But perhaps that feeling helped propel what has turned into an excellent final high school scholastic year.

Haycisak won the District 6 cross country championship in the fall and claimed Tuesday’s 1600 championship at the District 6 Class 2A track and field championships at Mansion Park in a personal-best time of 4:26.4.

“It’s amazing, because I missed states by less than a second in the mile last year,” Haycisak said. “Being able to win it this year with a pretty good time and a PR was awesome. I have never won a track District 6 championship before and didn’t win cross country until this year. This stuff is new to me, and it’s awesome.”

Forest Hills’ Tyler Caron was second, and Central’s Ben Hartman was third in 4:29.7. Both also qualified for states. Haycisak has raced against both many times this season and won, but said that didn’t make Tuesday any easier.

Bellwood-Antis' Ella Cherry won the AA long jump with a distance of 17-11.50. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“It doesn’t mean anything if you beat them all year but don’t beat them when it matters,” Haycisak said. “There’s not much point in peaking in April. When the time comes to take the next step when it matters, you’re already toast. Peaking when it matters is a blessing.”

Fellow Central Cambria runner Paige Alexander won the girls 1600 in 5:04.12.

“It feels good, because I have never done it myself before, just on a relay,” Alexander said. “It’s very helpful when you have teammates that push you.”

Alexander will compete with her teammates in today’s 3200 relay, an event Central Cambria has dominated for years.

“Doing it for a team is easier, because we all push each other and we’re not doing it for ourselves, we’re doing it for our team,” Alexander said. “But winning this (the 1600) is rewarding, because it’s a first for me.”

Tyrone's Mason Emigh qualified for states with a second place in the AA long jump with the distance of 22-04.75. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Bellwood-Antis, which has had a remarkable track and field season on both the boys and girls side, enjoyed a solid first day of action.

Emma Taneyhill won the discus with a throw of 136 feet, 6 inches, and Ella Cherry won the long jump with a distance of 17 feet, 11.5 inches. Cambria Heights’ Brielle McMillen and Rachel McClellan finished second and third to also punch their ticket to the state meet.

“I feel very good and very accomplished,” Cherry said. “Having the meet split up (over two days) helps me save energy for my events, and I feel like I do a lot better.”

Taneyhill’s day got off to a slow start, but she bounced back to earn a gold medal and a trip to the state meet.

“I was consistent in the 130s, but my first throw was out of sector, so that made me a little nervous,” Taneyhill said. “But I recovered, thankfully. It feels amazing. I’m definitely grateful. There’s definitely always pressure, especially with the girls I am up against. They are really good and gave me a run for my money.”

B-A freshman Sophia Pullara also made states by clearing 5 feet in the high jump and finishing tied for second.

On the boys side, Bellwood’s Jayce Quick brought home the discus championship with a throw of 156 feet, 11 inches.

“It’s not about today really. I was consistent all year. I hit my marks all year, and when you have done that and you get into a stressful environment like here today, that’s really important,” Quick said.

Quick bested several throwers who have also put up big distances this year.

“It’s nice to know the work you put in during the offseason pays off,” Quick said. “People overlook it, but you have to be able to control your body and have a mind-muscle connection. You have to study your film, because if you don’t know what you are doing wrong, there’s no way you can improve on it.”

Bishop Guilfoyle Academy’s Alex Krimmel was runner-up in the high jump by clearing 6 feet, 3 inches. Juniata’s Jasper Shepps won the event with a new meet record, clearing 6 feet, 10.25 inches, and Portage’s Jada Irvin was third in javelin with a throw of 113 feet, 1 inch to advance to the PIAA meet.

The Bishop McCort boys 400 relay team set a new meet record in the preliminary race with a time of 43.19 seconds.

Penn Cambria senior Blake Lilly made states in two events by finishing second in the javelin and third in the long jump, an event in which Tyrone’s Mason Emigh placed second and also earned a trip to Shippensburg.

“It’s nice to get it out of the way, and just to be going is a privilege,” Lilly said. “I threw and jumped a lot better than I have been the last few meets. I am proud of what I did today.”

Central’s Jacob Heuston, who broke Central’s 37-year-old record in the pole vault at the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference meet last week, was the runner-up in the pole vault by clearing a distance of 13 feet, 6 inches and earned a trip to the PIAA meet next weekend. Richland’s Noah Lushko won the event by clearing 14 feet, 4 inches.

BOYS

KEY

J-Juniata; R-Richland; PC-Penn Cambria; U-United; PM-Penns Manor; C-Central; CC-Central Cambria; T-Tyrone; P-Portage; NC-Northern Cambria; BC-Bishop Carroll; H-Huntingdon; BEA-Bald Eagle Area; MC-Marion Center; FH-Forest Hills; BA-Bellwood-Antis; BG-Bishop Guilfoyle; WH-Westmont Hilltop; PV-Penns Valley.

