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Throwback Thursday: Eastern's Jon Witman starred on the track, too


Think of the name Jon Witman, and what comes to mind?

Most would associate the 1991 Eastern York graduate with his gridiron success, and rightly so. The running back was a first-team all-state pick and rushed for 3,300 career yards during his time with the Golden Knights — all of which earned him a scholarship to Penn State.

But Witman also excelled at track and field. In his junior year, he helped the Golden Knights' boys' team win the YCIAA Division B championship, the first boys' track and field title in school history. He won four events in the clinching meet, a victory against Kennard-Dale, taking first in the triple jump, long jump, shot put and as the anchor on the 400 relay team. (The girls' team also won the Division B title that year.)

That season, Witman went on to win a PIAA gold medal in the Class AA long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 9 inches. At the time, he was just the second Eastern York boy to win a state gold medal, along with Jeff Shirey in 1983 (AA 3,200).

In 2008, Daily Record reporters named Witman as one of Eastern York's top 10 Greatest Athletes. Visit www.GameTimePA.com/athletes to see where he ranked on the list.

Have a high school sports memory to share? Email Sports Editor Lyzz Jones at ejones@ydr.com or call 771-2058.

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