Local Sports

B-A girls capture ICC title in final season in league

By Michael Boytim

mboytim@altoonamirror.com

ALEXANDRIA -- The Inter-County Conference shifted its track and field championship site from Bellwood-Antis to Juniata Valley High School in advance of the Blue Devils' departure from the league to the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference next season.

But the Lady Blue Devils, led by senior Alexis Lovrich's wins in the 800-, 1600- and 3200-meter runs Monday afternoon, captured some hardware on their way out with a team championship, 152-109, over runner-up Juniata Valley.

"It's like a dream for my senior year," Lovrich said. "It's great to do this and bring home the team title. It's awesome. It's kind of like going out with a bang."

Lovrich was named the meet's outstanding runner and also helped the B-A 1600-meter relay team to a runner-up finish.

"I'm so excited," Lovrich said. "I have always wanted to win all three of these events at the ICC meet, and it was a good season working with all my teammates. I'm so happy to get here and finish it off and win all three."

With the District 6 meet next week at Mansion Park, Lovrich said she's hitting her stride.

"My season has been my best one, reaching a lot of goals and setting new PRs," Lovrich said. "I've broken my school record and winning these events is great. I'd love to finish with a trip to states."

Another area standout who will be hoping to make a splash at districts is Juniata Valley's Ellie Manyara, who was voted the meet's outstanding jumper after claiming the triple jump and long jump titles.

The Lady Hornet junior cut down on her events this year, and it has paid off. She's broken the school record in the triple jump several times.

"It's been pretty crazy," Manyara said. "Last year, my best jump was like a 29, and I did hurdles. This year, I stopped doing hurdles and decided to focus on triple jump. Seeing the progress has been really cool."

Monday she was rewarded for that progress with the jumping award.

"I worked really hard all preseason and during the season," Manyara said. "But I think what helped me the most was focusing on triple jump and not having other events to worry about. It was that focus. It means a lot to win this today, and now my goal is to make it to states."

Northern Bedford senior Lizzie Long already knows what it's like to win a District 5 title. She did it as a junior last year. But now she's on a whole new level thanks to a new voice in the Lady Panthers' program.

"My coach, Brittany Beach, really knows what she's talking about and has really furthered everyone on the team," Long said. "She is just wonderful. I can't explain how much I have increased what I am capable of and my attitude toward it. She's always there for us helping us through our problems. She's a wonderful coach."

Long was voted as the outstanding thrower after winning the discus and the shot put on Monday.

"Last year, I kind of shrugged things off as it being my junior year, knowing I had the next year," Long said. "Now it's my senior year. I have to step it up and do what I can to be where I want to be. It feels really great. I set a personal best in the discus today, which really makes me happy."

Long is hoping to extend her throw of 107 feet, 6 inches even longer at the District 5 meet on May 17.

"I'm really striving for our school record," Long said. "I keep getting closer, inch by inch, but districts are coming, and I have to step it up to get where I want to be."

Other area winners in the girls competition included Juniata Valley's Maddie Hopsicker in the 100-meter dash, Northern Bedford's Julia Helsel in the high jump, the Bellwood-Antis 400-meter relay team and Lady Blue Devils Chelsea McCaulsky (javelin) and Lydia Worthing (pole vault).

The Everett boys edged Bellwood-Antis, 88.75-85.5, thanks in part to an ankle injury suffered by Dylan Andrews in the triple jump that kept him from competing in the pole vault, in which he was the top seed. Juniata Valley's Bryce Weirich claimed that title by clearing 12 feet, 9 inches, joining teammate Ayden Bark at the top of the podium after Bark's win in the high jump.

Kole Dickinson won the 110-meter hurdles for the Blue Devils.

"On the bus trip down, it kind of hit me that this is the last ICC event for Bellwood as far as track and me coaching," Bellwood-Antis boys coach Nick Lovrich said. "I have known some of these guys forever. Same thing with football. It's almost been like a family with the coaching fraternity here. It's bittersweet that this is the end of that relationship, but we have been talking about them still coming to the Bellwood Invitational."

