High hopes for Highlands’ CJ Thimons at PIAA track and field

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, May 24, 2018 | 11:30 PM

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CJ Thimons finished fourth in the Class AAA 800-meter run at WPIALs on May 17.

The Highlands sophomore ran a time of 1 minute, 55.75 seconds, more than two seconds better than his seed time. He also moved up two spots from his sixth seed and clinched a spot at this weekend's PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg.

Thimons, making his first trip to states, is seeded 10th for his preliminary race Friday afternoon, and he knows a faster time probably will be needed to propel him into Saturday's finals.

“States is going to be a battle,” Thimons said. “Anybody up there is just as good as the next. The goal is to make finals and compete to get into it. I'm really excited. It's a great opportunity. I didn't think I would make it this far.”

The Class AAA boys 800 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive events at states. Of the 33 in the field, 25 met or exceeded the state qualifying standard.

Franklin Regional senior Matt Busche's WPIAL-title time of 1:53.31 has him seeded first. Busche and others will be chasing the PIAA record of 1:48.72 set in 2015 by John Lewis from District 1's Cheltenham.

The top 25 are separated by less than four seconds. Twelve advance after the preliminaries — the top four in each of the two heats plus the next four best times — to Saturday's finals.

“There's no runaway this year,” Thimons said. “Anybody has a shot to win it. I am happy to be in the mix, but I love a tough race.”

Along with Busche and Thimons, Seneca Valley junior Seth Ketler is seeded seventh (1:55.23), and South Fayette senior Silas Mays is eighth (1:55.27). Seven of the eight WPIAL medalists qualified in the 800.

Friday's action starts at 9 a.m. with the preliminaries of the Class AAA and AA boys and girls 3,200 relay.

At the same time, several field finals start.

Track semifinals and finals start at 9 a.m. Saturday, and the field events will continue.

The full schedule can be found at piaa.org/assets/web/documents/2018_TF_Schedule.pdf.

Riverview senior Ben Barnes initially wasn't in line for a trip to states. He finished sixth in the Class AA 3,200 at WPIALs, and the top five earned automatic bids. Also, his time of 10:10.99 didn't meet the state qualifying standard.

But when WPIAL 3,200 champion Tristan Forsythe scratched out of the event for states, it gave Barnes new life. Now, the Raiders senior distance runner hopes to make the most of his chance when he runs the finals at 9 a.m. Saturday.

“Tristan told me in person while we waited to get our medals that he was scratching and told me I could go to states if I wanted,” said Barnes, seeded 22nd.

Barnes said he was content with his 3,200 time at WPIALs because he hadn't put in as many miles as the other top WPIAL contenders while he recovered from knee surgery in January.

“Those people that put in the miles definitely deserved it, but I was really happy and excited to find out I was able to go to states,” Barnes said.

Barnes said his goal is to go under 10 minutes, and with what he said was a good week of training, he has a good shot at it.

The Alle-Kiski Valley overall is well-represented at states. Between individuals and relays, athletes will compete 24 times in 22 events in AAA or AA.

WPIAL girls AA 300 hurdles champion Kiera Cutright (eighth seed at states) of Deer Lakes will share the track with bronze medalist Kaylen Sharrow (13th seed) of Burrell, and Fox Chapel teammates Grace Sisson (20th seed) and Sarena Seeger (21st seed) will be in the AAA 3,200.

WPIAL champions Darius Johnson from Valley (AA high jump) and the Burrell girls AA 400 relay also will see how their winning performances last week will stack up in Shippensburg.

Johnson took fourth last year in the high jump (6 feet, 5 inches), and his 6-4 from WPIALs has him as the No. 1 seed.

The Bucs sprint relay quartet of Taylor Johnson, Allee Kuhns, Mckenzie White and Olivia Kelly raced to a 50.51 at WPIALs, and they are seeded 11th. The team ran 49.97 this season.

The winner in each of the four preliminary heats of the 400 relay Friday, as well as the next four best times, will advance to Saturday's finals.

Freeport sophomore Sidney Shemanski was edged out of the AA 800 title at WPIALs by Shady Side Academy freshman Melissa Riggins, but Riggins (2:15.07) and Shemanski (2:16.07) are the top two seeds at states. Shemanski is making her second trip to states in the 800 in as many years. Last year, she was fifth (2:19.30).

Also entering states with a top-10 seed is Fox Chapel sophomore Christian Fitch in the AAA boys 3,200 run (sixth, 9:29.50).

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Riverview, Valley