Padua Girls Win 11th Straight Championship; Tatnall Girls Roll Up 181 Points in Division 2

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

The Padua and Tatnall girls programs continue to write the story of dominance in Delaware high school track and field. At the state championships on May 17–18 at Dover High School, Padua powered to its 11th straight Division I title with 170 points, while Tatnall surged to a third consecutive Division II crown, racking up 181 points in a commanding performance. 

Per usual Padua produced a majority of its points on the track in the distance events. Anna Bockius won the 800 (2:15.13), while teammate Brianna Heffernan was second (2:20.95). In the 1,600, Padua went 1-2-3, while Bockius’ winning time of 4:49.95 was just  off the division and meet record. In the 3,200 Heffernan was first (11:09.15) with teammate Vera Chinchilla in second (11:31.69). 

Padua also tallied some big points in the throws with Amirah Laster winning the shot put (39-10.50) and discus (125-3). Padua went 1-3-5 in the shot. 

In the pole vault, Elce Walsh of Padua cleared 11-10 to win the event. 

In the relays, Middletown set a 4x100 division record of 48.45, and also won the 4x200 (1:43.49). Padua’s 4x400 won in 3:57.56, the only relay to go under four minutes. Bokius and Heffernan were both on the 4x800 that captured first in 9:34.05, more than 30 seconds faster than the next finisher. 

Unlike the girls team race, the Division I boys were separated by single digits. Middletown won the title with 108 points securing the victory with a first-place finish in the 4x400 relay (3:21.18). Cape Henlopen was second (106 points) and last year’s champion, Salesianum, was third (104 points). 

Middletown junior Zanier Miller was the only individual for the team in an individual event to win, capturing the 200 in 21.76. He finished in second in the 100 (10.91) and ran on the winning 4x400. 

Cape Henlopen’s Jason Baker won the 3,200 in a new meet record time of 9:12.49. In the pole vault, Cape Henlopen captured the top three finishes with Will DiPaolo wining with a vault of 13-7. 

Salesianum’s Ethan Walther won the 800 (1:54.14), 1,600 (4:20.28), and was the anchor leg for the winning 4x800 (7:57.82). Teammate Roan Samuels won the shot put (54-feet) and disc (170-7). 

Division 2

The Tatnall girls were paced by a strong all-around effort with Katie Payne and Ruby Schwelm placing 1-2 in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. The two also were on the second place 4x800. Tatnall’s all-round standout athlete Arianna Montgomery won the long jump (18-9) and was part of the second place 4x200 (1:44.72). Tatnall finished the meet with a meet record in the 4x400, running 3:56.59. 

The St. Mark’s girls set a division record in the 4x200 clocking 1:42.34. 

The St. Mark’s boys repeated as the Division II champions with 108 points. Senior AyoMosiah Odumosu led the way with a first place finish in the triple jump (45-7.50), runner-up in the long jump (20-7.75) and placed fifth in the high jump. 

In the distance events, Tatnall, runner-up as a team, captured the first three places in the 3,200 with Luke Rain collecting the win in 9:32.47. In the 1,600, Tatnall took first, second and fourth place with Ben Pizarro winning in 4:16.92. The team also set a meet record in the 4x800, clocking 7:57.04.

In the 4x200 relay, Howard tech ran 1:28.46 for a new division record. 

In the field, state record holder and US#16 discus thrower, Max Martire, a junior from Tatnall, won the event with a toss of 166-2. He also took third in the shot put. 

Team Champions

Division I: Middletown boys 108 points, Padua girls 170 points - RESULTS

Division II: St. Mark’s boys 108 points, Tatnall girls 181 points - RESULTS