Hempfield Track & Field Blog - What Will The Focus Be?

Another year of Track & Field!  As a reminder, here are the gold for this years blog:

1 - Hempfield High School Track & Field

The young men and women will do their best to carry on the tradition of Hempfield Track and Field!  As mentioned earlier, a lot of the recent success in the outdoor season is directly linked to the indoor season.  Here again is the schedule for this season:

12/20 – Kutztown University

1/11 – Franklin & Marshal College

1/25 – Penn State University

2/1  - Kutztown University

2/15 – Lehigh University

3/1 – States @ Penn State

3/3 – Outdoor Starts!

This blog will cover the new generation of Hempfield Athletes as they attempt to improve their abilities on & off the track!

2 - Hempfield Athletes participating in College Track & Field

Here is the list that I have so far:

Hansel Akers        Georgetown University

Matt Groff              Richmond University

Steve Feister         Liberty University

Kelley Donovan     Delaware University

Spencer Nenzda   Delaware University

Chrissy Richert     High Point University

Kyle Long               Arizona State University

Ellie Ressler           Shippensburg University

Connor White         Dickinson University

Rachel Grube         Gettysburg University

Eric Solomon          Widener University

Rachel Poletti        Messiah University
Rachel Wynne        West Chester
Kelle Farris              Millersville University

Tyler Cox                 Lock Haven 

Shane Symonds     Kutztown University

Last year I retired from coaching and one of the benefits was attending college track & field meets!  Traveling to different universities, talking to Hempfield graduates, and enjoying college level track and field was a brand new experience!  And this year should be another great year for Hempfield grads!

3 - Hempfield Track Alumni

This is also a whole lot of fun!  Many of my friends on Facebook are Hempfield Track & Field alumni!  They are all over the country!  They have families!  They are still competing!  And we have some amazing stories to tell!  One of the first stories will be covering one of the top hurdlers ever to graduate from Hempfield - Jerry Frey!  More to come!

Hempfield Hall of Fame Track & Field

Class of 2005-2006

Adam Burket

Robert Rivard

Kevin Schadt

Marilyn Senz

Class of 2006-2007

Richard Horst

Carol Miller

Traci Fisher Shaub

Pam Neiss Stuper

Class of 2007-2008

None

Class of 2008-2009

Kirk Liddell

Doug Nauman

Meryl Schmidt Shoemaker

Class of 2009-2010

Troy Millhouse

Class of 2010-2011

Patrick Fatta

Amy Stairs Grube

Jodi Heistand Habecker

Ike Rittenhouse

Class of 2011-2012

Jeff Bradley

Jeff Fritz

Class of 2012-2013

Warren Taylor

Follow Hempfield Track & Field!  This season will add new stories, new achievements, and of course……………

Hempfield Track & Field

"The Tradition Continues"

More on Zach Miller

The news about Zach Miller is spreading!  Check out the Blog - iRunFar

Great read!!  Some of the highlights!

He didn’t just win, either, he ran the third-fastest time in the now 50-year history of the race.

Zach's job on the cruise ship?
I have a mechanical-engineering degree, but in college I did an internship with a printing company and I designed printers on an engineering team. When I got out of college, I got an offer from this British printing company to run their print operations on cruise ships. So I’m the Digital Print Shop Manager (my title), but on the cruise ship they just call me the Chief Printer. I’m in charge of pretty much all the printing that goes on on board the cruise ship. So I deal with all the customers and do all the paperwork and everything, but I also maintain all the equipment. If we’re in the middle of the ocean and something breaks down, we have to fix it as fast as possible or we start losing money. So I’m the guy that’s lying underneath the printer with a flashlight and a screwdriver. I fix everything. That’s a big part of my job.

Zach's work schedule?
I’m usually at sea for five months at a time and then on land, on a vacation for about two months. It’s not strict. The first time I did it, I was at sea for seven months and then I was on vacation for six weeks. Then I was somewhere on the ship for three and a half months, now I’m off for two and a half months. I go back in December and I’ll be there for the winter for about four months. I’ll get off in April.

Zach's background in running?

