Micah Keller may have only been competing against the clock last weekend. Still, he delivered two notable performances.

Micah Keller

            The Upper Perkiomen senior not only became the first male athlete to win double gold at the PIAA Class 3A Championship, but Keller also reached the "gold standard" in the 100 meter wheelchair dash and the wheelchair shot put.

            Keller set the state record in the 100 wheelchair dash with a time of 19.29 seconds on Saturday, May 24, at Shippensburg University. One day earlier, he threw the shot 21 feet, 4 1/2 inches. Both performances are considered the top level of performance and achievement, according to coach Clayton Mowrer.

            "What Micah did was really impressive," the coach said.     

            Keller excelled in the 100 meter dash. A quality start allowed him to break his previous personal best by nearly a second.

            "Micah had a good enough start that he was able to keep his chair straight and he didn't have to adjust it. He was able to just drive forward," Mowrer said of Keller, who was shooting to beat 19.5 seconds.

            Keller used the upper body strength that led him to a record-setting performance in the 100 meter dash to defend his shot put title. He exceeded last year's state mark despite less than ideal conditions, according to the coach.

            Darius Reid finished fourth in the high jump. He cleared 6 feet, 7 inches.

            Morgan O'Hara missed the finals in the javelin. Her best throw traveled 122 feet, 2 inches.  The junior ended up in 18th place.

            Reid was one inch behind the second and third-place finishers. Gavin Nelson, a senior from Northwestern Lehigh, and Declan Gallagher, an Owen J. Roberts junior, each cleared 6 feet, 8 inches.

            Jalen Cook, a senior from Dallastown, dominated the field. He set a new meet record by clearing 7 feet, 3 inches.

            "Tyrese performed great," Mowrer said. "He made some high-pressure jumps. He was very strategic."

            According to the coach, Reid cleared 6 feet, 7 inches after several competitors bypassed the height to secure fourth place. The sophomore was eliminated after missing three attempts at 6 feet, 8 inches.

            "Darius had plenty of height," Mowrer said.

            O'Hara's best throw came on the second of three attempts. According to the coach, her plant foot slipped on her final attempt.

            "Morgan gave it everything she had," said Mowrer, who added that she likely needed to get near her personal best throw of 139 feet, 2 inches - set the previous weekend - to qualify for the finals.