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By John Hartsock
jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
LOYSBURG -- Northern Bedford High School thrower Lizzie Long made her first appearance in the PIAA Class 2A girls track and field meet at Shippensburg University as a junior last May, qualifying in the discus but not placing at states after winning the District 5 championship in that event.
On Wednesday afternoon, Long did herself one better in the District 5 Track and Field Championships at Northern Bedford's Panther Community Stadium, winning both the discus and shot put, and qualifying in both events for the state meet next weekend at Shippensburg.
Long threw a personal-best 112 feet, six inches in the discus, and won the shot put with a throw of 34 feet, 3½ inches.
Long will be joined at the state tournament by Northern Bedford senior Noah Pittman, who won the district championship in the boys high jump with an effort of five feet, 10 inches.
Long opened her afternoon by winning the shot put, then had an extended wait until she tossed the discus in the early evening. The layoff didn't affect her negatively.
"I felt super good after winning the shot put,'' she said. "Since I don't throw the javelin, I had to sit for awhile. My throwing coach, Brittany Beach, who is a super coach, just told me to go out and throw like I can throw in both the shot put and discus.
"I felt very good after throwing the shot today, but I wasn't expecting to throw the discus as far as I did,'' Long added.
Both Beach and Northern Bedford head coach Garry Black pointed out that Long possesses an irrepressible work ethic.
"If you look up the word 'coachable' in the dictionary, that's Lizzie,'' Beach said of Long. "She's extremely humble, and she's an athlete who always stays late after practices, putting the extra work in.
"I'd certainly like to see her on the medals podium at the state meet, but I just want her to go there and throw the way that she can throw, and to do her best,'' Beach added.
Black said that Long's previous experience at the state meet should be a plus for her this year.
"She's been there before, and I think that's going to benefit her,'' Black said. "She's been consistent all season, and she has the potential to get on the podium at states.
"Lizzie provides proof that when you work hard, good things happen,'' Black said. "She's always the last one to leave practices, and she spends extra time throwing on the weekends, too. She has really put the work in.''
Long, who is undecided on where she will attend college but would like continue her throwing career at the next level, is grateful to be making a return trip to Shippensburg.
"It's been an extremely eventful year,'' Long said. "I'm really happy with where I am now.''
Pittman came up with a solid effort in becoming the district high jump champion and punching his berth in the state meet.
"He loves the high jump,'' Black said of Pittman. "That's his thing. He has found his niche in that event, and I'm excited for him earning the opportunity to go to Shippensburg.''
So is Pittman.
"I had a really good night tonight,'' said Pittman, who had fewer scratches in the high jump to nose out two competitors who also registered a 5-10 effort. "I've been practicing all year, just for this exact moment - to go to Shippensburg.''
Other medalists
Bedford won the team championship in both the boys and girls events and crowned its share of district champions and state medalists.
In the girls competition, Autumn Becker won both the 100 hurdles in 16.31 and the 300 hurdles in 48.70 and fronted Bedford's winning 1600 meter relay team with Meah Eshelman, Katie McDevitt, and Jillian Beck that won that event in 4:18.98.
McDevitt also won the high jump with an effort of 4-10, and Bedford's 3200-meter relay team of Eshelman, Kacey Martz, Jaelyn Edwards and Avrey Weaverling took first place with a time of 10:46.68.
Chestnut Ridge's Ava Whysong won the 800 run in 2:24.92 and the 1600 run in 5:35.82, while Ridge's Bella Bosch won the javelin with a throw of 134-5.
In boys competition, Chestnut Ridge's Calan Bollman won the 800 run in 2:02.50 and the 1600 run in 4:34.30, while Bollman's Ridge teammate Sam Albright won the 110 hurdles in 15:19 and the 300 hurdles in 40:48.
Everett's Noah Shaffer won the triple jump with a 41-10 ½, and Everett's 1600 relay team of Jacob Winck, Elijah Mills, Kaleb Brambley and Maylin Gunby won that event with time of 3:30.37.
All district champions and other athletes who met state qualifying times advanced to Shippensburg. Gunby qualified for states in the 100 dash with a second-place district finish of 11:09, while Tussey Mountain's Collin Gillis also qualified for states in the 100 dash with a fourth-place district finish of 11.14.
BOYS
KEY, TEAM SCORING: 1, BED--Bedford, 93; 2, CR--Chestnut Ridge, 80; 3, CT--Conemaugh Township, 73. BB--Berlin Brothersvalley; EV--Everett; MC--McConnellsburg; MEY--Meyersdale; NB--Northern Bedford; SOM--Somerset; SF--Southern Fulton; SH--Shade; TM--Tussey Mountain; WIN--Windber.
100 dash: 1, Black, CT, (D5 record), 10.48; 2, Gunby, E, (SQ), 11:09; 3, Ohler, MEY, (SQ), 11.12; 4, Gillis, TM, (SQ), 11.14; 5, Updyke, CT, (SQ), 11.29; 6, Weber BED, 11.31.
