1997 NORTH PENN HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK TEAM

Undefeated Suburban One League Champion

District One Champion

PIAA AAA State Champion

Bundles of blue flying around the four hundred meter oval, leaving competitors with nothing but their dust to remember them by, the girls track team ruled.  During the ’95 season, the team won its first state title.  The feat was celebrated as the team felt that the chances of repeating were slim.  Little did anyone know that only two years later, the ’97 Maidens would do just that.

Led by seniors Jessica Franks and Beth George, the only two remaining members of the ’95 team, the ’97 team was dominant early and often.  Throughout the regular season, their closest competitor was Truman who scored 51 points to NP’s 90.  Devastating all opponents with a balanced attack in all events, the girls won the league championship by beating second place Truman by over one hundred points.

At the Penn Relays, the 4X800m relay team of Tiffany Huff, Cheryl Smith, Jess Franks and Beth George ran the current fastest time in the Nation when they won their heat with a school record 9:08.  They finished sixth in the Championship of America.  The 400m relay team of Nia Campbell, Cheryl, Jess, and Beth won their hat with a new school record and were fourth in the Philadelphia Area Championship.

The team won the District One title by less than two points.  Gold medal winners were the 4X800m relay team and Beth George in the 1600 meters.  Jess Franks placed second in the 400 meter, as did Beth in the 800 meters and in the 4X400m relay.  Jess Franks also earned third place in the 200 meters.  Amaka Eneanya and Yvette Wisher threw discus and shot put respectively to fourth place finishes.

“Winning Districts by such a close margin shows the importance of everyone’s effort,” noted junior Kristen Welsh who competed in the 1600 meters and 3200 meters at Districts.

The season’s grand finale came when the girls won States by one point.  Jess Franks was seventh in the 200 meters; the 4X400m relay team ran to a third place finish, and Beth George was third in the 800 meters.  State Champions were the 4X800m relay team, Beth in the 1600 meters and Jess in the 400 meters.

“Winning the 400 at states avenged my loss from the week before,” declared Franks.  All agreed this was one of the most successful seasons ever.

-Beth George & Jess Franks wrote in the 1995 Accolade supplement

                       

Dual Meets 8 – 0                                                         Championship Meets:

North Penn  109         Norristown      32                   1st PIAA AAA State Track & Field Championship

North Penn  104         C B East          37                   1st District One AAA Track & Field Championship

North Penn   97          Council Rock   44                   1st SOL Patriot Division Track & Field Championship

North Penn  100         Pennsbury        41                   1st Trojan Track & Field Classic

North Penn  102         Neshaminy       39                   Penn Relays 3200m Relay Championship of America, 6th

North Penn  101         William Tennent  40              (Fastest High School time in the Nation 9:08.41)

North Penn   90          H. S. Truman    51

North Penn  127         Bensalem         14

 

 

 

North Penn PIAA AAA State Championship Meet 44pts.:

Nia Campbell              4X400m. Relay 3rd Place

Jessica Franks               400m 1st Place, 4X800m Relay 1st Place, 4X400m Relay 3rd Place, 200m 7th Place

Beth George                1600m 1st Place, 4X800m Relay 1st Place, 4X400m Relay 3rd Place, 800m 3rd Place

Tiffany Huff                4X800m Relay 1st Place

Cheryl Smith               4X800m Relay 1st Place, 4X400m Relay 3rd Place

Amaka Eneanya          Discus

 

PIAA All State:           Tiffany Huff, Cheryl Smith, Jessica Franks, Beth George 4X800m Relay

Nia Campbell, Beth George, Cheryl Smith, Jessica Franks 4X400m Relay

Jessica Franks 400m; Beth George 1600m Run

 

 

Head Coach Jim Crawford

Assistant Coach Pat Kulp

Assistant Coach Christopher King

Captains: Yvette Wisher, Nia Campbell

 

Team Members in picture (left to right):

Front row Front row cont. 2nd row            2nd row cont            3rd row 3rd row cont           
Nicole Clarkson Mitzi Williams Michelle Vaughan Amy Wagner Jennifer Brunnet Jenn Smith
Tamar Aghajanian Susan Atkiss Megan Oates Jennifer Keller Melisa Preston Melissa Croak
Jamie Molyneaux Beth George Katrina Brown Cheryl Smith AnnMarie Jameson Tiffany Huff
Aimee Hersh Lorita Lewis Renee Blanchette Beth Slocum Jeanine Peters Kristen Welsh
Yvette Wisher, Capt Jessica Franks Kate Cook Jill McCourt Suzanne Horst LaTosha Williams
    Becky Naudasher Nia Campbell, Capt Tracy Cushman Jen Dilworth
    Stephanie Simpson Martha Gillespie Aimee Blanchette Dianne Shillow

 

Not Pictured: Jennifer Cross, Sherrell Nelms, Erica Parker