On the boys side, Southern Huntingdon's Isaac Erwin won the outstanding runner award, McConnellsburg's Lake McKelvy was the outstanding jumper, and Mount Union's Josh Sechrist won the throwing award.

BOYS

TEAM RESULTS/KEY

1, Everett (E) 88.75; 2, Bellwood-Antis (BA) 85.5; 3, Southern Huntingdon (SH) 77; 4, Meyersdale (MD) 61.33; 5, West Branch (WB) 46; 6, Tussey Mountain (TM) 42.75; 7, Southern Fulton (SF) 38; 8, McConnellsburg (M) 37.33; 9, Mount Union (MU) 30; 10, Juniata Valley (JV) 20; 11, Berlin Brothersvalley (BB) 14; 12, Northern Bedford (NB) 11.33; 13, Williamsburg (W) 4; 14, Fannett-Metal (FM) 2.

INDIVIDUAL

100 dash: 1, Ohler, MD, 10.98; 2, Gillis, TM, 11.18; 3, Gunby, E, 11.21; 4, McKelvy, M, 11.52; 5, Brambley, E, 11.52; 6, Thompson, BA, 11.95. 200 dash: 1, Ohler, MD, 22.52; 2, Gunby, E, 22.81; 3, Gillis, TM, 23.8; 4, Hay, MD, 24.19; 5, Thompson, BA, 24.19; 6, North, SH, 24.27. 400 dash: 1, Hersch, MD, 51.87; 2, Carr, WB, 52.3; 3, Brambley, E, 52.81; 4, Coffman, TM, 53.26; 5, North, SH, 53.34; 6, Golden, SF, 54.47. 800 run: 1, Stavola, WB, 2:04.8; 2, Erwin, SH, 2:07.8; 3, Mills, E, 2:08.36; 4, Reilly, BA, 2:16.59; 5, Golden, SF, 2:18.31; 6, Beaumont, FM, 2:18.85. 1600 run: 1, Erwin, SH, 4:42.84; 2, Ritz, SF, 4:54.01; 3, Ryder, WB, 4:58.96; 4, Brown, WB, 5:01.78; 5, Imes, NB, 5:02.08; 6, Beiswenger, BA, 5:03.02. 3200 run: 1, Ritz, SF, 11:11.8; 2, Beiswenger, BA, 11:22.72; 3, Fletcher, M, 11:31.09; 4, Harper, SH, 11:35.73; 5, Donitzen, MD, 11:38.26; 6, Beatty, MU, 12:05.96. 110 hurdles: 1, Dickinson, BA, 16.32; 2, Montgomery, BB, 16.33; 3, Winck, E, 16.94; 4, Mellott, SF, 17.29; 5, Hersch, MD, 17.92; 6, Calhoun, E, 18.26. 300 hurdles: 1, Winter, SH, 42.0; 2, Dickinson, BA, 42.97; 3, Montgomery, BB, 44.01; 4, Hersch, MD, 44.18; 5, Mellott, SF, 45.89; 6, Buterbaugh, M, 46.76.

