The Tyrone boys and girls track and field team had an outstanding first day at the PIAA D6 AA Championships at Mansion Park in Altoona, crowning two district champions and breaking a 12-year-old school record in the prelims.
“I thought day one went really well. We put ourselves in a lot of great positions to do big things on day two,” said Tyrone Head Track and Field Coach Brad Kanuch.
The girls already secured two first-place finishes, broke a school record in the girls 4×400, and qualified three individuals and two relays for the finals on day two.
The Tyrone boys had four athletes place in the top eight on day one and two other individuals move on to finals on day two, along with two relays.
Assistant track and field coach Steve Everhart was enthusiastic about the results up and down the roster.
“Most of the kids, even those who did not place, smashed their PRs and are bringing a killer instinct to both the track and the field,” Everhart said.
Kanuch and Everhart are looking for big things on day two of the meet, which begins at 4 pm today.
“I want to see our team compete and be at their best. This is the culmination of our season, and the kids all know the expectation,” Kanuch said. “I really want to see us have a couple of individual [state] qualifiers, and I would like to see all of our relays make it to states.”
Everhart is looking for more school records to fall, especially in the boys’ 4×800 relay and the girls 300 hurdles.
“If Claire [Lehman] stays healthy, the hurdles record will fall next year if not this one. Claire is on fire and dropping seconds each time she runs. The 4×800 record has been less than a second away three times in the last year. If it doesn’t fall today, it will be years until it’s vulnerable again. That’s a pretty old mark,” Everhart said.
BOYS
The highest finisher on day one for the boys was senior thrower Cian Hockenberry.
Hockenberry pulled off a fourth-place finish in discus, just one place shy of qualifying for states; he was seeded 11th, so moving up to fourth place was a significant accomplishment.
Hockenberry threw a 130-8, a new personal best by 6 feet and 2 inches, breaking his old PR of 124-6.
“I was ranked eleventh going into the meet. That put a little chip on my shoulder because I knew I was better than half the kids ranked above me,” Hockenberry said. “So, when I was up to throw, I wanted to show them I mean business, and on my very first throw, I threw 130 feet and some change and placed fourth. What makes it even better is that everyone was twice my size.”
Also in the throws, junior Ashton Emigh was seeded tenth with a throw of 152-9 and ended up finishing in sixth, throwing a 158-2, PRing by 5-5.
Senior Tom Sutt ran his personal best by four seconds in the 1600m run (4:41.84), reaching the podium and taking eighth place.
In the long jump pit, Tyrone saw two athletes reach the podium. Senior Dante Novak took seventh with a jump of 20-8, and sophomore Mason Emigh took eighth with a jump of 20-5.
In the sprints, senior Seth Hoover finished in sixth place in the 100, running 11.52 and qualifying for finals on day two. Sophomore Drew Irons finished fourth in the 200 prelims, running a 23.13.
Tyrone’s relays also had a very successful day.
Both the 4x100m relay and the 4x400m relay placed fourth in the prelims and will move on to the finals today.
The 4×100 was made up of Dante Novak, Mason Emigh, Austin Lucas, and Seth Hoover, and the 4×400 team was made up of Drew Irons, Aiden Detwiler, Tytus Novak, and Dante Novak.
The 4x800m relay will run on day two with the hopes of breaking the school record and qualifying for States.
GIRLS
Tyrone crowned two district champions on Thursday: freshman Lola Woomer and senior Kylee Nelson.
Woomer won the high jump by clearing 5 feet, 2 inches.
“It feels really, really awesome,” Woomer said. “I had a goal of being a district champion. I didn’t think it was going to be my freshman year, but I’m glad I got it. I can see myself getting higher if I continue to put the work and effort in.”
Nelson took first in javelin with a throw of 125 feet, 8 inches.
“Things were working out well,” Nelson told the Altoona Mirror. “I haven’t hit over 121 since the Lock Haven Invitational. Coming off shoulder surgery last year, this is my first time going to States — so I’m really excited.”
But what might be the biggest news of the day happened in the preliminary run of the girls 4×400 relay.
The relay team, which included Sarah Chichester, Taylor Wrye, Braeleigh Flick, and Claire Lehman, broke the 4×400 relay school record, running a time of 4:10.52.
The previous record set was a time of 4:14.10, previously held by Micheala Deihl, Jordan Wiser, Erika Voyzey, and Jordyn Swogger, set back in 2013.
