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WILKES-BARRE — The loss of state champion Raheem Twyman was supposed to slow Meyers’ run toward a second straight league championship and leave a gaping hole among the team’s hurdlers.

But with nearly as impressive leaps and bounds, Jannsen Wilborn jumped right into his old friend’s shoes.

Quite literally.

“The funny thing about that is, I needed spikes to run this year,” Wilborn said. “I was going to buy a new pair. Coach (Hayden) White asked me if I needed a pair of (running) shoes. Then he handed me Raheem’s old ones that he wore at states last year.

“I’m literally in Raheem’s shoes.”

He’s wearing them just fine, as Wilborn finished Wednesday as a four-time winner while leading Meyers past Berwick 102.5-47.5 in a key Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 boys track meet at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium.

The victory moved Meyers to 5-0 and kept the Mohawks tied with Hanover Area at the top of the WVC Division 2, with a big showdown between the two boys teams looming at the Hanover Area track next Wednesday when Meyers will have a chance to strengthen its bid for a second consecutive division title.

“That’s our plan,” Wilborn said. “Our goal is to win a division championship, and hopefully finish the same way we did last season.”

That title talk is also on the tongues of the Berwick girls, who made quick work of Meyers in a 101-48 victory. During the meet, Meyers sprinter and three-time state medalist Nalisjia Harris-Johnson broke her own school record by winning the event in 11.8 seconds.

But Berwick improved to 4-0 and remained a half-game behind Lake-Lehman (5-0) in the Division 2 standings behind triple winner Payden Montana’s sweep in the throws and Sam Dyer’s distance sweep in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 runs.

“Payden, Dyer, (Amber) Koshinski, (Megan) Dalo, they seem to be our standouts. And our most consistent performers,” said Berwick coach Bill Phillips, whose team will make up a meet with Nanticoke Area on Friday before hosting Lehman in a meet that will likely decide the division next Wednesday. “Some of the other girls are starting to feed off the team leaders.”

The Meyers boys fed off Wilborn, who won the 110 and 300 hurdles and was part of the winning 400 and 1600 relay teams — all the events Twyman starred in before graduating following his state gold medal 300 hurdles run and picking up a silver medal in the state 110 hurdles.

“We’re really close friends,” Wilborn said. “I actually learned a lot from Raheem. Obviously, having Raheem go to states last year and listening to him talk about it, that was a big help. I don’t feel like I’m exactly where I need to be yet. I haven’t even hit my personal best from last year.”

Wilborn won the 110 hurdles in 16.2 seconds and took the 300 hurdles in 43 seconds flat. The Mohawks also received two victories from jumper Je’Vondrea McClair and thrower Namir Murphy. McClair placed first in the long jump and triple jump, while Murphy won the shot put and discus.

“I don’t think we have the same talent we had last year,” White said. “But the kids are working hard. We have enough where we can compete, to this point. Overall, we have a lot of young kids. They’re coming up big. What you find in track, certain events lead to a tradition. Kids pick up on the athletes that are older than them. Then they work harder and try to emulate them.

“That’s how you end up with a good program.”

Boys

Hanover Area 91, Holy Redeemer 57

Brandon Brueckner won the 300 hurdles and long jump and Brandon Chafin captured the pole vault and the high jump as the Hawkeyes moved to 5-0 and remained tied with Meyers at the top of the WVC Division 2.

Mohammad Chesson returned to the Hanover Area lineup after a two-week absence and won the 110 hurdles and sparked the winning 400 relay team.

Lake-Lehman 99,

Nanticoke Area 51

Clovis Luz, Cole Spencer and Riley Newman were all double winners as the Black Knights rolled to victory.

Luz won the long jump and triple jump, Spencer took the shot put and discus throws and Newman was first in the 800 and 1,600 runs.

Girls

Lake-Lehman 114,

Nanticoke Area 36

Emily Johns captured all three throwing events and Jade Fry won the 1,600 and 3,200 runs as the Black Knights moved to 5-0 and remained just ahead of 4-0 Berwick in the WVC Division 2 title race.

Amiah Lukowski was a four-time winner for Nanticoke Area, capturing the 100, 200 and 400 dashes along with the triple jump.

Holy Redeemer 87, Hanover Area 59

Four-time winner Autumn Kaminski propelled the Royals by winning both hurdles and the 100 dash, and was part of the winning 1600 relay team.

