Shaler’s Mbalo looks to build off state indoor championship

By: Josh Rizzo
Thursday, March 5, 2020 | 5:27 PM

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Cam Mbalo has an idea of what he wants to do with his first memento from his senior season.

The Shaler Area senior triple jumper received a gold watch following his PTFCA indoor state championship winning leap of 48 feet, 1 ½ inches Feb. 29 at Penn State.

“I’m definitely going to frame it,” said Mbalo, a Duquesne commit.

Mbalo’s jump gave him the 12th-best recorded distance in the country this season.

“I was clicking on all cylinders,” Mbalo said. “When I looked at the screen at Penn State and saw I hit 48 feet, I was so happy.”

Shaler junior Mayah Charity also competed in the 60-meter dash. Charity reached the semifinals and placed 16th with a time of 8.03 seconds.

Mbalo, a Duquesne recruit, won the WPIAL Class AAA crown in the triple jump and placed third at the PIAA championships.

“(Last week) was his third trip to states, second time indoor and he went for outdoor last year,” Shaler coach Shawn Ryan said. “He likes going to those kinds of meets.”

Preparing for the top tests is a family effort. Mbalo’s mom recorded both of his 48-foot jumps at the championships, which he and Ryan have used to work on making improvements to his form.

“There are some things we’re going to work on in his first phase,” Ryan said. “His second phase looks pretty good right now.”

Watching videos on YouTube of other athletes competing, along with rewatching his jumps, has allowed Mbalo to put all of the phases together.

“The past two weeks we’ve put in some new drills to try and improve each phase,” Ryan said. “We collaborate and pick each other’s brains. When he hit that 48-foot jump, I may have yelled as loud as anyone else there.”

Mbalo doesn’t want to see his season peak during indoor season.

There will be more opportunities for hardware that lay ahead.

“I want to reach 49 feet and win states,” Mbalo said.

Tags: Shaler