2011
PENNSYLVANIA TRACK & FIELD
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
STATE COLLEGE - The 2011 Pennsylvania Track & Field Coaches Association State Championship did not start off on a positive note for the Central Bucks West boys track team. At the start of the 60 meter dash, senior Rashaad Williams dislocated his shoulder coming out of the starting blocks. In extreme pain, Williams was taken to the emergency room at Mount Nittany Medial Center. There, doctors were able to set his shoulder back in place. Remarkably, Williams returned to the meet and prepared himself to anchor the 4x200 meter relay. Hearing this news lit a spark for Rashaad's teammates.
Dan Ernst led the charge mid-way through the meet finishing 2nd place in the 200 meter dash with a school record and US#27 time of 22.22. Ernst then came back to lead off the 4x200 meter relay. Ernst blew away the field in the opening leg, running a blazing 21.7 split handing off the baton to Ben Smith. Smith matched every move from all other contending teams to maintain the lead with a 24.0 split and handed off the baton to Greg Branch. Branch had a big PR performance running 22.9, keeping the lead and handing off to Rashaad Williams. Despite being in the emergancy room with a dislocated sholder just 2 hours prior, Williams ran a lifetime best split of 21.8 to win the heat for West. Their overall time of 1:30.97 was good for a 4th place state medal and shattered the school record by three seconds.
The Central Bucks West boys 4x800 meter relay headed into the State Championship ranked second by 16 seconds to an impressive Abington relay that broke the Pennsylvania state record in the 4x800 with a time of 7:45.9 this season. Despite being a 16 second underdog, the relay team of Mike May, Matt McGarvey, Matt Bee, and Connor Manley had their eyes set on a State Championship.
Mike May led off for West and took the lead with just under 150 meters to go in the first leg. May handed off the baton in first with a split of 1:56.7. Matt McGarvey maintained the lead splitting 1:57.1 and held back the favorite Abington relay. Matt Bee got the baton and gapped the rest of the field, extending the lead, running a 1:56.3 split. Connor Manley ran an impressive 1:54.7 split, holding off the US #2 runner in the 800 meters from Abington to take the state title. Manley crossed the finish line in first place by three full seconds and the clock showed 7:45.06. Not only was the winning time a state championship meet record, it is also the Pennsylvania All-Time record. The time of 7:45.06 is also the fastest time ran in the United States this year as well as the 7th fastest American high school team all-time in the history of the sport.
The same four athletes (May, McGarvey, Bee, and Manley) came back in the 4x400 meter relay - about one hour after their record breaking performance. The relay took 4th place in the event running 3:21.87, and shattering the previous school record by 6 full seconds. Their fourth place finish moved Central Bucks West into third place in the team overall standings. The third place trophy winning performance is the best in Central Bucks West history, topping last year's 12th place performance.
Dan Ernst led the charge mid-way through the meet finishing 2nd place in the 200 meter dash with a school record and US#27 time of 22.22. Ernst then came back to lead off the 4x200 meter relay. Ernst blew away the field in the opening leg, running a blazing 21.7 split handing off the baton to Ben Smith. Smith matched every move from all other contending teams to maintain the lead with a 24.0 split and handed off the baton to Greg Branch. Branch had a big PR performance running 22.9, keeping the lead and handing off to Rashaad Williams. Despite being in the emergancy room with a dislocated sholder just 2 hours prior, Williams ran a lifetime best split of 21.8 to win the heat for West. Their overall time of 1:30.97 was good for a 4th place state medal and shattered the school record by three seconds.
The Central Bucks West boys 4x800 meter relay headed into the State Championship ranked second by 16 seconds to an impressive Abington relay that broke the Pennsylvania state record in the 4x800 with a time of 7:45.9 this season. Despite being a 16 second underdog, the relay team of Mike May, Matt McGarvey, Matt Bee, and Connor Manley had their eyes set on a State Championship.
Mike May led off for West and took the lead with just under 150 meters to go in the first leg. May handed off the baton in first with a split of 1:56.7. Matt McGarvey maintained the lead splitting 1:57.1 and held back the favorite Abington relay. Matt Bee got the baton and gapped the rest of the field, extending the lead, running a 1:56.3 split. Connor Manley ran an impressive 1:54.7 split, holding off the US #2 runner in the 800 meters from Abington to take the state title. Manley crossed the finish line in first place by three full seconds and the clock showed 7:45.06. Not only was the winning time a state championship meet record, it is also the Pennsylvania All-Time record. The time of 7:45.06 is also the fastest time ran in the United States this year as well as the 7th fastest American high school team all-time in the history of the sport.
The same four athletes (May, McGarvey, Bee, and Manley) came back in the 4x400 meter relay - about one hour after their record breaking performance. The relay took 4th place in the event running 3:21.87, and shattering the previous school record by 6 full seconds. Their fourth place finish moved Central Bucks West into third place in the team overall standings. The third place trophy winning performance is the best in Central Bucks West history, topping last year's 12th place performance.
