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!!!!!

NCAA Track & Field Championships!

It's that time of the year!  The NCAA Championships for Spring sports!  And of course Track & Field! As a reminder there are three championships!  Division 1, 2 & 3.  Here is what I think Hempfield has going:

Division 2 - 400 meter hurdles - Kori Meshaw
The championships are in Pueblo, Colorado & here is the website -
NCAA Division 2 Track & Field Championships

Division 3 - Pole Vault - Melissa Fellenbaum
The championships are in La Crosse, Wisconsin & here is the website -
NCAA Division 3 Track & Field Championships

You can watch some of the events LIVE!!!  - go to the website!

You can get results - go to the website!

Coaching Melissa was a real pleasure for me!  She was talented.  She was athletic! And she loved the event!  Today on Facebook here is what Melissa said:

"Everything I've done leading up to today has prepared me for this moment. The training has made my body strong, the challenges I've faced have made my mind tough and so today I jump with my heart, not for the fear of this chapter ending but for the love I have of my sport that has carried through and will always be a part of me."

Wow!  That makes a coach smile!!  Good luck Melissa!

Melissa on right, her senior year Track & Field Banquet!

Taylor Lundy on left, another great Hempfield pole vaulter!

And Kori Meshaw!  Take a look at the Kutztown website - Kori Meshaw Named Kutztown MVP

Here is what Kori's coach said:

We knew when we were recruiting Kori that he was going to be special,” head coachRay Hoffman said. “Not only did he meet our expectations, he went above and beyond. It's easy to see his results but what you don't see is the extra work in the weight room, what he does on his own on Sunday's, and the outstanding leadership he provides for the program. I cannot express how much he will be missed. He set the bar high for our future student-athletes.”

Wow! That makes a coach smile!  Good luck Kori!!!

District 3 Wrap Up!

The District 3 Track & Field Meet is always an amazing meet!  This year was no different.  Hempfield had high expectations!  The girls & boys were looking for medals & qualifying for States!

First the "bad" news!  Two of our top guns had injury issues!  Sarah Helgeson was nursing a hamstring injury.  If you are a sprinter, this is one of those injuries that is the most difficult to recover from!  Sarah rested the hamstring through the League Meet, but it just was not enough time!  Great year for Sarah and the state meet will be missing one of the top sprinters!

Tory Long had an awesome League Meet & sophomore season!  He was one of the top sprinters in the district & the anchor of the 4 x 100 relay!  Tory also "tweaked" the hamstring at districts!  He made the finals of the 100 meters, but pulled up during the 200 meter semi's!  Another great season, and only a sophomore!  He will be back!!

Tanner Unger is the District 3 Discus Champion!  And that is three years in a row for a Hempfield athlete!!  And Kyle Long was there to cheer on Tanner!

District 3 Champ Tanner Unger!!!

Kyle Long (Arizona State) cheering on Tanner!

Devon Santos carried the great year on into districts, qualifying for states in the 110 Hurdles!  Devon has become one the top hurdlers in Hempfield history!  And he is a junior!!!

Devon!

Andrew Birk was the heart of the boys distance crew, and he was rewarded by qualifying for states in the 1600 meters!  Great year Andrew!

Andrew!

The girls had a better district meet and qualified two relays and 3 individuals!  The 4 x 100 and 4 x 800 teams are in states!!  Claire Davis in the triple jump, Dani Poletti in the Pole Vault, and Danielle Bland in the 100 meters!

Danielle Bland's story is awesome!  She came on in the middle of the season in the sprints and shocked the leagues by winning the 100 meters!!!  When Sarah was trying to recover from her injury, Danielle was becoming one of the top sprinters in the county!!

Claire Davis was a consistent scorer for the girls in the Long & Triple Jumps!  She was rewarded for all that hard work by qualifying for states in the triple jump!

