique is the most important thing when it comes to throwing events in track & field.
Fort Cherry athletics have had a year for the ages, which has carried over to the track & field teams. The girls won their section and the boys finished second.
“I think it is all about the mentality within our school right now,” Pfender said. “It transfers over to every sport from football, to boys and girls basketball, baseball and track & field. It all comes together, and it is just a great time being around a lot of great athletes.”
The Rangers won the 4×100 in 44.43 to edge Canon-McMillan 44.46. McGuffey won the 4×800 in a time of 8:41.17.
Washington’s Ruben Gordon wasn’t able to compete in his other events due to a groin injury, but the senior soared over the bar at 6-07 to win the high jump. Gordon will continue his football and academic careers at Ohio University.
“I was able to hit my PR (personal record) in the high jump,” Gordon said. “I do track & field to stay in shape for football, it really isn’t my main sport, but I definitely want to get to states this year.”
The Prexies’ Elijah Thomas won the triple jump with a leap of 40-08.
Ringgold’s Daniel Petersen won the 3,200 in 10:36.02, but was looking for a lower time to qualify for the WPIAL individual championships. Teammate Cael Konek won the 800 in 2:06.29.
“I took the lead about two laps in, but I wasn’t happy with my time because I need to get under 10 to qualify for WPIALs,” Petersen said. “I still have some opportunities to get to WPIALs. It was nice to win the race today.”
Trinity’s Devin Junko won the 1,600 in 4:49.60. Teammate Zachary Noble won the pole vault after clearing the bar at 13-00.