“I am very happy with the way things worked out. We have been working to get this record for two years now, and it’s great that we got it done,” said first leg runner Sarah Chichester.
Junior Nicole Ramsey placed fifth in the long jump, jumping 16-04.75.
Junior Claire Lehman is seeded second for finals in the 300-meter hurdles.
Sophomore Sarah Chichester is seeded first for finals in the 200-meter dash, and junior Nicole Ramsey is right beside her, seeded second.
Chichester is also seeded third in the 100-meter dash.
Both the 4×100 relay team and the 4×400 relay team are seeded first and hoping to make it to states with a good run today.
BOYS
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, Stroup, J, 4:22.13; 2, Kuntz, CC, 4:22.9; 3, Bomberger, J, 4:26.74; 4, Haycisak, CC, 4:30.88; 5, Caron, FH, 4:33.92; 6, Henning, U, 4:36.62; 7, Beward, J, 4:40.06; 8, Sutt, T, 4:41.84. High jump: 1, Layo, P, 6-5; 2, Shepps, J, 6-1; 3, Gontkovic, R, 6-1; 4, Gates, BEA, 6-1; T-5, Beach, C, 5-11; T-5, Edmondson, FH, 5-11; 7, Krimmel, BG, 5-11; T-8, Patel, PV, 5-9; T-8, McCulty, R, 5-9. Long jump: 1, Lilly, PC, 21-8; 2, Lane, H, 21-7.25; 3, Cunningham, BC, 21-2.75; 4, Beach, C, 21-2; 5, McCulty, R, 21-1.5; 6, Farrell, NC, 21-0.25; 7, D. Novak, T, 20-8; 8, M. Emigh, T, 20-5. Discus: 1, Polenik, PM, 169-4; 2, Hollis, R, 148-7; 3, Wirick, U, 136-8; 4, Hockenberry, T, 130-8; 5, Quick, BA, 127-2; 6, Gray, PC, 125-6; 7, Layo, P, 122-3; 8, Leiato, WH, 120-1. Javelin: 1, Lewis, PM, 177-1; 2, Lilly, PC, 171-7; 3, Mahla, R, 170-3; 4, Costello, NC, 161-0; 5, Gray, PC, 159-9; 6, A. Emigh, T, 158-2; 7, Shutty, NC, 157-8; 8, Ehrenzeller, J, 154-11. Pole vault: 1, Garshnick, U, 13-6; 2, Fox, MC, 13-0; 3, Heuston, C, 12-0; 4, Miller, J, 12-0; T-5, Farabaugh, BC, 11-6; T-5, Uberti, BEA, 11-6; T-5, Lushko, R, 11-6; 8, Fischer, U, 11-6.
GIRLS
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, McCrum, JV, 5:04.14; 2, Mavridis, R, 5:07.08; 3, Alexander, CC, 5:12.65; 4, Brubaker, J, 5:12.86 (SQ); 5, Long, CC, 5:28.76; 6, Dixon, W, 5:31.77; 7, Hoover, CH, 5:33.08; 8, Pennington, BA, 5:33.71. High jump: 1, Woomer, T, 5-2; T-2, McLeary, FH, 5-0; T-2, Ressler, U, 5-0; 4, Skopic, MU, 4-10; 5, Carpenter, FH, 4-10; 6, LeMaster, PC, 4-10; 7, Cornman, RV, 4-10; 8, Twinchek, RV, 4-8. Long jump: 1, McMillen, CH, 17-0.75; 2, Macey, R, 16-6; 3, Cherry, BA, 16-6; 4, Eckenrode, PC, 16-5.5; 5, Ramsey, T, 16-4.75; 6, Cabala, FH, 16-1.75; 7, McClellan, CH, 16-1.5; 8, Twinchek, RV, 16-1.5. Discus: 1, Taneyhill, BA, 121-7; 2, Taylor, R, 105-2; 3, Miller, U, 104-1; 4, Speicher, FH, 103-6; 5, Kyper, H, 101-8; 6, Voyda, HC, 99-5; 7, Anderson, CC, 95-3; 8, Crestani, BEA, 95-3. Javelin: 1, Nelson, T, 125-8; 2, Mumau, PL, 116-10; 3, Myers, FH, 112-2; 4, Hebel, WB, 110-2; 5, Erwin, SH, 107-7; 6, Yoder, WH, 106-2; 7, Irvin, P, 104-9; 8, Wagner, J, 103-0.
*Meet records; SQ–Advanced to state meet through qualifying standard
