PIAA Boys’ Track: Nativity’s Dolbin grabs bronze in AA long jump, secures 4 medals
Nativity's Noah Dolbin, third from right, and Marian's Jacob Tom, far right, stand on the podium during the awards ceremony for the boys' Class AA long jump Friday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Dolbin was third, Tom was seventh (Photo by PIAA).
SHIPPENSBURG — The third time proved to be the charm for Noah Dolbin.
The Nativity senior captured a bronze medal in the Class AA boys’ long jump Friday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg.
Dolbin’s top jump of 22 feet, 7 inches gave him his first state medal in three tries in the event after placing 12th at states as a sophomore and 19th last year.
California’s Lee Qualk won the gold medal by leaping 22-10.5. Jackson Sotosky of Conemaugh Township took the silver at 22-9.25.
Marian’s Jacob Tom, the District 11 runner-up, also secured a state medal in the event by placing seventh with a best jump of 21-11.5.
“It feels great to finally get a medal in the long jump,” Dolbin said. “I have gone to states the past two years in the long jump and this is the first time I got on the podium.”
The bronze medal was one of four state medals Dolbin clinched during a stellar performance on the opening day of the two-day state championships.
Dolbin dominated the AA 110 hurdles, posting the fast time in the preliminaries by winning Heat 3 in 14.15. He followed that by placing second in the AA 300 hurdles preliminaries in 38.78. Corry Area’s Blake Cook was the fastest in the 300 hurdles in 38.21.
The Army-bound Dolbin capped his day by combining with Michael Stank, Nolan Daynorowicz and Liam Messina to place third in the AA 1600 relay in 3:25.58, clinching a spot in Saturday’s finals.
The 110 hurdle finals are slated for 10:15 a.m., the 300 hurdle finals at 1:55 p.m. and the 1600 relay finals at 3:30 p.m.
“I am very excited for the hurdles,” said Dolbin, who was fourth in the 110 hurdles last year. “I ran a PR today, 14.15, in the rain.
“It’s going to be a very fun, competitive race and I am really looking forward to it.”
Dolbin wasn’t the only Schuylkill League male athlete to have a big day Friday.
Minersville’s Paiten LaPoint clinched a pair of state medals, placing second in the AA 100 meters in 11.02 behind Mercyhurst Prep’s Vincent Feliciano (11.00). LaPoint was then third in the 200 meters in 22.76, with Brookville’s Hayden Freeman (22.53) and Feliciano (22.71) taking first and second.
The 100 finals are set for 10:50 a.m., with the 200 finals slated for 3 p.m.
In Class 3A, Blue Mountain’s Chase Guers qualified for the finals in the 200 by placing seventh in the preliminaries in 21.88.
Guers was also 11th in the 100 in 10.86 and ran a leg on Blue Mountain’s 400 relay team that placed 13th. The foursome of Kole Luckenbill, Gaige Guers, Chase Guers and Cole Swick, which entered the race seeded third, finished in 42.64.
Other Schuylkill League boys in action Friday:
*** Nativity’s Stank was ninth in the AA 400 preliminaries in 49.92, just missing the finals. Mahanoy Area’s Jose Perez Figuereo placed 14th in 51.36.
*** Minersville’s 400 relay of Grady McGovern, Dante Carr, Max Masser and LaPoint was 11th in 43.69.
*** Schuylkill Haven’s Niko Carestia placed 15th in the AA javelin with a top throw of 152-9.
*** Minersville’s Carr took 15th in the AA high jump, clearing 5-10 on his first attempt. He couldn’t successfully convert three attempts at 6 feet. Minersville’s Aidan Ryan couldn’t clear 5-10 on his first three attempts.
*** Minersville’s Kolin Long took 35th in the Class AA 1600 in 4:45.65. Quaker Valley’s Jonah Montagnese won gold in 4:11.06.
*** North Schuylkill’s Luke Miller was 14th in the 3A 100 in 10.95 and 15th in the 3A 200 in 22.22. The Spartans’ Aiden Zilker was 10th in the 3A shot put with a top throw of 54 feet, 7 inches.