In elementary school, we’d run the mile. I couldn’t run 100 meters to save my life, but I could beat most of the kids in the mile. Not all of them—I’d get beat by one or two kids, but I could tell I was pretty good. In eighth grade I started running track, and I kept playing soccer. Around 10th grade, the coaches started bugging me about running cross country. They’d be like, “Zach, what are you doing this fall?” I’d be like, “I don’t know,” because I’d want to play soccer. So in 10th grade–it was really hard–but I decided to stop playing soccer seriously and to run cross country. I told my high-school coach and he said that he’d pretty much expected it. He wasn’t fazed by it.

I started running cross country and I just fell in love. I just loved it. From then on, it was just running year-round—cross country, indoor track, outdoor track. In high school, I was good, but I wasn’t an absolute star. I only ran probably 16:55 or something in cross country for 5k. I ran the two mile in 10:05. My 1600 time was 4:47. I didn’t have much speed. But by my senior year our team did go to state, and we were really excited about that. I never medaled or anything. We were just happy to go.

And Coach Bradley had some influence!
My high school track coach. I came home and I saw him and he pulls out his phone and he goes, “I have a race for you. You’re going to run the JFK 50 Mile.” I look at it and I’m like, “Fifty miles? That’s a long race. I can do 31, but 50?” I really wasn’t sure. I was talking to him and a local pro triathlete from my area who I went to high school with, Andrew Yoder, and we all agreed, at least those two agreed–no, I agreed too–that I needed to get in some sort of high-profile race. I wasn’t so sure about JFK. So I started looking around and I found Bootlegger. I went to my coach and I said, “Coach, I found a race. It’s in Nevada. It’s the USATF Trail 50k Championships. This I can do.” He says, “Yeah, that’s the race. That would be great.” He’s like, “I’d even take you to it except I’m on vacation in Florida.” 

They asked Zach about running 50 miles under 6 hours?
 I knew I was strong. I was training well. I had accidentally run 35 miles with my track coach one day at 7:40 pace with a bunch of wrong turns. I was running; my track coach was biking. When I say “accidentally” it just sounds funny that way. It was supposed to be a 30-mile loop around a lake near Reading, Pennsylvania. I made some wrong turns and was determined to get the right route, so I kept backtracking. By the time I figured it all out, it was about 35 miles. I wasn’t tanked when I finished. I was talking; I was fine. I hadn’t taken any water during the run, just some homemade gels that I make. My coach had water for me, but when we got to the hills, it’s a lot of singletrack trail. When we got to the hills—he was on his mountain bike and I was running—and he said, “See you at the top,” and I never really saw him again. So I didn’t get my water, which was okay. That gave me some confidence for JFK. It suggested maybe I could run around six hours for JFK because I know that JFK’s middle section is all flat. That middle section is real flat and the trail I was running had some good hills in it. That was a good indicator.

This is an amazing story!  Read it!

Hempfield Winter Track & Field Schedule

Next week the Hempfield Track & Field Season begins!  One of the key reasons we think the program has turned it up a notch is the winter track season! The coaches have worked hard to keep the winter season in check & prepare the athletes for the long haul into the outdoor season starting in March.

The team usually practices 3 days a week and averages a meet every two weeks.  Here is the tentative winter meet schedule.

Dec 20 - at Kutztown
Jan 11 - at F & M
Jan 25 - at Penn State
Feb 1 - at Kutztown
Feb 15 - at Lehigh
Mar 1- States at Penn State

Outdoor Season begins March 3!!!

"The Tradition Continues!"

Hempfield Ready to Start The Indoor Track Season!

It's that time again!  You may see those "crazy" teenagers running around your neighborhoods!  And since we ALL were once crazy teenagers, get ready for another great season of Hempfield Track & Field!  Visit the Hempfield Track & Field Websites:

Indoor Track Website

Outdoor Track Website

This year,  you may order track and field clothing & accessories at the "Hempfield Track Stuff"
Send form to
Curt Rogers
175 Cooper Ave. 
Landisville 17538

Cheer on the Black Knights!!!

Zach Miller - WHAT A RUN!