Boys

Meyers 102.5, Berwick 47.5

3,200 relay — 1. Ber (Mitchell Martin, Griffin Keller, Mason Kimbell, John Morgan), 9:18. 110 hurdles — 1. Mey, Jannsen Wilborn, 16.2; 2. Ber, Bao Le; 3. Ber, Ted Tripp. 100 — 1. Mey, Nazir Dunell, 11.6; 2. Ber, Lemonselli; 3. Ber, Morgan. 1,600 — 1. Ber, Kimbell, 5:07; 2. Ber, Martin; 3. Mey, Carson Kosloski. 400 — 1. Mey, Smith, 0:56; 2. Ber, Le; 3. Mey, Matt Dessoye. 400 relay — 1. Mey (Wilborn, Jawun Buckner, Najese Hood, Dunell), 46.7. 300 hurdles — 1. Mey, Wilborn, 0:43; 2. Mey, Dunell; 3. Ber, Le. 800 — 1. Mey, James Langdon, 2:05; 2. Ber, Martin; 3. Ber, Kimbell. 200 — 1. Mey, Hood, 24.4; 2. Ber, Tim Maron; 3. Mey, Brewster. 3,200 — 1. Ber, Martin, 11:24; 2. Ber, Kimbell; 3. Mey, Kosloski. 1,600 relay — 1. Mey (Smith, Langdon, Wilborn, Dessoye), 3:48.

High jump — 1. Mey, Springer, 5-8; 2. Mey, McClair; 3. Mey, Dias and Ber, Jude Goddard. Pole vault — 1. Mey, Patrick, 9-0; 2. Mey, Stanley Kwok; 3. Mey, Kasper. Long jump — 1. Mey, McClair, 21-6; 2. Mey, Najese Hood; 3. Ber, Connor Hanson. Triple jump — 1. Mey, Je’Vondrea McClair, 42-9; 2. Mey, Hood; 3. Ber, Hanson. Shot put — 1. Mey, Namir Murphy, 39-10; 2. Mey, Shafler; 3. Mey, Marcos Martinez. Discus — 1. Mey, Murphy, 118-8; 2. Mey, Horvath; 3. Mey, Shafler. Javelin — 1. Ber, Joe Miller, 125-10; 2. Mey, Willie Wallace; 3. Mey, Petronick.

Girls

Berwick 101, Meyers 48

3,200 relay — 1. Ber (Sydney Kimbell, Katrina Remphrey, Margaret Fulton, Alexandria Slusser), 15:40. 100 hurdles — 1. Mey, Ilequa Adams, 16.3; 2. Mey, Divine Howard; 3. Ber, Sierra Miedaner. 100 — 1. Mey, Nalasjia Harris-Johnson, 11.8; 2. Ber, Amber Koshinski; 3. Ber, Reese Mensinger. 1,600 — 1. Ber, Sam Dyer, 6:06; 2. Mey, Darboe. 400 — 1. Ber, Sydney Lloyd, 61.6; 2. Mey, Harris-Johnson; 3. Ber, Owens. 400 relay — 1. Mey (Stephanie Sutton, Adams, Howard, Harris-Johnson), 52.1. 300 hurdles — 1. Mey, Adams, 54.1; 2. Mey, Howard; 3. Ber, Miedaner. 800 — 1. Ber, Dyer, 2:59; 2. Ber, Slusser; 3. Ber, Remphrey. 200 — 1. Ber, Mensinger, 29.2; 2. Ber, Koshinsky; 3. Mey, Gerlyn Powell. 3,200 — 1. Ber, Dyer, 14:10; 2. Ber, Kimbell; 3. Ber, Slusser. 1,600 relay — 1. Ber (Peters, Dalo, Lloyd, Mensinger), 4:38.

High jump — 1. Mey, Harris-Johnson, 4-6; 2. Mey, Moore; 3. Ber, Owens. Pole vault — 1. Ber, Koshinski, 8-6; 2. Ber, Miedaner; 3. Ber, Owens. Long jump — 1. Mey, Harris-Johnson, 17-7; 2. Ber, Dalo; 3. Mey, Sutton. Triple jump — 1. Ber, Megan Dalo, 32-9; 2. Ber, Carly Belles; 3. Ber, Fulton. Shot put — 1. Ber, Payden Montana, 39-7; 2. Ber, Dia Cruz; 3. Ber, Makayla Force. Discus — 1. Ber, Montana, 129-4; 2. Ber, Roni Isenberg; 3. Ber, Force. Javelin — 1. Ber, Montana, 105-10; 2. Ber, Cruz; 3. Mey, Mawa Moore.

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Nalasjia Harris-Johnson
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_NalasjiaHarris-Johnson-.jpg.optimal.jpgNalasjia Harris-Johnson

By Paul Sokoloski

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Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski