LaTavia Thomas

The DVGTCA saw four amazing female runners get off to incredible starts this year.

West Catholic teammates Nicole Leach and Latavia Thomas were each named Nike Athletes of the Year for their performances in their specialty events, the 400 Hurdles and 800, respectively.

Latavia Thomas wins Intermediate Girls\' 800. Saqenda Dallas, who attends Girls\' High in Philadelphia, won the Intermediate Girls\' Triple Jump. Avondale\'s Michael Hall had a 205 point lead heading into the final event of the Young Men\'s Decathlon, the 1500. He used 185 of those and held on to win. Mount Airy TC Intermediate Girls won the national title in the 4x800. David Dareem of Glenside, captured the Youth Boys\' 100. Mt. Airy took the Youth Boys 4x400. Ryann Krais, Eagleville (Methacton), is the Youth Girls\' 400 champ. Khaliff Featherston of Philadelphia, wins the Intermediate Boys\' 400. In the Youth Girls relay finals, Mount Airy won the 4x100.

On Day Two (7/14) of the IAAF Junior World Championships in Italy, Nicole Leach won her heat of the 400 Hurdles in 57.98, the 2nd fastest time of the day. Former William Penn star Christina Smith, now at Clemson, did not advance from the first heat in the 400 Hurdles, going 1:00.42. And Leach teammate, rising junior Latavia Thomas, ran out of PR\'s and went 2:09.11 to miss the finals of the 800. On Tuesday, she had run 23:07.17, a PR, to advance to the Semis. Also on Day One, Union City grad Justin Clickett threw the 6kg shot 60-08 to advance to Finals later that day where he threw 59-04.50 to finish 12th.

Six PA athetes have met the IAAFstandard and are competing as a part of the US team competing in Grosseto Italy in the IAAF World Junior Championships later this summer.

William Penn grad Juanita Broaddus, and Norristown\'s Michael Whitehead, both competed well in a final tune-up meet prior to next week\'s IAAF Junior World Championships in Italy. Broaddus was on the winning 4x400 in 3:36.55, while Latavia Thomas, Christina Smith and Nicole Leach were on the 2nd place 3:38.14 team Only USA teams were in the 4x400. The story from USATF.

West Catholic teammates Nicole Leach and Latavia Thomas, and Cardinal O\'Hara graduate Robert McDade, now at Villanova,won individual titles at the USATF Junior National Championships in College Station, Texas. Their performances headlined a great meet by PA athletes. Justin Clickett, Pitt (Union City) was 2nd in the 6kg Shot Put with a throw of 63-07. Andrew Rademacher, Hickory, tied for 2nd in the Pole Vault, clearing 16-00.75. And Williamsport\'s Rubyi Radocaj was 2nd in the Javelin with her throw of 150-07. Their performances headlined a great meet by PA athletes. The complete list is here.

Several PA athletes have advanced to finals, while others were off their best at the first day of the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in College Station, Texas. Events were suspended for the evening because of lightning.

Girls High's Saquenda Dallas won two events in the Intermediate Girls competiton, taking the 200 in 25.83 (25.40 Trials), and the Triple Jump, going 36-08.75. Clarenchell Tate, Imani School, contined to roll through the summer competiton, winning the 100 in 12.15. West Catholic's Latavia Thomas captured the 800 in 2:18.77. Nia Ali, Dobbins, won the 100 Hurdles in 14.67. Pennsbury's Tony Gregory won the Triple Jump (44-10.50) and the 100 (11.04-11.00 Trials). And St. Joseph's Juan Cave cleared 6-06 to win the High Jump.

West Catholic (anchor Latavia Thomas) gets two relay All-American honors - one a National Record - plus Nicole Leach earns individual All-American status. Manheim Township super soph Craig Miller nearly takes the sophomore Class Mile Record to go with his Freshman Class 1600 National Record. Frances Koons, Allentown Central Catholic, closes out an incredible year and career with a 6th place All-American performance in what was the deepest prep Mile field in history. The Cumberland Valley boys nab All-American honors in two relays, as does Central Dauphin\'s Ryan Whiting in his two individual events. All-American awards are also earned by Easton\'s Lindsay Regan, who was not seriously injured in a nasty fall in the Pole Vault; plus Williamsport\'s Ruby Radocaj, South Park\'s Chad Radgowski, Octorara\'s Ryan Fritz, Upper Saint Clair\'s Rob Rankin, and the Cardinal O\'Hara boys.

What hasn\'t Nicole Leach done during this remarkable junior season? Well, just more of the same, and the same is excellent. She won the 400 in 54.75 after a 55.20 qualifier. She took 3rd in the 200 in 24.98, with qualifiers of 25.76 and 25.48. And she helped her 4x400 to a 2nd place 3:57.76. Teammate Latavia Thomas took the 800 2:13.03. Archbishop Ryan\'s Sara Brown was 6th in the 100, going 12.85. And the Ryan boys took 4th in the 4x800 in 8:15.38.