400 relay: 1, Meyersdale (Hetz, Hay, Hersch, Ohler), 44.52; 2, Everett, 46.11; 3, Bellwood-Antis, 47.06; 4, Southern Huntingdon, 47.4; 5, Northern Bedford, 47.86; 6, Tussey Mountain, 48.98. 1600 relay: 1, Everett (Winck, Brambley, Mills, Gunby), 3:32.62; 2, West Branch, 3:39.17; 3, Southern Fulton, 3:44.14; 4, McConnellsburg, 3:46.29; 5, Bellwood-Antis, 3:46.76; 6, Fannett-Metal, 3:56.11. 3200 relay: 1, West Branch (Carr, Ryder, Alexander, Stavola), 8:55.1; 2, Southern Huntingdon, 9:14.69; 3, Everett, 9:22.95; 4, Bellwood-Antis, 9:24.04; 5, Southern Fulton, 9:25.26; 6, Mount Union, 9:42.12. High jump: 1, Bark, JV, 5-8; T-2, McKelvy, M, 5-6; T-2, Pittman, NB, 5-6; T-4, Gillis, TM, 5-6; T-4, Bailor, BA, 5-6; T-4, Poorman, BA, 5-6; T-4, Black, E, 5-6. Long jump: 1, McKelvy, M, 20-8.5; 2, Reck, MU, 20-0; 3, Winter, SH, 19-0; 4, Shaffer, E, 18-9.5; 5, Poorman, BA, 18-3; 6, Cessna, E, 17-4.25. Triple jump: 1, Winter, SH, 41-1.75; 2, Shaffer, E, 40-9; 3, Andrews, BA, 39-0.5; 4, Poorman, BA, 38-6.5; 5, Cessna, E, 37-8.75; 6, Hersch, MD, 36-9. Shot put: 1, Sechrist, MU, 41-7.25; 2, Pluebell, BA, 41-4; 3, Ritchey, TM, 41-3; 4, Souders, M, 38-9; 5, Yochem, TM, 38-7.75; 6, Rice, SH, 37-7.75. Discus: 1, Sechrist, MU, 121-9; 2, Sosak, TM, 120-6; 3, Yochem, TM, 113-4; 4, Brubaker, W, 111-7; 5, Rice, SH, 109-0; 6, Pluebell, BA, 106-3. Javelin: 1, Shaffer, E, 149-2; 2, Hetz, MD, 140-0; 3, C. Schreier, BA, 138-7; 4, McFadden, SH, 131-10; 5, Pellegrine, BA, 131-2; 6, Souders, M, 125-8. Pole vault: 1, Weirich, JV, 12-9; T-2, Cisney, SH, 11-6; T-2, Poorman, BA, 11-6; T-4, Sherwood, E, 10-6; T-4, Wilt, SF, 10-6; T-6, Mumma, M, 10-0; T-6, Kretchman, MD, 10-0; T-6, Detterline, NB, 10-0.

GIRLS

TEAM RESULTS/KEY

1, Bellwood-Antis (BA) 152; 2, Juniata Valley (JV) 109; 3, Northern Bedford (NB) 72; 4, Southern Huntingdon (SH) 66; 5, Berlin Brothersvalley (BB) 48; 6, Tussey Mountain (TM) 28; 7, Mount Union (MU) 20; 8, Everett (E) 19; 9, McConnellsburg (M) 15; 10, Meyersdale (MD) 11; 11, Southern Fulton (SF) 9; 12, West Branch (WB) 6; 13, Fannett-Metal (FM) 3.

INDIVIDUAL

100 dash: 1, Hopsicker, JV, 13.12; 2, Brower, JV, 13.24; 3, Horton, TM, 13.31; 4, Harper, SH, 13.42; 5, Shaffer, E, 13.53; 6, Imler, NB, 13.6. 200 dash: 1, Harper, SH, 27.6; 2, Hopsicker, JV, 27.66; 3, Brower, JV, 27.97; 4, Imler, NB, 28.59; 5, Brie. Campbell, BA, 28.61; 6, Ashkettle, SF, 28.7. 400 dash: 1, Horton, TM, 1:02.55; 2, McMath, SH, 1:03.59; 3, Ashkettle, SF, 1:04.39; 4, Hassler, BA, 1:05.02; 5, Peck, M, 1:05.99; 6, Hiller, SF, 1:06.42. 800 run: 1, A. Lovrich, BA, 2:33.33; 2, Andrews, BA, 2:41.21; 3, Miller, BB, 2:45.19; 4, McCrum, JV, 2:47.43; 5, Grissinger, SH, 2:48.15; 6, Keebaugh, E, 2:49.63. 1600 run: 1, A. Lovrich, BA, 5:42.39; 2, Hershberger, NB, 6:00.17; 3, Sneath, JV, 6:05.77; 4, Black, M, 6:09.64; 5, Miller, BB, 6:11.13; 6, Earley, M, 6:18.68. 3200 run: 1, A. Lovrich, BA, 12:38.45; 2, Sneath, JV, 12:53.1; 3, Anderson, JV, 13:05.83; 4, Hershberger, NB, 14:00.92; 5, Earley, M, 14:19.61; 6, Horne, SH, 14:52.55. 100 hurdles: 1, Skopic, MU, 16.8; 2, Ickes, BB, 17.05; 3, Fairman, BB, 17.65; 4, Williams, TM, 17.79; 5, S. Lovrich, BA, 17.95; 6, Rengifo, M, 18.16. 300 hurdles: 1, Skopic, MU, 50.41; 2, Stoltzfus, BA, 51.61; 3, Ickes, BB, 52.32; 4, Hersch, MD, 52.45; 5, Hawbaker, SH, 53.01; 6, Sumner, TM, 53.46.

