Shamokin boys head to District 4 meet with 5 top seeds

May 13—Hundreds of athletes from District 4 will descend upon the infield at Williamsport High School starting Thursday to punch a trip to the state meet at Shippensburg's Seth Grove Stadium.

Across both classes, many male athletes from the Valley figure to be in the mix during the two-day meet. Shamokin leads the Class 3A squads with five top seeds heading into districts.

Chase Pensyl owns the top seeds in the 100 and 200 meters. In the 100, Pensyl is the only 3A runner with a time seeded below 11 seconds. Pensyl didn't attend the PHAC meet after participating in a football showcase at Wyoming Seminary on Saturday.

The Indians have the top two seeds in the 200 as Benny Delbaugh is the second seed. Delbaugh is also the top seed in the 400 as he's the only runner with a seed better than 50 seconds.

Jason Alderson has the first seed in the triple jump (45-0) while the Indians also have the top 4x400 relay team. Pensyl, Delbaugh, Alderson and freshman Ryan Bickert make up Shamokin's quartet.

Selinsgrove will take four top seeds into districts, including its 4x100 and 4x800 squads. Senior thrower Colin Melhorn owns the other two top spots in the discus (169-6) and shot put (58-5 3/4). Melhorn earned eighth place in the shot put at states last season.

Jonathan Hess has all three of Lewisburg's top seeds in the 800, 1600 and 3200. In the 800, Hess and Kieran Murray are the top two runners and the only ones with times under two minutes. In the 1600, three of the four best seeds are Green Dragons — Hess, Murray and Justin Nolt.

Milton's top seeds are Charles Wright (high jump) and Connor Snyder (javelin). Wright's teammate, Joel Langdon is the second seed in the high jump — Wright and Langdon are the only 3A athletes to clear more than six feet. Wright is also the second seed in the 400.

Shikellamy's lone top seed is pole vaulter Jayden Packer, who set a new PHAC meet record last weekend after clearing 15 feet, 3 inches in his final attempt. Packer is also the third seed in the triple jump. The Braves are the reigning District 4 Class 3A champions.

Mount Carmel leads Class 2A teams with four No. 1 seeds. Senior sprinter Xavier Diaz is involved in all four of them. Individually, Diaz owns the top seeds in the 100 (10.81) and 200 (22.21).

Diaz, a Bloomsburg University football pledge, also helped the 4x100 and 4x400 squads to top seeds. Both of the relays pocketed gold medals during the HAC meet on Saturday. Cole Spears and Andrew Lukoskie were also a part of both relays.

Danville has three top seeds. Returning state medalists Bronson Krainak (javelin) and Gavin Holcombe (pole vault) lead the Ironmen into the district meet. Krainak, a Wichita State recruit, won silver at states last season and is the reigning district champion. Holcombe earned fourth at last year's state meet.

Danville's other top seed is Dane Spahr in the 3200. Spahr and teammate Adam Gallo own the top two spots in the race. Danville won the 2A meet last season.

Josef Book has both of East Juniata's No. 1 seeds in the hurdles. Book picked up an eighth-place medal in the 300-intermediates last year at Shippensburg. Kory Graham is seeded second in the shot put and discus.

Midd-West's 4x800 squad has the top spot after being the only team with a time below eight minutes. All four members from the quartet that won eighth at states last season, Wyatt Nelson, Connor Stoltzfus, Ben Hummel and Anden Aitkins, are back.