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Choosing track over soccer has worked out fine.
By Keith Pompey
Inquirer Suburban Staff
Ryann Krais made the right decision.
A year ago, the Methacton sophomore thought about becoming a member of the Warriors girls' soccer team. But after a lot of thought, she chose to join her school's outdoor track and field team.
"I'm definitely happy with my decision," Krais said.
Her opponents may feel differently.
That's because Krais is arguably the best high school girls' track athlete in Pennsylvania. And she is, without hesitation, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Southeastern Pennsylvania girls' track and field athlete of the year for 2006.
The reasons are clear: The 16-year-old posted the state's top performances of the season in the 100-, 300- and 400-meter hurdles and the long jump. Krais also had the second-fastest time in the 400, and even that No. 2 must have an asterisk since she consistently beat Council Rock South's Ije Ihoema head-to-head.
"I can't put a ceiling on her potential," Methacton coach Rob Ronzano said of Krais. "With any kid you set goals. Every time you set a goal, she betters it. The potential is unlimited with this kid."
That was evident last weekend at the PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg University where Krais had reporters, coaches and competitors in awe over her gold-medal performances in the Class AAA long jump and 300 hurdles.
She won the long jump with a wind-aided 20 feet, 31/2 inches. Had there been an allowable wind reading, her jump would have broken the meet record of 19-111/4 set in 1998 by South Park's Nikita Lewis.
A day after winning the long jump, Krais lowered her classification's meet record in the 300 hurdles. Her winning time of 41.46 seconds was more than half a second faster than the record (42.11) set by Merion Mercy Academy's Tiffany Abney in 2002. It was also the sixth fastest in the nation as of Friday, according to Dyestat. (www.dyestat.com).
Krais was also ranked third nationally in the 400 hurdles (60.11) despite only running the event once this season. Meanwhile, she had what was believed to be nation's 12th-best time in the 100 hurdles (13.91).
Not bad for someone who wasn't initially drawn to track.
"I really like soccer," she said. "But I think my dedication is shifting toward track.".... Seems that she is more a sprinter type. But just as great an allrounder. Future national team members are like this in highschool(supermen/women that can win in almost every event they enter).
By Keith Pompey
Inquirer Suburban Staff
Ryann Krais made the right decision.
A year ago, the Methacton sophomore thought about becoming a member of the Warriors girls' soccer team. But after a lot of thought, she chose to join her school's outdoor track and field team.
"I'm definitely happy with my decision," Krais said.
Her opponents may feel differently.
That's because Krais is arguably the best high school girls' track athlete in Pennsylvania. And she is, without hesitation, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Southeastern Pennsylvania girls' track and field athlete of the year for 2006.
The reasons are clear: The 16-year-old posted the state's top performances of the season in the 100-, 300- and 400-meter hurdles and the long jump. Krais also had the second-fastest time in the 400, and even that No. 2 must have an asterisk since she consistently beat Council Rock South's Ije Ihoema head-to-head.
"I can't put a ceiling on her potential," Methacton coach Rob Ronzano said of Krais. "With any kid you set goals. Every time you set a goal, she betters it. The potential is unlimited with this kid."
That was evident last weekend at the PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg University where Krais had reporters, coaches and competitors in awe over her gold-medal performances in the Class AAA long jump and 300 hurdles.
She won the long jump with a wind-aided 20 feet, 31/2 inches. Had there been an allowable wind reading, her jump would have broken the meet record of 19-111/4 set in 1998 by South Park's Nikita Lewis.
A day after winning the long jump, Krais lowered her classification's meet record in the 300 hurdles. Her winning time of 41.46 seconds was more than half a second faster than the record (42.11) set by Merion Mercy Academy's Tiffany Abney in 2002. It was also the sixth fastest in the nation as of Friday, according to Dyestat. (www.dyestat.com).
Krais was also ranked third nationally in the 400 hurdles (60.11) despite only running the event once this season. Meanwhile, she had what was believed to be nation's 12th-best time in the 100 hurdles (13.91).
Not bad for someone who wasn't initially drawn to track.
"I really like soccer," she said. "But I think my dedication is shifting toward track.".... Seems that she is more a sprinter type. But just as great an allrounder. Future national team members are like this in highschool(supermen/women that can win in almost every event they enter).