Henderson's Russell takes aim on state double

For the second time in a few hours, West Chester Henderson's Tony Russell crossed the finish line without peer.

He had already cemented himself as the area's premier boys' distance runner. Sunday's performance at the District 1 track and field championships was merely a showcase. He won the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in Class AAA by a combined 6.57 seconds at Coatesville.

But the senior said he "can't underestimate any of the guys" entering this weekend's PIAA state championship meet at Shippensburg University. He is the favorite to win the 1,600 and is seeded second in the 3,200.

Russell won the 1,600 at districts in 4 minutes, 16.20 seconds and the 3,200 in 9:03.54. He won the last two state cross-country titles and last fall was Gatorade's cross-country runner of the year for Pennsylvania.

Pennridge's Marissa Sheva, a friend of Russell's, will try to win the girls' Class AAA 1,600 and 3,200. The junior won both at the district meet. Her 10:30.15 mark in the 3,200 makes her the easy favorite. She finished the 1,600 in 4:53.97 and enters the state meet as the third seed.

Titans chase history. Central Bucks South's toughest opponent in the Class AAA girls' 4x800 relay likely will be the state record book.

The Titans are the heavy favorite to win the race and have a chance at besting West Chester Henderson's 2011 record.

C.B. South won the district title in a meet-record 8:58.18. Henderson's state mark is 8:55.43.

South's team of Kaitlyn Poiesz, Amber Stratz, Alexa Kwapinski, and Brianna Stratz finished the district race four seconds faster than its previous best time.

Hojnacki goes for two. Central Bucks South's Taylor Hojnacki is the clear favorite to win the Class AAA girls' discus. Her district-winning throw of 141 feet, 9 inches is more than seven feet farther than the mark of the state's second seed. The Titans senior is the defending champion.

The shot put probably will prove a tougher test for Hojnacki. Her mark of 42-21/4 ranks her as the third seed and is four feet shy of the state's top seed.

"I would love to repeat in discus. That would be the ultimate goal," Hojnacki said. "And shot put would be great to place - it would be great to get on the podium."

Saints march on. Neumann-Goretti girls will look to strike gold in the Class AA 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

The Saints are the top seed in the 4x400 and the sixth seed in the 4x100. Braxton Springs, Siani Jackson, Ariana Ruffin, and Amira Coleman won the District 12 4x400 title in 4:00.51.

Paul Robeson could challenge the Saints in both events. Robeson is seeded sixth in the 4x400 and third in the 4x100.

Locals dominate 800. The Class AAA boys' 800 is lining up to be an area showcase. Council Rock South's Jeffrey Wiseman (1:51.91) nipped Pennridge's Joseph Logue (1:52.83) for the district title. And Bensalem's Kyle Francis (1:54.89) likely will be in the mix, too.

The three seniors were separated by less than two seconds in the indoor state meet in March. Francis won that race in 1:50.55.