The more I read the articles, the better Zach's race gets!!

Even though the time, 5:38:53 is the third best time ever(WHICH IS AMAZING!), the course director thinks it is the BEST ever because of the conditions!

And, Zach NEVER ran 50 miles before Saturday!!!!

Zach works on a cruise ship!  Cannot run many miles on a cruise ship! (Only treadmill work!)

Zach barely qualified, from a 50K race(31 miles!)

Read the entire article - 

Miller's JFK 50 Mile victory is one of legendary proportions

GREAT JOB ZACH MILLER!!!

Hempfield Track & Field Blog Begins Again With News About 2007 Hempfield Grad Zach Miller!

This is exciting!  The first blog post has some awesome news!!!

2007 Hempfield Grad, Zach Miller, wins the 2013 JFK 50 Mile Run!

This is 50 miles!  WOW!

The men's race capsule:

On the other hand, the front of the men’s race was topsy turvy throughout. Josh Arthur and Iain Ridgway left the Appalachian Trail for the tow path before the rest of the field, but Zach Miller (not the one some ultra aficionados are thinking of), Matt Flaherty, and Rob Krar were all within a minute or so of the lead. Once on the pancake-flat tow path, Krar, Miller, and Arthur took off with the last quickly falling off the pace around mid-race. Krar and Miller continued to battle with each opening small gaps on the other. It appears that Krar made a move after mile 30, opening up a 45 second lead on Miller by mile 34, but less than 5 miles later, it was Miller pulling Krar along. And then Krar dropped out leaving Miller all alone out in front. Still, Flaherty had relentlessly stayed 3-4 minutes behind the leaders since mid-race and he continued to pursue Miller with Mike Wardian making  an even stronger late charge. Neither would catch the previously unknown 25 year-old Miller, who had no marathons and two 50ks to his resume before winning JFK in the third fastest time ever – 5:38:53. Zach ran for Division III RIT where he set PRs of 31:23 in the 10,000m and 15:32 for 5k.

This is very impressive!  First, running 50 miles!  Second, beating some great competition!

Kelley Donovan Elected Captain for Delaware Women Track & Field!

It looks like another tradition is continuing for Hempfield Ladies Track & Field!  LEADERSHIP!

Kelley Donovan was elected to be a Captain for next years track & field team!  And while she was at Hempfield, Kelley was also a Captain!  We are very proud at Hempfield of all the accomplishments that Kelley has at Hempfield and Delaware!

At Hempfield, not only was Kelley a great leader, but one of our top sprinters!  Kelley is ranked 7th in the 200 meters in a time of 25.86 and 3rd in the 400 meters in 57.91!  And Kelley was on the school record 4 x 400 relay team in 2011, with a time of 3:58.01!  One of our top sprinters all time!!

Congrats Kelley!  We are VERY proud of you!  We are sure you will be a great LEADER for next years team at Delaware!!

Track Stories & Where Are They Now!

Over 30 years of coaching have allowed me to accumulate many stories.  The stories all have one thing in common, young women & men!  Young men & women, all trying to do the same thing, become the best track & field athlete possible!!  Along the way, they have ti deal with being a teenager!!!  Yes, a teenager in a world that never seems to be ready for teenagers!

To be a successful high school coach one must take these young & talented men & women to a new level - the level of a champion!!!

First, there are different levels of champions!  The most obvious is the state champion!  This champion is rare, and coaching this athlete is also challenging!  At Hempfield, we have had several state champions!

Boys
Kyle Long - 2012 - Discus
Kyle Long - 2011 - Discus
Kyle Long - 2011 - Shot
David Patzer - 2009 - Pole Vault
Leroy McQueen - 1999 - Long Jump
Kevin Schadt - 1991 - 1600 meters
Bob Rivard - 1965 - Javelin

Girls
Marilyn Senz - 1980 - Javelin
Marilyn Senz - 1978 - Javelin
Carol Miller - 1976 - Javelin
Sue Strait, Joanne Harriger, Patty Wickenheiser, & Mrilyn Opp - 1974 - 880 Yard Relay

That is 11 PIAA State Champions!  Notice 3 by Kyle Long & 2 by Marilyn Senz!