INDIVIDUAL

1600 run: 1, Haycisak, CC, 4:26.4; 2, Caron, FH, 4:27.67; 3, Hartman, C, 4:29.7; 4, Takacs, CC, 4:33.23; 5, Doyle, CC, 4:34.88; 6, Kline, CH, 4:35.37; 7, Knobloch, BC, 4:36.98; 8, Davis, T, 4:38.06. High jump: *1, Shepps, J, 6-10.25; 2, Krimmel, BG, 6-3; 3, Carthen, H, 6-3; 4, Edmondson, FH, 6-1; 5, Patel, PV, 6-1; 6, Armstrong, J, 5-11; 7, Gontkovic, R, 5-11; 8, Payne, U, 5-11. Long jump: 1, McCulty, R, 22-6.75; 2, Emigh, T, 22-4.75; 3, Lilly, PC, 22-1.5; 4, Cunningham, BC, 22-1.25; 5, Scott, FH, 21-8.5; 6, Britton, PC, 21-2; 7, Farrell, NC, 21-1; 8, Lane, H, 20-6.5. Discus: 1, Quick, BA, 156-11; 2, Hollis, R, 144-9; 3, Sacco, MC, 143-11; 4, Lewis, PM, 140-8; 5, Erdman, H, 140-7; 6, Hartman, MU, 138-2; 7, Basile, RV, 136-1; 8, Schweitzer, CC, 132-10. Javelin: 1, Lewis, PM, 189-1; 2, Lilly, PC, 178-1; 3, Rebovich, PL, 169-5; 4, Shutty, NC, 169-0; 5, Costello, NC, 168-2; 6, Farabaugh, BC, 163-7; 7, Staruch, CC, 161-10; 8, Blickenderfer, NC, 160-10. Pole vault: 1, Lushko, R, 14-4; 2, Heuston, C, 13-6; T-3, Fox, MC, 13-0; T-3, Garshnick, U, 13-0; 5, Maradiaga, J, 13-0; 6, Minor, FH, 12-6; T-7, Hostler, BA, 12-0; T-7, Rickley, FH, 12-0.

GIRLS

KEY

FH-Forest Hills; R-Richland; T-Tyrone; BA-Bellwood-Antis; CH-Cambria Heights; U-United; CC-Central Cambria; JV-Juniata Valley; PC-Penn Cambria; PL-Purchase Line; J-Juniata; MU-Mount Union; WB-West Branch; RV-River Valley; H-Huntingdon; SH-Southern Huntingdon; W-Williamsburg; HC-Homer-Center; WH-Westmont Hilltop; P-Portage; BEA-Bald Eagle Area.

INDIVIDUAL

1600 run: 1, Alexander, CC, 5:04.12; 2, Ascherl, FH, 5:06.53; 3, Mavridis, R, 5:12.56; 4, Long, CC, 5:21.59; 5, Sheehan, CC, 5:26.75; 6, Pennington, BA, 5:28.43; 7, Miller, MC, 5:32.05; 8, Henning, U, 5:33.86. High jump: 1, Ressler, U, 5-0; T-2, Pullara, BA, 5-0; T-2, Twinchek, RV, 5-0; 4, Woomer, T, 5-0; 5, Cornman, RV, 5-0; 6, LeMaster, PC, 4-10; T-7, Karlheim, CH, 4-8; T-7, Garshnick, U, 4-8; T-7, Hubler, PV, 4-8. Long jump: 1, Cherry, BA, 17-11.5; 2, McMillen, CH, 16-11; 3, McClellan, CH, 16-10; 4, Brubaker, J, 16-8; 5, Mock, C, 16-6.5; 6, Macey, R, 16-3; 7, Webb, FH, 15-10.5; 8, Young, H, 15-9.5. Discus: 1, Taneyhill, BA, 136-6; 2, Voyda, HC, 132-8; 3, Speicher, FH, 112-4; 4, Taylor, R, 107-8; 5, Kyper, H, 100-1; 6, Holloway, SH, 99-3; 7, Hall, R, 99-2; 8, Dicken, T, 97-10. Javelin: 1, Twinchek, RV, 118-6; 2, Myers, FH, 113-5; 3, Irvin, P, 113-1; 4, Cann, CH, 112-4; 5, Messina, NC, 107-9; 6, Naylor, T, 107-1; 7, Mumau, PL, 106-5; 8, Hebel, WB, 105-3.

*Meet records; SQ–Advanced to state meet through qualifying standard