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NTL TRACK & FIELD: TOWANDA'S BENNETT HIS A PERSONAL BEST TO WIN THE LONG JUMP TITLE (2022-05-20)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
WILLIAMSPORT —Towanda’s Porschia Bennett knew she had a strong chance of being a district champion this weekend, she just didn’t think it would be in the long jump.

The Black Knight senior won the long jump title with a personal best of 16-feet, 9 1/2-inches during the District IV, Class AA Track and Field Championships Thursday.


“It was very unexpected, actually,” said Bennett. “I was just coming to have fun in long jump and I ended up winning it.”


She got the mark on her second attempt - one of two leaps over 16-feet - as she came in with a seed of 15-feet, 10 1/2-inches.


“I just put everything together and finally got my legs under, and landed on my butt,” Bennett explained.


Bennett is the favorite to win the high jump on Saturday, when the District IV, Class AA Track and Field Championships conclude with a 9 a.m. start. As the defending state champion, she’s the heavy favorite, meaning she very well could have two events to do at states.


“I’m just going to have fun in the long jump,” said Bennett. “Try my best, but have more fun.”


The top seed, Bloomsburg’s Charly Schlauch, came in as the heavy favorite with a seed of 17-feet, 10-inches, but only ended up jumping 16-feet, 4 1/2-inches to take second.


That’s in stark difference to Bennett, who came in with no expectations.


“I really just came in to have fun, and I did that,” she said. “I did my best, I wasn’t focused on anything else.”


She wasn’t the only medalist on the day, as teammate Hannah Risch took sixth in the discus at 85-feet, 7-inches.


In the hurdle trials Kelci Carl was 14th in the preliminaries at 17.80, then took 15th in the semifinals in 17.86.


PHOTO CAPTION: Towanda’s Porschia Bennett jumps during the long jump…PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING, MICHELLE STORCK, & LANCE LARCOM



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