On the next blog entry I will tackle the one state champion I personally coached!

What Is Next On the Hempfield Track Blog!

OK.  Track season is over for the high school team & 2013 was another memorable year!!  What will this blog do this summer?  MORE TRACK & FIELD!!!

Here is a list of topics for the summer:

1 - Hempfield Hall of Fame
I will discuss current Hempfield Hall of Fame members that participated in track & field!  Here is the list of athletes that are in the Hall of Fame that participated in track & field!

Year Inducted - Name
2005 - Adam Burket
2005 - Tom Herr
2005 - Robert Rivard
2005 - Kevin Schadt
2005 - Marilyn Senz
2006 - Traci Shaub (Fisher)
2006 - Richard Horst
2006 - Carol Miller
2006 - Pam Neiss (Stuper)
2007 - Meryl Schmidt (Shoemaker)
2008 - Kirk Liddel
2008 - Doug Nauman
2009 - Troy Milhouse
2010 - Amy Stairs (Grube)
2010 - Jodi Heistand (Habecker)
2011 - Jeff Bradley
2011 - Jeff Fritz
2012 - Warren Taylor
2013 - Jerry Frey

2 - Current High School & College Athletes
What are they doing this summer?  What are their college plans?  And summer meets?

3 - Track & Field News
What is happening in the world of Track & Field?  Summer Events?

4 - Miscellaneous!
Anything Track & Field!!!

New Girls Track Brochure

The girls track & field team did not let the boys have all the fun!  ANOTHER GREAT YEAR!!

The girls success in the Lancaster-Lebanon League has been amazing!  This season was not different!  The only down side was losing Sarah Helgeson right before the league meet!

Here are some of the highlights:

Undefeated in Duel Meets - 6-0
Section 1 Champions
Black Knight Invitational - 2nd
Shippensburg Invitational - 3rd
Lancaster-Lebanon League Meet - 2nd (WITHOUT HELGESON!)

Individuals
Lancaster-Lebanon Champs
Dani Bland - 100 meters - 12.49
Dani Poletti - Pole Vault - 11'6" (2nd year in a row!)
4 x 800 Relay - 9:44.64 (Kelsey Nolan, Maris Kurcina, Bri Thomas, & Maria Yoder)

District Medals

4th - Dani Bland - 100 meters - 12.84
5th - Claire Davis - Triple Jump - 35'-9.75"
5th - Dani Poletti - Pole Vault - 11'0"
5th - 4 x 100 Relay - 49.57 (Abbet Friedman, Claire Davis, Sarak Klag, & Dani Bland)
6th - 4 x 800 Relay - 9:30.98 (Kelsey Nolan, Maris Kurcina, Bri Thomas, & Maria Yoder)

PIAA State Medal
7th - Dani Poletti - Pole Vault - 11'6"


Here are more details from the Track Brochure:

Great Season Ladies

"Tradition Doesn't Graduate!"

New Boys Track Brochure

Checkout the latest 2013 Track Brochure!!!

This was another great season!!

Another Successful Season for the Black Knights!

Many teams would love to have the season that Hempfield Track & Field had this year!  From the cold days in December to the cold days in May!  Now wait that should not be!  But is was a cold & windy spring and that is part of track & field in good old Pennsylvania!!

Let's start with the boys team.  Section 1 Champions, Lancaster-Lebanon League Champions, district medals, and a state medal!  Nice season!  The only negative were some of the nagging injuries at the end of the year.  Tory Long could not fly at the district meat.  He had one of the best sophomore seasons of any in Hempfield's long history!  League Champ in the 200 meters and a 2nd & 3rd in the 100 & 400 meters respectively!  A dual meet season of big points!  And the team was deep in sprinters! Dustin Koenig, although fighting injuries had a great senior season!  And a 5th in the 100 meters & 2nd in the 400 relay at leagues!  Great depth led by Preston Swett and Zach Zeamer had great season, scored big points and helped at leagues!!