Danielle Poletti has been one of the top pole vaulters in district three for over two years and is going back to states for the second year in a row!!!  After a second straight league title in the pole vault, Danielle will attempt to get that state medal to add to her trophy case!!

Lancaster-Lebanon League Meet 2013!

Over the past 37 years I have followed track & field, this track meet is special!  Today was another one!

Boys - Lancaster Lebanon League Champion!

Girls - A GREAT effort, 2nd place finish by 4 points! - WITHOUT SARAH!

Here are my first impressions! The ladies!

No Sarah, WOW did the young ladies step it up!!  In the 100 meters DANIELLE BLAND - CHAMPION!!!!!  I will say it again WOW!!

In the 200 meters, Sarah Klag!  In the 400 meters, Amelia Brunner!  Three girls, stepped up to make this a VERY interesting day!

And more, Alecia Rohrer scored in all the throws!  Erin Gamble in the hurdles!  The relays, like the 4 X 100 team below!

The jumps, Claire Davis, in the long & triple & of course the Pole Vaulters below Danielle & Kayla!

GREAT JOB HEMPFIELD LADIES!!

The boys were on fire!  In the sprints Tory Long & Dustin Koenig led the way!

Tory close second in the 100 meters!!

Andrew Birk in the 800 & 1600 meters!  The throwers Tanner Unger & JD Aument.

JD Aument in the Shot!

ANd Devon Santos in the hurdles!  Below is an AWESOME picture!  Devon!

Pole Vault will finish up Monday at 4 PM at Hempfield!

Another day to remember!  Another great effort!  And the "Tradition Continues!"

Planning a Day of Hempfield Track!

Here we go!  It is a big day for Hempfield Track and Field!

First, College - PSAC's a Millersville - Click here for the PSAC Track & Field Schedule

What am I doing, running from Millersville to Hempfield!  First Millerville:

1:45 PM - 110 Hurdle Trials - Kori Meshaw
3:00 PM - Women's Pole Vault - Ellie Ressler
3:40 PM - 300 HurdleTrials - Kori Meshaw

Then run to Hempfield and watch the Hempfield Athletes

Lancaster-Lebanon Track & Field Championships Schedule

What is on my list?

4:00 PM - 100 m Trials
4:00 PM - Boys Jav, Girls Discus, Boys high Jump, Boys Long Jump, Girls Triple Jump & Pole Vault
4:30 PM - High Hurdle Trials
5:00 PM - 200 m Trials
5:30 PM - 3200 Finals

My focus of course will be on Girls Pole Vault!  Come on Kayla & Dani!!!

Preview of Lancaster-Lebanon League Track & Field Championships 2013

Every year the coaches at Hempfield do their best to win the Lancaster-Lebanon Track & Field Meet!  One of the things we look at are the seeds for the meet!

Lancaster-Lebanon Track & Field Seeds - 2013

When you go over the seeds, and score the meet, here is what you get!  Scoring is for the top 6 places at the league meet.  It used to be top 8, but the league went cheap a couple years ago!

Boys Seed Scoring:

Hempfield 92
Conestoga Valley 75
Garden Spot 60
Penn Manor 54
McCaskey 42

Girls Seed Scoring:

Ephrata 80
Hempfield 77
Garden Spot 66
L-S  35
Cedar Crest 34

It never works out by the seeds, but it gives you an idea of who are the top teams!
The scoring - 1st - 10, 2nd - 8, 3rd - 6, 4th - 4, 5th - 2, & 6th - 1
Here are the Hempfield hopefuls:

