Williamstown's Mack fights wind to top field in 100 meters

Bria Mack's heart pounded and the anxiety kicked in. She walked to the starting line and felt the wind blowing straight at her.

Even during the race, she felt slightly off.

But she described a moment of Zen, a short talk she had with herself at the starting line.

"Sometimes I think about the wind, and I still do get nervous," Mack said. "But then I think: 'Having fun is better.' So I stopped worrying about the wind, and I just ran my race."

The mindset worked.

Mack, a sophomore sprinter from Williamstown, ran a personal best of 11.95 seconds in the 100 meters - the best time in the state this season - and won her second South Jersey Group 4 title.

The two-day meet at Egg Harbor Township also includes the Group 1 and Non-Public B championships.

The top six in each public school event advance to the state championships. The top eight in each non-public event go on to the state final.

"Every win still feels like the first one to me," Mack said. "I just stay focused on loving what I'm doing and having fun."

Mack is one of the state's best up-and-coming sprinters. She won a state title in the 100 meters last year and finished fifth in the Meet of Champions.

She'll defend her sectional title Saturday in the 200.

"Today was a blessing," Mack said. "It was a great run. I'm ready [for states]. I just need to stay focused."

Sterling Pierce's dad, Jack, is an Olympic bronze medalist in the 110 hurdles. But before last season, Sterling Pierce was a lacrosse player.

"I decided to come out for track as a junior," he said. "And I would describe myself as a really competitive person. So when I decided that track was what I was doing, I just wanted to be the best."

So far, the plan is working. Pierce committed to run track at Villanova earlier this year. Friday, he won his first sectional title with a time of 10.72 in the 100 meters.

Pierce's teammate Zaikky Williams, didn't start competing in the triple jump until last year.

But he recorded a personal best of. 47 feet, 4.50 inches and won his first sectional title.

"I just followed the routine," said Williams who recorded his best jump on the final of six jumps. "The competition was great, and I just wanted to do the best I could."

Kim Stoll's mark of 17-8 had stood as the Holy Spirit school record since 1994. Friday, junior Asia Young broke it four times in one meet.

Her winning jump of 18-2 set a new school record and fell just short of the meet record of 18-5.

"I just let the adrenaline take over, and I jumped," said Young, the defending state champion in the event.

Young had never taken part in track and field before high school; she was a competitive cheerleader.

"I loved cheerleading, but I just fell in love with this right away, it's more gratifying," she said. "You feel better when you win."

rallysports@phillynews.com