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Sports photographer Patty Morgan has turned her enthusiasm and knowledge for track and field and cross-country into a life-long passion. She continues to showcase both indoor and outdoor events at the high school and collegiate level bringing visual appreciation to these stellar student athletes through her lens. Morgan wanted to do more to highlight this sport and its athletes. Through her column, On Track with Patty Morgan, she hopes to give audiences a more personal experience to the hard work, training, and dedication of these athletes.

Indoor T&F: The indoor track & field season is always exciting because all the leagues compete during the season for a spot at the PTFCA Indoor State Championship at Penn State.

This is a recap of some of the highlights of the Philadelphia Catholic, Inter-Academic and Friends School Leagues.

The PCL Championship brought out some great performances the girls' team champions were the young ladies of Archbishop Ryan led by senior Olivia Smiarowska and freshman Amirah Nesmith. The Ragdolls won with 176 points.

Olivia Smiarowska was 1st in the 60m hurdles (9.11) , 2nd in the 200m (26.74) and 60m (8.03) and 4th in Triple Jump.

Amirah Nesmith placed1st in the 60m (7.77), 1st in the 200m (26.39), and 1st in the Long Jump. An amazing accomplishment especially for a freshman.

Most Valuable Field Performer went to Archbishop Ryan senior Shania Williams who placed 1st in the triple jump (33-01.75) and 3rd in long jump (15-01.25). 

The Girls' Track Athlete of the meet was awarded to Archbishop Wood freshman Gwen Hamilton. Hamilton, continuing on from a strong Cross Country season, was 1st in the 800m (2:14.29), 1st in the Mile with a PR 5:19.24.

Cardinal O'Hara junior Sarah Lorenz placed 1st in the 3k with a time of 11:59.39. 

Bonner & Prendie's 4x200m relay team placed 1st with a time of 1:48.66, 1st in the 4x400m relay (4:26.65) and 1st in the 4x800m relay (11:09.24). Junior Kayley DiTrolio also placed 1st in the high jump (4-10.00). 

The boys team PCL champions were the gentlemen from La Salle College High School. The depth of their team gave the Explorers a win with 126 points.

La Salle senior Drew Brill placed 1st in the mile (4:20.23) and 1st in the 3k. Ryan McGinley placed 1st in the 800m and 2nd in the mile. 

In the 3k, La Salle would take the top four spots.  Brill was 1st with a time of 8:52.84, Will Palopoli placed 2nd (8:57.42), 3rd was Nolan Yeagle (8:59.78) and 4th place was George Hohenleitner with a time of 9:05.25.  The Explorers also took 1st place in the 4x800m relay, with a time of 8:17.56, and Max Muller earned 1st in Pole Vault (11-06.00) - all contributing to the 126 points.

Father Judge senior  Momo Peters competed in four individual events. He placed 2nd in Triple Jump (41-06.25), 4th in Long Jump (21-00.50) and 3rd in the 60m (7.15) and 6th in high jump (5-06.00).

Roman Catholic junior Julian Ward was named indoor-track athlete of the meet and senior Jak Kearney was named field athlete of the meet. Ward placed 1st in the 60m (7.05) and 1st in the 200m (22.56) and Kearney placed 1st in the long jump (21-11.00) and 1st in triple jump (41-07.50).

At the MOC, the 800m would produce Penn Charter's Alli DeLisi as the winner from the Inter-Ac league with a time of 2:13.62, 2nd place was Archbishop Wood’s Gwen Hamilton from the PCL and 3rd was Friends' Central’s Quin Stovall of the Friends League. Penn Charter’s Dani Shipon placed 6th and Academy of Notre Dame's Therese Trainer placed 7th.

Episcopal Academy’s Saige Forbes placed 1st in Long jump and Avery Elliott was 3rd in high jump and 2nd 60m hurdles.

Archbishop Ryan’s Olivia Smiarowska was the 60m hurdle champion earning 1st place with 9:10 with Episcopal Academy’s Avery Elliott coming in 4th. 

On the boys side the TFCA of GP MOC produced the following top performance.

Springside Chestnut Hill Academy's Tony Hicks was the 60h Champion.

Archbishop Carroll's Rodrigo Davis was 1st in LJ, Haverford School's  Jey Brown was 3rd in LJ and 6th in 60h , Conwell Egan’s Anthony Conrey was 5th in LJ followed by Father Judge's Momo Peters 6th in LJ and 4th in TJ and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy's Andrew Wood was 8th.

At the PTFCA Indoor State Championship at Penn State the gentlemen of Roman Catholic Julian Ward (200m) and Jak Kearney (LJ ) earned individual medals and as a team the Cahillites medaled in the 4x200 and 4x400m relays.

The gentlemen from Episcopal Academy  earned the team title with 34 points with Roman Catholic landing in the 7th spot as a team with 19 points. 

Individual accomplishments from Episcopal Academy's  Michael Woolery who came in 1st. in the 800m.

As a team they placed 4th in the 4x400m, 1st in 4x800m and 2nd in the DMR.

St. Joseph's Prep's Brock Harris jumped PR 6-04 in boy's high jump for a 7th place finish at States.

On the girls' side the 2nd place team championship went to Friends' Central School with 30 points of them earned by Avery Lewis. Lewis competed in three individual events and was 1st in each 60m, 200m and LJ. Quin Stovall just missed the podium placing 9th in the 800m.

William Penn Charter’s Alli DeLisi continued her successful year with a 1st place win in the 800m at State Championship and continued at The Nike Nationals with an indoor PR of 2:10.20.

Archbishop Wood’s Gwen Hamilton was 3rd.

Archbishop Ryan's Olivia Smiarowska was 3rd in the 60h with her indoor PR of 9:01.

Avery Lewis placed 1st in the 60m with Archbishop Ryan freshman Amirah Nesmith taking 3rd in the finals and Episcopal Academy's Saige Forbes placing 4th. 

Lewis and Nesmith battled against each other in the 200m with Simone Kelly of Springside Chestnut Hill Academy taking the 8th spot.

They also competed in the long jump with Lewis placing 1st, Nesmith 4th and Forbes 5th.

Kelly also placed 7th in the 400m finals.

Friends' Central’s Avery Lewis went on win the long jump title at the New Balance Indoor Nationals along with a 3rd place finish in the 60m.

Click here for additional links from Patty Morgan highlighting the 2022 cross country and 2023 Outdoor Track and Field seasons!