Freeport's Gentile sets mark in boys 800 run
BALDWIN — Nick Gentile admits he wasn't concerned with setting a record. He just ran into it.
The Freeport junior not only won the WPIAL Class AA boys 800-meter run Thursday at Baldwin High with a time of 1 minute, 56.54 seconds, he broke the meet record of 1:57.07 set by South Park's Sean Strauman in 2004.
"It's awesome to win and set the record," he said. "I thought I could come out on top today, but I wasn't really thinking about the record."
Gentile's win wasn't close, as his nearest competitor, runner-up Ian Pegg of Quaker Valley, was more than two seconds behind.
"I worked really hard in the offseason," said Gentile. "I attribute this to the work I put in and my coaches, who pushed me to get better."
Like Gentile, Summit Academy's John Jenkins was rewarded twice for his effort.
His leap of 22 feet, 11Z\v inches in the long jump was good for first place and also broke the WPIAL Class AA Championship record of 22-5Z\x. set by Quaker Valley's Craig Whitlock in 1989.
Jenkins' distance on Thursday wasn't even his career best. He has previously had an effort of 23-7 in the event.
"It feels really good to win this medal," said Jenkins. "It was raining when I jumped and that held me back a bit, but I'm happy with it."
Jenkins also tied for second in the high jump at 6-2.
Class AA Girls
Amanda Zahumensky was hoping for a strong performance at the WPIAL Class AA Championships.
Quite simply, she couldn't have done any better.
The Freeport senior, who entered the 100 hurdles as the No. 1 seed, won the event with a time of in 15.86.
"It's amazing," she said. "(Quaker Valley's Tabitha Bemis) and myself, we were right there with each other for the first few hurdles and then I inched ahead.
"But I hit the last hurdle and I thought she was going to beat me at the end."
As it turned out, Bemis finished one-tenth of a second behind Zahumensky, who wasn't the only person impressed with the effort.
"I'm pleased with how she did today," said Freeport coach Bill Dillen. "She made it to WPIALs last year, but didn't make the final race. She was really motivated this year."
Zahumensky obviously will be a factor at the state championships next weekend at Shippensburg University, but she will enjoy her latest feat until then.
"I'm gonna try to not think about states until I get there," she said.