200 dash: 1, Black, CT, 22:05; 2, Ohler, MEY, (SQ), 22:59; 3, Gunby, EV, 23.00; 4, Weber, BED, 23.24; 5, Defibaugh, CT, 24.41; 6, Seslow, SOM, 27.64.
400 dash: 1, Seslow, SOM, 51.47; 2, Hersch, MEY, 51.67; 3, Defibaugh, CT, 53.09; 4, Taylor, BED, 53.64; 5, Brambley, EV, 54.51; 6, Ritchey TM, 54.65.
800 run: 1, Bollman, CR, 2:02.50; 2, Montgomery, BB, 2:05.06; 3, Gresh, BED, 2:07.31; 4, Mills, EV, 2:07.42; 5, Biery, CT, 2:10.57; 6, Page, WIN, 2:12.44.
1600 run: 1, Bollman, CR, 4:34.30; 2, Montgomery, BB, 4:42.18; 3, Ritz, SF, 4:48.69; 4, Myers, CR, 4:48.76; 5, Page, WIN, 4:52.66; 6, Imes, NB, 5:05.05.
3200 run: 1, McKelvey, WIN, 10:19.16; 2, Bollman, CR, 10:20.10; 3, Myers, CR, 10:35.06; 4, Ritz, SF, 11:01.46; 5, Carnwath, CR, 11:21.01; 6, Fletcher, MC, 11:26.87.
400 relay: 1, Conemaugh Township (Tunstall, Dunn, Updyke, Black), (District 5 record), 43.21; 2, Bedford (Wigfield, Ressler, Beck, Weber), SQ, 43.80; 3, Meyersdale, 44.73; 4, Chestnut Ridge, 45.46; 5, Everett, 46.21; 6, Northern Bedford, 47.69.
1600 relay: 1, Everett (Winck, Mills, Brambley, Gunby), 3:30.37; 2, Bedford, 3:30.41; 3, Meyersdale, 3:31.13; 4, Windber, 3:47.79; 5, McConnellsburg, 3:47.93; 6, Somerset, 3:49.87.
3200 relay: 1, Bedford (Taylor, Swope, Brallier, Gresh), 8:41.46; 2, Chestnut Ridge, 8:47.30; 3, Windber, 9:02.34; 4, Everett, 9:17.99; 5, Conemaugh Township, 9:19.55; 6, McConnellsburg, 9:39.46.
110 hurdles: 1, Albright, CR, 15.09; 2, Koontz, BED, 15.71; 3, Dibuono, SOM, 16.12; 4, Winck, EV, 16.14; 5, Montgomery, BB, 17.34; 6, Mellott, SF, 17.46.
300 hurdles: 1, Albright, CR, 40.48; 2, Koontz, BED, 41.50; 3, A. Dibuono, SOM, 43.86; 4, Johnson, NB, 44.63; 5, E. Dibuono, SOM, 44.68; 6, Winck, EV, 44.70.
High jump: 1, Pittman, NB, 5-10; 2, Sotosky, CT, 5-10; 3, Housley, SOM, 5-10; 4, tie, Brenneman, MEY, and Souders, MC, 5-10; 6, McKelvy, MC, 5-8.
Long jump: 1, Sotosky, CT, 21-4 ½; 2, Ressler, BED, 20-5 ¼; 3, Carr, SOM, 20-5 ¼; 4, McKelvy, MC, 20-4; 5, Wang, SOM, 19-9 ¼; 6, Walls, SOM, 19-3.
Triple jump: 1, Shaffer, EV, 41-10 ½; 2, Ressler, BED, 41-1/2; 3, Sotosky, CT, 40-11; 4, Berkey, CT, 40-5; 5, Detterline, NB, 40-1; 6, Washington, BED, 39-10 ¾.
Shot put: 1, Klosky, WIN, 54-3; 2, Ritchey, TM, 39-8 ½; 3, Yochem, TM, 39-5 ½; 4, Souders, MC, 38-9 ½; 5, Hetz, MEY, 39-9 ¾; 6, Whetstone, BED, 36-9.
Discus: 1, Kosky, WIN, 137-7; 2, Sigler, BED, 124-9; 3, Yochem, TM, 113-5; 4, Whetstone, BED, 109-7; 5, Sosak, TM, 109-2; 6, Belardi, SOM, 107-0.
Javelin: 1, Hetz, MEY, 161-5; 2, Betcher, WIN, 144-1; 3, Shaffer, EV, 141-1; 4, Platt, SOM, 135-11; 5, Barkley, WIN, 132-11; 6, Updyke, CT, 131-10.
Pole vault: 1, Robison, SOM, 12-0; 2, Ickes, CR, 11-6; 3, Byers, BED, 11-0; 4, Wilt, SF, 10-6; 5, Sherwood, EV, 10-6; 6, Detterline, NB, 10-0.
GIRLS
KEY, TEAM SCORING: 1, BED--Bedford, 127; 2, SOM--Somerset, 103.5; 3, CR--Chestnut Ridge, 80; BB--Berlin Brothersvalley; CT--Conemaugh Township; EV--Everett; NB--Northern Bedford; SF--Southern Fulton; SH-Shade; SOM--Somerset; TM--Tussey Mountain; WIN--Windber.
