SCRANTON – Jalen Rhodes followed older teammate Bree Bednarski in an impressive 1-2 finish in the 100-meter dash in 2016.

Rhodes has been part of championship 400 relay teams in the past.

Now, the Wyoming Area junior has a gold medal to call her own and she has it in one of the sport’s marquee events after winning the title in the 100 at Tuesday’s District 2 Class 3A Track and Field Championships.

“That’s my favorite event,” said Rhodes, a junior, who cherished the individual gold medal and passed up the prize of competing at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Championships at Shippensburg University so that she can attend her prom Friday night. “You just pick up speed and continue with it.”

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Rhodes was the fastest both in qualifying, with a time of 12.47 seconds, and in the final, with a 12.70.

“I was seeded fourth, but the girls in front of me I had beaten before, so I knew I could do it,” she said.

Rhodes completed a climb to make the claim as the fastest female sprinter in District 2. Her times in qualifying and the final were better than Class 2A champion Nalasjia Harris-Johnson from Meyers posted the next day.

“Even since ninth grade, I felt I wanted to be number one,” said Rhodes, who went from eighth as a freshman to second as a sophomore to first this year.

Strong efforts across three events by Rhodes, Vanessa Shedlock and Shelby Stackhouse lifted Wyoming Area to second place out of 19 teams with 65 points.

Abington Heights ran away with the team title with 115 points, but the Lady Warriors were 13 points ahead of the rest of the pack.

Rhodes was third in the 200 and part of the fifth-place 400 relay that also included Stackhouse.

Shedlock won the 400 in 58.06 seconds, also qualified for the state meet with a second-place finish in the triple jump and took fifth in the 200.

Stackhouse was second in the high jump and fourth in the 100 hurdles.

Madelyn Resciniti gave Wyoming Area a third silver medal to go with its two gold medals. She was second in the shot put with 34-6.

Olivia Astolfi and Mckenzie Nocchi were on the 400 relay.

Morgan Coolbaugh was seventh in the javelin.

Two newcomers to the team led the way for Wyoming Area, which finished 11th of 19 teams with 31 points.

Junior Steven Yordy, who came out for the sport for the first time this spring, placed third in both the long jump and triple jump.

Sprinter Kayne Burton was fourth in both the 100 and 200 and was part of an all-freshman 400 relay team that placed eighth.

Kyle Carr was fourth in the discus.

Tristan Sokash-Minnich is third in the javelin.

Quay Williamson, Vincenzo Scotto and Brian Williams also ran on the 400 relay.

Wyoming Area’s Jalen Rhodes wins the girls 100-meter dash at the District 2 Class 3A Track & Field Championships.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD052117D2Track3A_2-1-.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Jalen Rhodes wins the girls 100-meter dash at the District 2 Class 3A Track & Field Championships. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

Wyoming Area’s Shelby Stackhouse clears the bar in the girls high jump at the District 2 Class 3A Track & Field Championships.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD052117D2Track3A_3.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Shelby Stackhouse clears the bar in the girls high jump at the District 2 Class 3A Track & Field Championships. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

By TOM ROBINSON

For Sunday Dispatch

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