Indoor Track: Gambacorta’s toss puts her in elite company

HAVERFORD — Garnet Valley junior Nina Gambacorta spent the last two winters as a member of the school’s swimming team. She started training seriously in the shot put after her sophomore year, and Wednesday she took part in the Delaware County Girls Indoor Track and Field Championships at Haverford College for the first time. Gambacorta’s second throw sailed 41 feet, 10 inches, and easily gave her her first gold medal. She became the fourth Delco thrower to pass the 40-foot mark indoors, joining Ridley’s Joylyn Brown, Karen Shump of Penncrest Anna McCloskey of Cardinal O’Hara in going past 40 feet indoors.

“I had a throw of 39 feet, 11½ inches earlier this season,’ Gambacorta said. “That really made me want to work to get past 40 feet. Now that I’ve done that, my goal would be to try to reach 45 feet.’

Gambacorta has been training with former Glen Mills Schools coach Barry Swanson, who also worked with Shump during the time that the Penncrest standout earned four consecutive outdoor state championships in the shot.

“He’s really helping drive me to be better,’ Gambacorta said. “Speed and strength are a big part of it, but I know I have to concentrate on getting my form to be better. I’m just trying to be more comfortable.”

Penncrest junior Alicia Collier took first place in the 55- and 200-meter dashes and anchored the Lions’ team that included Mariah Kozub, Brianna Artis and Zoe Gabel to victory in the 4 x 200 relay.

“After finishing second to a girl from Penn Wood two years in a row in the 55, I really wanted that one tonight,’ Collier said. “In the trials, I was the last one out of the blocks, but I just wanted to make it to the final. In the 200 I wanted to get out the best I could, and I did. The 4 x 200 we wanted good handoffs and a good time. I really felt like I could run another race after that, one, but it was all right that I was done then.”

Penncrest’s Katie Arbogast claimed first place in the 400-meter dash in 1:00.01 and helped the Lions close out the meet with a victory in the 4 x 400.

“I had a (personal best) 58.9 at the (New York City) Armory last week,’ Arbogast said. “I’ve been running better than I expected. I’m really hoping to medal at states, and we want to get our relays there, too.’

Ridley’s team of juniors Jess Higgins and Kelly McGeehan, senior Brianna Wallen and freshman Jamie Green held off Strath Haven and Penncrest to take first place in the distance medley relay. Green and Haven junior Maia Mesyngier were a stride apart as they started the final lap, then Green gradually increased the lead, winning by more than three seconds.

“I didn’t really know where she was,’ Green said of Mesyngier. “I could hear my coaches and my dad (James) yelling. I just wanted to run as fast as I could. We came here trying for a good place. Actually, we came here to get first place.”

Upper Darby’s Joanne Mason was the gold medal winner in the 55 hurdles and triple jump.

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