100 dash: 1, Rush, SOM, 12.02 (D5 record); 2, Slezak, CT, 12.27; 3, Urban, SOM, 12.87; 4, Ross, SOM, 12.94; 5, Sipes, BED, 13.03; 6, Imler, NB, 13.45.
200 dash: 1, Slesak, CT, 25.54; 2, Urban, SOM, 26.80; 3, Ross, SOM, 27.91; 4, Ashkettle, SF, 28.01; 5, Smith, SOM, 28.25; 6, Imler, NB, 29.23.
400 dash: 1, Bozovich, SH, 1:01.10; 2, Horton, TM, 1:02; 3, Ashkettle, SF, 1:03.86; 4, Speigle, CT, 1:04.35; 5, McDevitt, BED, 1:06.23; 6, Akman, EV, 1:06.59.
800 run: 1, Whysong, CR, 2:24.92; 2, Eshelman, BED, 2:24.93; 3, Baker, NB, 2:42.95; 4, Miller, BB, 2:43.49; 5, Hart, WIN, 2:46.36; 6, Berkey, CT, 2:48.10.
1600 run: 1, Whysong, CR, 5:35.82; 2, Weaverling, BED, 5:46.41; 3, Hershberger, NB, 5:53.47; 4, Frederick, CT, 5:58.32; 5, Miller, BB, 5:58.98; 6, Bean, WIND, 6:01.98.
3200 run: 1, Weaverling, BED, 12:39.45; 2, Frederick, CT, 12:47.11; 3, Bean, WIN, 13:01.81; 4, Carnwath, CR, 13:04.58; 5, Hershberger, NB, 13:21.79; 6, Earley, MC, 13:41.39.
400 relay: 1, Somerset (Smith, Urban, Rush, Ross), (D5 record), 50.15; 2, Bedford, 51.72; 3, Conemaugh Township, 52.38; 4, Berlin Brothersvalley, 54.06; 5, Northern Bedford, 54.13; 6, Everett, 55.33.
1600 relay: 1, Bedford (Becker, Eshelman, McDevitt, Beck), 4:18.98; 2, Conemaugh Township, 4:24.76; 3, Windber, 4:30.67; 4, Somerset, 4:32.86; 5, Berlin Brothersvalley, 4:35.24; 6, Northern Bedford, 4:40.18.
3200 relay: 1, Bedford (Eshelman, Martz, Edwards, Weaverling), 10:46.68; 2, Northern Bedford, 11:05.46; 3, Conemaugh Township, 11:18.11; 4, Windber, 11:23.51; 5, McConnellsburg, 11:30.33; 6, Somerset, 11:47.54.
100 hurdles: 1, Becker, BED, 16.31; 2, Ickes, BB, 16.40; 3, Hillegass, SOM, 16.92; 4, Dodson, CR, 17.27; 5, Housley, SOM, 17.63; 6, McDevitt, BED, 18.05.
300 hurdles: 1, Becker, BED, 48.70; 2, Dodson, CR, 49.52; 3, Hersch, MEY, 51.98; 4, Ickes, BB, 52.00. 5, Summer, TM, 53.16; 6, Wiley, CT, 54.05.
High jump: 1, McDevitt, BED, 4-10; 2, Taylor, CR, 4-8; 3, Ledney, SOM, and Helsel, NB, 34-8; 5, Hasenbuhler, FM, 4-6; 6, tie, Daughton, MEY, and Holmes, SOM, 4-6.
Long jump: 1, Rush, SOM, 17-1 ½; 2, Ross, SOM, 16-5; 3, Beck, BED, 15-8 ½; 4, Shaffer, EV, 15-8 ¼; 5, Hillegass, CR, 15-1 ¾; 6, Ritchey, BED, 15-1 ½.
Triple jump: 1, Brubaker, WIN, 34-8; 2, Beck, BED, 33-6 ½; 3, Rush, SOM, 33-5; 4, Ritchey, BED, 32-2; 5, Hilllegass, CR, 31-11; 6, Edwards, BED, 31-6 ½.
Shot put: 1, Long, NB, 34-3 ½; 2, Bosch, CR, 33-1; 3, Weber, BED, 30-0; 4, Lasure, MEY, 28-9 ½; 5, Richard, SOM, 28-6 ½; 6, McGee, SOM, 28-2.
Discus: 1, Long, NB, 112-6; 2, Bosch, CR 94-0; 3, Parks, CR, 93-10; 4, Richard, SOM, 92-10; 5, McGee, SOM, 92-2; 6, McCann, CT, 88-1.
Javelin: 1, Bosch, CR, 134-5; 2, McCann, CT, 105-0; 3, Sipes, BED, 100-6; 4, Byer, CT, 89-11; 5, Plunkard, WIN, 87-1; 6, Boring, CT, 84-9.
Pole vault: 1, Fairman, BB, 7-6; 2, tie, Smith, SOM, Summer, TM, and Martz, BED, 7-0; 5, Hostetter, CT, 7-0.
SQ--Met state qualifying time.