Girls Track Ends Season with Strong Runner-Up Finish

Penn Charter's girls track and field team concluded their 2007 season with a runner-up team finish in the girls Inter-Ac championship on May 12.

For the third time in as many years, the girls finished behind team champion Germantown Academy. However, this year's league meet was closer than ever, with GA scoring 156 points to Penn Charter's 143 2/3 in the six-team competition.

Competition began in the morning with field events and witnessed a strong showing from the Penn Charter Quakers. Freshman Saudiah Lawrence's leap in the triple jump outdistanced her competitors, while top-three performances were registered by Kirby Dixon in the high jump, Stormie Romero in the shot put, Jane Hawkins in the pole vault, Ali Lipshultz in the triple jump, and Lawrence and Dixon in the long jump.

With the start of the running events, Penn Charter held a slight lead in the team scoring, and throughout the course of the day, the team title was up for grabs between Penn Charter and GA. Top-three performances on the track were turned in by Khaaleedah Smith in the 400 meter, JaLia Moody in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, Linda Lipski in the 100-meter hurdles, Anastasiya Afanasyeva in the 1600-meter run, Lawrence in the 300-meter hurdles, and both the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams.

Under the direction of head coach Liz Flemming, the Penn Charter girls finished another strong outdoor track and field season that included new school records in the 4x100 meter relay (48.7), 4x400 meter relay (4:03.93), 200-meter dash (25.1), and the triple jump (35' 4"). With athletes scoring in the top three in 12 of the 14 events, the team demonstrated depth and ability that bode well for the future.