Brian Hagberg
COUDERSPORT, Pa. – The Sheffield boys’ track team took its shot at the reigning Northern Tier League champion Thursday, but Coudersport showed why it’s been at the top of the hill with an 80-69 win over the Wolverines.
Coudersport had an 8-point cushion before the meet began as Sheffield doesn’t compete in the pole vault.
“We knew when the schedule came out that we would be boarding a bus already down points before we left the parking lot,” Sheffield coach Jason Snell said. “We gave up 8 points in the pole vault that we can’t compete in, so all in all we lose by 3. We had a false start/DQ in the 110 Hurdles and that was painful. There were opportunities we had to win this meet, but the what-ifs don’t get it done for you!”
Sheffield got another strong performance from Lucas McNeal who swept the jumping events and was the anchor for the first-place 4×100 relay (along with Colby Barr, Collin Brown, and Leihden Wotorson). Damar Seymour was a dual winner, and district qualifier, in the 100M and 200M.
The Wolverines had a 1-point edge on the track, 44-43, but the Falcons’ effort in the field gave them a 29-25 advantage to add to the eight points in the pole vault.
“It was absolutely heartbreaking,” Snell said. “Little Sheffield hasn’t had many of those big stage opportunity moments to compete for something that meaningful so to lose by that close of a margin takes your breath away. There may have been a few tears shed on the bus ride home.”
Sheffield also got first-place finishes from Hayden Holden (300 hurdles), and the 4×400 relay of Brown, Jaylen Dougherty, Barr, and Dylan Hardwick.
Given his team’s performance, Snell said he didn’t want to make any excuses.
“We can make all the excuses we want about the pole vault points hurting us and not to mention it was 86 degrees at 4 p.m. when the meet began,” Snell said. “We have to continue to get better and we have to perform at our best when on the big stage. I am very proud of our efforts tonight, but to say we are all a little heartbroken would be a huge understatement! We will thrive to continue getting better and ending the way we started!”
Coudersport won the girls’ meet, 81-58.
“The girls give it their all and for a young team that is small in numbers, they have been in every meet,” Snell said. “Their time is coming and coming soon.”
Sheffield got wins from freshman Emma Roell in the 100M, and sophomores Sarah Hoffman (100) and Lily Benton (300) in the hurdles. Hoffman and Benton finished 1-2 in each hurdles race.
The winning 4×100 relay of Bryana Butler, Kassidy Orinko, Roell, and Emily Foster had its best run of the season (56.80), and Foster had her best high jump with a winning jump of 4’10”. Madison Connolly took first in the 3200M.
Both Wolverine teams will be in action this weekend at the Fort LeBoeuf Invitational.
“We are looking forward to the elite competition that this invite will bring and are extremely hopeful we will get pushed to a plethora of District qualifying times and distances,” Snell said. “We know we can possibly take a bus full of athletes to the D9 championships this year. Facing some of the powerhouses in D10 this weekend may be just what the doctor ordered to push them to that next level. We hope to be extremely competitive and continue to see better results consistently.”
The Fort LeBoeuf Invitational gets underway at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
RESULTS
BOYS
3200m Relay: Coudersport 9:23.2
110m Hurdles: Batterson (C) 18.5, Marfink (S) 20.7, Barnes (S) 21.2
100m: Seymour (S) 11.6, Wotorson (S) 11.9, Dougherty (S) 11.9
1600m: Sherry (C) 5:22.0, Bryant (C) 5:32.6, Gabreski (C) 5:45.3
400m: Conyer (C) :58.1, Barr (S) :59.0, Chang (C) 59.1
400m Relay: Sheffield :47.9
300m Hurdles: Holden (S) :49.9, Batterson (C) :50.3, Mott-Macalush (S) 53.9
800m: Sherry (C) 2:04.2, Hardwick (S) 2:16.2, Bryant (C) 2:28.1
200m: Seymour (S) 24.0, Brown (S) 24.9, Dougherty (S) 25.1
3200m: Sherry (C) 11:03.2, Gabreski (C) 12:34, Bryant (C) 12:35
1600m Relay: Sheffield 4:01.8
Long Jump: McNeal (S) 19’ 4”, Conyer (C) 18’ 1”, Barr (S) 17’ 6”
Triple Jump: McNeal (S) 37’ 1”, Finch (S) 34’ 1”, Dunn (C) 33’ 4”
High Jump: McNeal (S) 5’ 8”, Batterson (C) 5’ 6”, Finch (S) 5’ 1”
Shot Put: Kellert (C) 38’ 3”, Rossman (C) 37’ 2”, Mott-Macalush (S) 35’ 11”
Discus: Ayers (C) 116’ 3”, Rossman (C) 100’ 11”, Sherry (C) 97’ 7”
Javelin: Sherry (C) 145’ 6”, Confer (S) 121’, Greer (S) 108’ 9”
GIRLS
3200m Relay: Coudersport 12:19.2
110m Hurdles: Benton (S) :19.6, Hoffman (S) :20.5,
100m: Roell (S) :13.9, Popchak (C) :14.0, Butler (S) :14.1
1600m: Chambers (C) 6:42.4, Bell (S) 7:53.4
400m: Gill (C) 1:10.3, Popchak (C) 1:10.4, Thomas (S) 1:21.2
400m Relay: Sheffield :56.8
300m Hurdles: Hoffman (S) :57.5, Benton (S) :60.2
800m: Chambers (C) 2:59.9, McBride (S) 3:20.4, Bell (S) 3:25.5
200m: Gill (C) :29.0, Butler (S) :30.9, Burmore (C) 31.0
3200m: Connolly (S) 20:15.9
1600m Relay: Coudersport 4:51.5
Long Jump: Rigas (C) 15’ 3”, Orinko (S) 14’ 1”, Burrows (C) 13’ 3”
Triple Jump: Rigas (C) 31’ 5”, Orinko (S) 28’ 11”, Roell (S) 28’ 5”
High Jump: Foster (S) 4’ 10”, Rigas (C) 4’ 8”, Orinko (S) 4’ 6”
Shot Put: Myers (C) 35’ 5”, Wahlers (C) 29’ 6 ½”, Dubots-Angood (C) 26’ 8 ½”
Discus: Wahlers (C) 99’ 10”, Dubots (C) 95’ 3”, Roell (S) 80’ 9”
Javelin: Myers (C) 106’ 7 ½”, Dubots-Angood (C) 94’ ½”, Davidson (S) 82’ 4”