In the hurdles, Devon Santos had an incredible season!  Big points all year in dual meets & relays, and at leagues 2nd in both the 110 & 300 Hurdles!  And he moved up the all time Hemplfield list of great hurdlers!  Andrew Pogue had one of the best hurdle seasons for a freshman, maybe the best ever!!  qualified for leagues 7th in the 300 hurdles, again as a freshman!

In the distance events, Andrew Birk scored big points and was the leader in the 800 meters & 1600 meters!  Scored big points in the league meet, finishing 2nd in the 1600 meters.  Connor Lehr led the way in the 3200 meters and a young group of Kline, Meldrum, Yurchak, & Wagaman make the future look bright!

In the jumps, Adam KArl & Darius Stucky led the way in the high jump, Issiah Bennett in the long & triple & Dustin Peck in the pole vault provided strength in many meets!  The key to a successful team is to be strong in all events and the jumpers made sure their team could depend on them!

The throws had another unbelievable year!  With the loss of Kyle Long to graduation, the league may have thought the Black Knights would falter in the throws!  No way, Tanner Unger, JD Aument, Matt Bobetsky, & Anthony Delgiorno made many teams pay the price!!  The Dicus, Shot Put, and Javelin were well covered!  Tanner Unger had one of the best years of an Hempfield throwers!  Culminating in a second place in the Discus at states!!!!!  And a District Champ as well!!!  JD Aument was battling with Tanner all year in the Shot & Discus!  Medaled at leagues in shot & discus and was League Champ in the shot with a 52 foot throw!!!

A great year for the young men at Hempfield - "The Tradition Continues!"  Next, a look at the Hempfield young ladies!!

Analyzing The PIAA State Track & Field Meet

As a retired math teacher and an original computer integrator, numbers have always intrigued me!  One thing I do every year is analyze results of the PIAA Track & Field Meet.  First I looked at the PIAA Districts and compare the results from different sections of the state.  As a review, here is the breakdown of PIAA Districts for all sports - there are 12 districts.

As you can see there are twelve districts.  The most populous are:

District 1 - surrounding Philadelphia

District 3 - surrounding Harrisburg

District 7 - surrounding Pittsburgh

District 11 - the Allentown & Scranton area

District 12 - the city of Philadelphia

There are two classes for track & field AAA(larger school) & AA(smaller school).  Today I am analyzing the AAA schools!  I used the 8 places scoring that the PIAA uses - 1st-10 points, 2nd-8, 3rd-6, 4th-5, 5th-4, 6th-3, 7th-2, & 8th 1 point.  Here is the scoring for AAA Districts for Boys & Girls.

District          Boys Points        Girls Points

1                        267.5                 278.5

2                          26                      26

3                        122                    128.5

4                          20.5                   22

5                           0                        8

6                          10.5                    4

7                        119                    169

8                            0                       0

9                            0                       0

10                         28                     25

11                         62.5                  19

12                         46                     20

A few comments:

1 - District 8 is the city of Pittsburgh.  The have been declining the past 20 years, but this year they had NO points.  I need research what is up in Pittsburgh.

2 - District 9 has NO AAA schools.

3 - District 1 is still dominating.  They do have more athletes, but the track & field tradition is BIG TIME in this area!

4 - The battle for second is usually District 3 & District 7.  And this year was no different.  The girls AAA was a clear District 7 win for second.  

So, the numbers came out to show the usual results.   The power is still focused around Philadelphia.

Tanner Unger Second at States!!

Second at States!  The Hempfield Discus is alive and well!!  Tanner Unger has continued to make the Hempfield throwers proud!!!  Check out the Tanner Unger Interview at States!

Well said Tanner!  A throw of 168' 2"!!  Check out the results below:

Checkout the State PIAA Record!  Hempfield's Kyle Long - 202' 10"!!  Kyle was back to help Tanner this week!  And Coach Herr should be proud!  He has created an environment that is producing awesome throwers!!

All time Hempfield List below!

Some great names there!  Hall of Famers - Adam Burket and Warren Taylor!!  And now Tanner will be:

#3 All Time!!!!!! - Tanner Unger!!  168'2"

.......... and back next year!!!!!