                         Boys                                                                   Girls
100 m - Tory Long & Dustin Koenig                            Sarah Helgeson & Danielle Bland
200 m - Tory Long & Dustin Koenig                            Sarah Helgeson & Sarah Klag
400 m - Tory Long                                                        Sarah Helgeson
800 m - Andrew Birk                                                    Maria Yoder & Kelsey Nolan
1600 m - Andrew Birk & Connor Lehr                         Briana Thomas
3200 m - Connor Lehr                                                   Kim Cambell
HH -    Devon Santos                                                    Erin Gamble & Kayla Garpstas
300 H - Deon Santos & Andrew Pogue                        Erin Gamble
400 R - Seeded - 1st                                                      Seeded 1st
1600 R - Seeded 7th                                                      Seeded 4th
3200 R - Seeded 11th                                                    Seeded 4th
Shot - Tanner Unger, JD Aumnet & Matt Bobetsky     Alecia Rohrer
Disc - Tanner Unger &  JD Aumnet                             Alecia Rohrer
Jav -   Tanner Unger &  JD Aumnet                             Alecia Rohrer
Long - Issiah Bennett                                                    Claire Davis
Triple - Issiah Bennett                                                    Claire Davis
High - Darius Stucky & Adam Karl                              Anna Williams
Pole Vault - Dustin Peck                                               Danielle Poletti & Kayla Garpstas

Lancaster-Lebanon Track & Field Championships 2013

There are many Track & Field meets that I love:

1 - Penn Relays - Wow!

2 - Olympic Track & Field - AWESOME!

3 - McCaskey - Hempfield Meet - Tradition!

4 - District 3 & PIAA Track & Field Meets! - Talent!!

But my favorite, for me, it is......

The Lancaster-Lebanon Track & Field Championships!!!

Why.....

1 - You know everyone, they live near you!  You read about them in the local newspaper!  The coaches are like brothers & sisters!  You see them all the time - FOR MANY YEARS!  It is like a "Family Reunion" with competition!

2 - You help each other!  Others coaches help YOUR kids!  Athletes help each other!  We all want each other to do well!!

3 - Bragging rights!  It's like competing against your brother or sister!  It makes winning special!

Some of my favorite stories....

1986 - Hempfield BEATS McCaskey to stop McCaskey dominating the league meet for years!  Believe it or not, after 17 events we were TIED!  1600 Relay!!  The team of Keith Shelly, Kevin Johnson, John Wade, & Jeff Fritz beat McCaskey and begin a new type of rivalry!

2011 - Boys Pole Vault Competition.  It is down to Two competitors - Hempfield's Ty Gumbert & Manheim Centrals Drew Engle!  Drew needed a new pole.  Ty runs in the Hempfield locker room & gets a pole for Drew!!!  A pole that could BEAT Ty!!  Ty does win the competition!  What sportsmanship!

This is what makes track special!!!  And Hempfield Track & Field special!!

Next post will analyze the 2013 League Meet!

Busy Weekend for Hempfield Track & Field

If you like track & field this weekend in Lancaster County, PA is FOR YOU!

First, we have PSAC Track & Field Championships!!!!

For all the great details click on the above link!  The Hempfield graduates running are:

Kori Meshaw - 400 Hurdles, 110 Hurdles,  & 4 x 400 Relay for Kutztown!  Here is how his weekend breaks down:

•  110 Hurdles - 2nd Seed (preliminaries Heat 1 - Lane 7)
•  400 Hurdles - 1st Seed (preliminaries Heat 2 - Lane 6)
•  4 x 400 Relay - 5th Seed (preliminaries Section 2 - Lane 5)

Kori is a senior at Kutztown and has had an awesome career!  If you have the chance you need to see him run!!










Rachel Wynn - 3000 m Steeplechase for West Chester

•  20th Seed in the 3000 m Steeplechase

Another entertaining race!  Come out and watch Rachel jump the water obstacle!




Ellie Ressler - Pole Vault for Shippenburg.

•  5th Seed Pole Vault

Ellie a former Lancaster-Lebanon League Champion & first girl to win a state medal in the pole vault!







And we have the High School Lancaster-Lebanon League Track & Field Championships at Hempfield this Friday & Saturday!  And the Lancaster-Lebanon League Junior High Championships at Hempfield on Thursday!

More to come on the high school meet tomorrow!