Hess's record-breaking jump leads A-C medal haul
SHIPPENSBURG - Annville-Cleona is the smallest of the Lebanon County schools that compete in track and field.
But Friday, on Day 1 of the District 3 Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University, no county track and field program came up bigger.
Led by Reagan Hess's repeat win in the long jump, A-C's boys and girls walked away with a total of 5 Class AA medals between them, none shinier than Hess's long jump gold in a record-breaking 18-8 1/4 that shattered her old mark of 18-6 set last year.
In addition to Hess, A-C boys sprint and jump standout Stanley Miller had a big day, grabbing a fifth place medal in the long jump in addition to posting the second-fastest 100 dash qualifying time and fourth-best 200 clocking.
The Dutchmen medal haul also extended to Noah Myers, who took third in the boys discus, Cameron Hoch, who snagged a fourth place medal in the boys AA javelin, and freshman Mackenzie Drane, who earned a trip to the medal stand after placing fifth in the AA girls discus.
"It's incredible," Hess said of A-C's success. "Like Stanley Miller, I know he's really been looking forward to this meet. It's just great to see him and everybody else succeed."
"It means a lot, a small school winning district medals," Miller said, smiling. "It really puts us in the spotlight."
That spotlight was blindingly bright on Hess once again, as she snared the sixth district gold medal of her distinguished career while also posting the top 100 and 200 dash qualifying times.
A senior, Hess is supremely motivated to end her district career with a bang, and it showed on Friday as she juggled the 100 and 200 qualifying heats with her quest for more long jump gold.
"It's great, it's an amazing feeling," Hess said. "It's been a long, exhausting day, so it hasn't set in yet, but it's a great feeling."
Particularly since it came with a new record, something Hess admitted she was after in an event in which she was essentially competing against herself after entering as the top seed by almost two feet.
"It definitely was," Hess said, when asked if a new record was her goal for the day. "I looked at the record and I was like, 'Wow, it's only 18-6. I can do this.' My personal best this year (19-1 1/2) was a lot more than 18-6, so it was a goal."
Also posting a personal-best performance was Cedar Crest senior Ariel Jones in the girls AAA triple jump, placing fourth in a deep and talented field with a leap of 37-8 1/4.
Right behind Jones was Palmyra's Camryn Simpson, who was fifth with a personal best of her own in 37-4.
Jones' effort led a successful day for Cedar Crest's girls, which also advanced Destinee Holloman to the AAA 100 dash finals, and got solid efforts from DeAsia Holloman (100 high hurdles) and Shayla Bonzelet (200 dash) before the two bowed out in the semifinals.
Also competing from Lebanon County on Friday were Lebanon's Ary'Anna Ortolaza (ninth, AAA girls shot put), Elco's Alexis Thomas (15th, AAA girls shot put), Cedar Crest's Hannah Weddle (16th AAA girls shot put), Annville-Cleona's Brayden Turner (9th, AA boys javelin), Griffin Hertz (9th, AA boys high jump,11th, AA boys long jump) Eriley Torres (12th, AA girls javelin and Gracen Kreider (12th, AA girls long jump), Palmyra's Devon Larkin (10th, AAA boys pole vault) and Cedar Crest's Jake Barrett (19th, AAA boys 3200 run).