National Coverage of CB West's 4x800 Record Breaking Performance
TRACK & FIELD NEWS LETTER - February 28, 2011 Intelligencer: "CB West relay sets record in winning state title"
ESPN RISE - Pensylvania State Meet Coverage UNITED STATES #1 - National Rankings
PenntrackXC - "The Central Bucks West coaches told the 4x8 they could get the state record. They were not believed."
PenntrackXC - "The Boys of Fall"
ESPN RISE - Pensylvania State Meet Coverage UNITED STATES #1 - National Rankings
PenntrackXC - "The Central Bucks West coaches told the 4x8 they could get the state record. They were not believed."
PenntrackXC - "The Boys of Fall"
4x800 Wins State Gold with Miraculous Comeback
The 2011 Central Bucks West 4x800 relay team will one
in which people will talk about for years to come. Everyone in attendence at the PIAA State Track & Field Championships knew that the 4x800 relay was going to come down to CB West and Abington. The talk of the meet was how the Abington runners "conveniently" false started in the 400 and 800 to remain fresh for the relays the following day. The drama did not effect the the Bucks as they approached the race. Nico Metzler, a junior who has stepped up his game in the absence of senior Mike May, led off the 4x800 for CB West putting the Bucks in contention with the rest of the pack. Matt McGarvey took the baton next making up ground on the rest of the field; however, Abington's top runner, now running in the second possition of the relay, gapped himself from the rest of the field. The gap looked too big for anyone to ever catch. Despite the overwhelming difficult task, Matt Bee put a dent in the gap, splitting 1:55. Bee handed off to Connor Manley, six seconds behind Abington. Just about everyone had given up on CB West's chances of winning the 4x800 - everyone except for Manley. Connor never took his eyes off of Will Taylor, Abington's anchor leg, and ran his first lap in a blistering 53 seconds - a pace that would be too fast for most runners, but not Manley. He kept charging after Abington and closing the gap. What looked impossible slowly turned to possible as Manley rapidly closed in on Abington. In the final stretch, with the crowd roaring on its feet, Connor passed Abington in the final meter of the race and Central Bucks West had won its first outdoor 4x800 state championship.
The excitment continued for CB West as the 4x100 took to finals on the track. Dan Ernst led off for the bucks with a powerful start, making up the stagger in the opening leg. Ernst handed the baton off to Bill Bell and Bell maintained the Bucks good position. Bell than passed the baton to Greg Branch, who ran an excellent turn, making up even more of the stagger. Branch handed off to Rashaad Williams right with the leaders. Rashaad ran a brilliant final leg down the stretch and cross the finish line in third with an amazing time of 41.97 seconds. That time marks the first time the relay dipped under 42 seconds and was good for another school record and state bronze medal.
Intelligencer:
"IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"
"CB West 4x800 Relay Earns Dramatic Gold Medal"
"CB West's Connor Manley Provided Moment to Remember"
"Athlete of the Week - Connor Manley"
in which people will talk about for years to come. Everyone in attendence at the PIAA State Track & Field Championships knew that the 4x800 relay was going to come down to CB West and Abington. The talk of the meet was how the Abington runners "conveniently" false started in the 400 and 800 to remain fresh for the relays the following day. The drama did not effect the the Bucks as they approached the race. Nico Metzler, a junior who has stepped up his game in the absence of senior Mike May, led off the 4x800 for CB West putting the Bucks in contention with the rest of the pack. Matt McGarvey took the baton next making up ground on the rest of the field; however, Abington's top runner, now running in the second possition of the relay, gapped himself from the rest of the field. The gap looked too big for anyone to ever catch. Despite the overwhelming difficult task, Matt Bee put a dent in the gap, splitting 1:55. Bee handed off to Connor Manley, six seconds behind Abington. Just about everyone had given up on CB West's chances of winning the 4x800 - everyone except for Manley. Connor never took his eyes off of Will Taylor, Abington's anchor leg, and ran his first lap in a blistering 53 seconds - a pace that would be too fast for most runners, but not Manley. He kept charging after Abington and closing the gap. What looked impossible slowly turned to possible as Manley rapidly closed in on Abington. In the final stretch, with the crowd roaring on its feet, Connor passed Abington in the final meter of the race and Central Bucks West had won its first outdoor 4x800 state championship.
The excitment continued for CB West as the 4x100 took to finals on the track. Dan Ernst led off for the bucks with a powerful start, making up the stagger in the opening leg. Ernst handed the baton off to Bill Bell and Bell maintained the Bucks good position. Bell than passed the baton to Greg Branch, who ran an excellent turn, making up even more of the stagger. Branch handed off to Rashaad Williams right with the leaders. Rashaad ran a brilliant final leg down the stretch and cross the finish line in third with an amazing time of 41.97 seconds. That time marks the first time the relay dipped under 42 seconds and was good for another school record and state bronze medal.
Intelligencer:
"IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"
"CB West 4x800 Relay Earns Dramatic Gold Medal"
"CB West's Connor Manley Provided Moment to Remember"
"Athlete of the Week - Connor Manley"