CC boys relay team wins gold
PIAA 2A track and field: Boys
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SHIPPENSBURG -- Finishing his high school career with a PIAA championship became personal for Central Cambria's Toby Cree after the Red Devils finished as the runner-up at last fall's cross country championships.
Cree won the District 6 championship in the 3200-meter run but decided to scratch the event at states, because winning a state title with his teammates was still driving him during track and field season.
All the work, lost hours of sleep and sacrifice paid off Friday when Cree, Corey Roberts, Tyler Gibson and Adam Lechleitner dominated their competition and won the state championship in the 3200-meter relay at the PIAA Class 2A track and field championships at Seth Grove Stadium.
"This means everything," Cree said. "We finished second in cross country in the state, and that definitely hurt a good bit. I definitely thought a lot about that. There were a lot of days and a lot of nights I had to think about us finishing second, so to finally get that state championship means everything to me."
Cree said giving up his spot in the 3200-meter run, which was run prior to the relay on Friday and would have left him at less than 100 percent for the race, wasn't difficult due to his dedication to the team.
"I definitely wanted to throw everything I had into the relay," Cree said. "I knew we had a chance here today, so I wanted to do what was best for the team. I'd much rather win a state title with my best friends and my boys in the relay than get an individual medal in the 2-mile."
The Red Devils had so much confidence in Cree, they switched Friday's lineup at the last minute to make him the anchor.
When Lechleitner handed him the baton three-fourths of the way through the race, he said he knew it was already over.
"Everybody expected us to win, but we had the attitude of anything could happen," Lechleitner said. "We saw the girls race. (Central Cambria was) seeded fourth and finished second. We were prepared for something like that. We made a lineup change with Toby Cree as the anchor. I knew handing the baton off to him in first that there was no way he was going to let anything bad happen."
Central Cambria's time of 7:59.7 was even better than its time at the District 6 meet, which set a meet record and was more than seven seconds ahead of runner-up Saint Joseph's Catholic.
"Leading off the race, we knew we had a big X on our back, and everyone was coming for us," Roberts said. "Everyone knew we were the ones, but we figured we couldn't lose if the baton never went second. So, from the gun we just got out and got the lead in front of everyone and just went from there."
Gibson expanded the lead Roberts built with an impressive second leg.
"Corey gave me a great lead, so I just had to hold it," Gibson said. "I went out a little bit faster on that first lap and just had to maintain it on the second lap to help my teammates have an easier run. That's what it's all about."
Despite taking the final handoff with a big lead, Cree didn't take anything for granted.
"I didn't pay attention to anyone behind me. I raced like someone was on my back the whole time chasing me down," Cree said. "That's the mindset you have to have when you're winning the race. You have to keep the gas pedal pushed down."
Lechleitner wasn't finished on the medal stand as he later placed fourth in the pole vault by clearing 13 feet.
"This is a great way to end the day. I'm very happy that I could get on the podium for pole vault," Lechleitner said. "I'm still running off the high of that championship relay win. That made my day and will make my day for quite some time."
As Central Cambria was being awarded its gold medals, Penn Cambria's Nick Marinak was searching for his eighth-place medal in the long jump.
Marinak, who competed in four events in a close time span on Friday, missed the medal ceremony but was finally awarded his medal about 10 minutes after the other medalists left the award stand.
"It's pretty unfortunate, because the only reason I'm here is to try and get a medal," Marinak said. "I have faced some adversity doing all four events before, but I was doing the 200-meter prelims when they announced the medals (for long jump). This means the world to me. It's my senior year, so this medal symbolizes all my hard work paying off."
Marinak's summer throwing buddy from the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference, Elijah Cook of Bedford, took home a gold medal in the javelin with a throw of 192 feet, 5 inches.
Cook, whose brother August won a silver medal at states years ago and helped coach Elijah, made his gold-winning throw on his second-to-last throw.
Cook overcame back and ankle injuries this season to win the title.
"This is the best series of throws I've had, and what a great meet to do it at," Cook said. "I think all the work I put in over the past four years really helped me get the outcome I wanted today. Missing my junior year made me set out to win a state championship, and it's great to do it."
Cook wasn't the only gold medalist from District 5.
Chestnut Ridge senior Logan Pfister overcame a nagging hamstring injury from the District 5 championships to win the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 7 inches on his first attempt.
"My legs felt great today, so I was able to jump at my full potential," Pfister said. "I also was up against some great competition, and they drove me to jump my best. I have worked so hard for this, and my family and friends have pushed me so hard. So, it means a lot to win this for them."
Portage's Demetri Miller capped off a special senior year, which included District 6 championships in basketball and the triple jump with a sixth-place medal in the event on Friday.
"I could have done better, but I'm still happy with the outcome," Miller said. "I made it to states, I got a medal and that's the biggest accomplishment I could have hoped for. It was a long journey to get here with quarantine and training. It's been a weird year, but medaling means a lot."
Bellwood-Antis hurdler Hunter Shawley had perhaps one of the biggest celebrations at the District 6 meet when he finally defeated conference rival Jefferson Hill of Juniata Valley in the 300-meter hurdles.
Friday, Shawley not only beat Hill again, but he left Seth Grove Stadium with a sixth-place medal in 40.92.
"That took all year, literally all year, to be able to do it," Shawley said. "I owe it to my coaches. It took all year, but I finally beat him. At the beginning of the year, I thought being on this medal stand could only be a dream. It's something I strived for, but I never thought I would get there. This is amazing. Holding this medal is amazing."
Hill took home a bronze medal in the 110-meter hurdles.
"I'm very happy with how the season has gone after not having a season last year," Hill said. "I'm happy with how my high school career has gone. I'm not upset, but I'm not happy with my time. There's only so much you can do. It is nice to have the bronze. I would have liked to have a little bit higher, but it's good to have the bronze."
Notables
n Marinak finished 11th in the javelin with a throw of 161 feet, 7 inches. He did not make it out of preliminaries in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
n Joe Wertz of Bellwood finished tied for 17th in the shot put with a distance of 45 feet, 3 inches and 21st in the discus with a throw of 127 feet, 8 inches.
n Bellwood-Antis' Zach Mallon was 24th in the long jump with a distance of 19 feet, 4.5 inches.
n Ian Zimmerman of Northern Bedford finished 10th in the 1600-meter run in 4:28.69. Central Cambria's Toby Cree was 18th in 4:35.34.
n Central Cambria finished 15th in the 400-meter relay and 12th in the 1600-meter relay.
n Luke Lamb of Cambria Heights finished 15th in the high jump.
n Mason Detterline of Northern Bedford finished ninth, and Penn Cambria's Jake Tsikalas finished 11th in the triple jump.
n Kenny Robison of Bellwood-Antis finished 20th in the 400-meter dash in 53.39.
n Tyrone's Garin Hoy finished 20th place in the boys 3200-meter run with a time of 10:27.2.
n Bedford’s Braden Ford placed seventh in the 300-meter hurdles.