400 relay: 1, Bellwood-Antis (Bril. Campbell, Worthing, Hammond, Brie. Campbell), 52.97; 2, Northern Bedford, 53.76; 3, Berlin Brothervalley, 53.83; 4, Southern Huntingdon, 54.62; 5, Everett, 55.04; 6, Tussey Mountain, 56.39. 1600 relay: 1, Southern Huntingdon (Harper, Grissinger, Hawbaker, McMath), 4:25.89; 2, Juniata Valley, 4:30.6; 3, Bellwood-Antis, 4:32.62; 4, Everett, 4:44.6; 5, McConnellsburg, 4:45.95; 6, Southern Fulton, 4:49.59. 3200 relay: 1, Southern Huntingdon (Hawbaker, Horne, Grissinger, McMath), 10:35.97; 2, Bellwood-Antis, 10:47.84; 3, Northern Bedford, 10:52.5; 4, Juniata Valley, 11:32.36; 5, McConnellsburg, 12:02.09; 6, Everett, 12:26.56. High jump: 1, Helsel, NB, 4-10; 2, Gerwert, BA, 4-8; 3, Worthing, BA, 4-8; 4, Turek, BA, 4-8; 5, Daughton, MD, 4-6; 6, Hasenbuhler, FM, 4-6. Long jump: 1, Manyara, JV, 15-8; 2, Fairman, BB, 15-5.5; 3, Horton, TM, 15-4; 4, Shaffer, E, 15-3; 5, Hopsicker, JV, 15-1.5; 6, Hammond, BA, 14-11. Triple jump: 1, Manyara, JV, 35-8; 2, Hammond, BA, 31-6; 3, Turek, BA, 31-5.25; T-4, Baker, NB, 31-1.5; T-4, Hassler, BA, 31-1.5; 6, Iseminger, E, 30-11.25. Shot put: 1, Long, NB, 30-11; 2, Partner, BA, 29-6.5; 3, Price, SH, 28-7; 4, Lasure, MD, 28-2.5; 5, Russell, JV, 27-8.5; 6, Shearer, M, 27-5. Discus: 1, Long, NB, 107-6; 2, Helsel, NB, 85-2; 3, McCaulsky, BA, 83-5; 4, Holloway, SH, 82-9; 5, Leininger, FM, 80-10; 6, Lasure, MD, 80-8. Javelin: 1, McCaulsky, BA, 111-7; 2, Luther, JV, 104-3; 3, Croyle, WB, 96-1; 4, Richards, E, 95-0; 5, Partner, BA, 91-0; 6, Price, SH, 89-8. Pole vault: 1, Worthing, BA, 10-0; 2, Boone, JV, 9-0; 3, Fairman, BB, 9-0; 4, Wilson, SH, 8-0; 5, Gregg, BA, 7-6; 6, Rodkey, JV, 7-0.