Gwynedd-Mercy and West Catholic girls, plus North Penn boys use CB West Relays to stay sharp for Penn, while Council Rock North\'s Shawn Thompson leaps 6-09 to top the PA lists

The \"Pre-Penn Relays\" otherwise known as the Father Judge Relays, provided a preview of the top talent competing later this week at the Franklin Field oval. Headlining the day were Nicole Leach, the Allentown Central girls, and the Cardinal O\'Hara boys.

Photos by John Dye, Dyestat, of West Catholic stars Nicole Leach and Latavia Thomas, who after helping the Burrs win the Sprint Medley Friday, won their individual events on Saturday; Leach in 53.58 for 400, and Thomas in 2:07.51 for 800. Also includes quotes.

West Catholic stars Nicole Leach takes the 400 in a US #1 53.58 and Latavia Thomas wins the 800 in 2:07.51 at the Arcadia Invitational in California. Friday, West Catholic took the 1600 Sprint Medley Relay in 3:59.74 (all underclassmen: Lawson, Ciarra 11, 2) Thomas, Latavia 10, 3) Ferguson, Erica 10, 4) Sheard, Kneisha 10. In the 4x400, West Catholic was 3rd in 3:47.72.

California\'s Poly Long Beach set a new National Record in the 4x200. Their 1:33.87 absolutely destroyed the field, including a good West Catholic squad of Nicole Leach, Kneiha Sheard, Erica Ferguson and Latavia Thomas, who\'s 1:40.34 is the PA #1 and US#8. West Catholic\'s time was two seconds slower than their seed. But the Burrs did win the 1600 Sprint Medley, going 3:59.74.

Nicole Leach and Latavia Thomas are leading the powerful West Catholic team to the prestigiou Arcadia Invitational in California. Leach will run the 400, where she is the top seed. Thomas is the 2nd seed in the 800 to Maryland frosh star Devon Williams. And the Burr's 1600 Sprint Medley squad is the top seed, while their 4x200 quartet is the 3rd seed. All West Catholic events are the Invitational (hot) sections.

If it wasn\'t for the remarkable Mile-3000 double by Allentown Central Catholic\'s Frances Koons with one meet record and a near-miss in the other, the two individual and two relay state championships by West Catholic\'s Nicole Leach would have stood alone as the best of the meet. But Koons got the nod as Female Athlete of the Meet, while Leach got her four titles and the state team crown. Koons moves on to Villanova (yes, she has made a verbal commitment), while Leach returns to chase state records and probably much more in her senior year. Not to be lost in this is Latavia Thomas\' US #1 800 of 2:08.47, breaking 24-year-old record of Upper Dublin\'s Kim Gallagher, 2:09.5h. More in the meet summary.

Nicole Leach went wire-to-wire to win the 200 in a US#9 24.72. She also split 24.5 in the first spot to lead the 4x200 to a 1:43.96 win. Hatboro- Horsham (pictured) cruised to a 9:29.19 4x800 win as six teams went under 9:50. Perkiomen Valley won the DRM in 12:30.34. And Wissahickon took the 4x400 after a West Catholic DQ in 4:01.69. Angela Wells led an amazing group of Long Jumpers, going 18-10.25. Five other athletes bettered 17-4 with Strath Haven\'s Meredith Ryan 2nd at 18-02. Three athletes were over 33\'11\" in the Triple Jump, led by Kim Morris of Plymouth-Whitemarsh at 36\'4\". \'Tayvon Gray of Coatesville won the Shot Put by a ton with a throw of 41-0.75. More in the complete meet summary.

West Catholic\'s Nicole Leach took the 60 Dash, 60 Hurdles, 200 and 400, while Steve Slaton, Conwell-Egan, captured the 60 Dash, 200, 400 and the a US #6 Long Jump. Leach set three meet records, breaking two of her own, including the 60 in 7.83 and the 200 in 24.96. She also set the new 60 Hurdles record of 9.31 seconds. Slaton posted a US#6 and meet record 23-3.50 Long Jump; and took the 60 in 7.07 (7.05t), the 200 in 23.17, and the 400 in 51.36. Cardinal O\'Hara repeated (comfortably) as the boys\' Team Champs, while Archbishop Ryan repeated as the girls\' Champs by seven over St. Hubert\'s and ten over West Catholic.

Plymouth Whitemarsh senior Kim Morris held the PA #1 spot in the Triple Jump for the first half of the season, then lost it temporarily. She\'s now back on top, tied with Wissahickon\'s Alex Baptiste at 36\'9 1/4\". Baptise hit that distance at last week\'s DVGTCA Meet. She was 2nd (36-07.50). The State meet is shaping up to be a battle among quite a few talents. In addition to Morris and Baptiste, Canon McMillan\'s Katie Tershel has gone 36\'8 1/2\", and McDowell\'s Nicole Smith, just an inch less. Both performances are within the past two weeks. In head-to-head competition, Morris is 3-1 against Baptiste. Morris also went 8.7 in the 55 Hurdles. And Tayvon Gray, the Coatesville junior, unleashed a throw of 41-05.50 in the Shot Put, a new US#7. In other action at the meet, Nicole Leach of West Catholic took the 300y run in 36.1 seconds, with Plymouth-Whitemarsh\'s Chanel Williams 2nd with a 37.8.