Brian Hagberg
BROOKVILLE, Pa. – The season-long coming-out party for Sheffield freshman Emily Foster continued at the District 9 Class 2A Track and Field Championships Friday.
When Foster sailed over the bar at 5′ 2″ not only did she clinch a spot in the state championships, but secured district gold in the process. It’s believed she’s the first Wolverine freshman to win a D9 title in program history.
“We know that a couple of freshmen have made it to states, but we are pretty sure and don’t think any of them were ever district champions,” Sheffield coach Jason Snell said.
Foster nearly met the D9 qualifying standard in the Wolverines’ first meet of the year, and that was just a harbinger of things to come. Foster now sets her sights on a state medal.
And Foster won’t be going to states alone.
In what’s already been a record-setting season, senior Emily Leichtenberger saved her best for last Friday. In the final event of the day, Leichtenberger uncorked a 105 foot, six inch discus throw to take silver and punch her ticket to the state meet.
“Emily Leichtenberger qualifying in the discus for states, which was the last event of the day, it was pure bittersweet,” Snell said. “She’s worked so hard for so many years and it couldn’t have ended the day more perfectly.”
Oh, and that mark was another school record for Leichtenberger. She had set the mark earlier this season at 104′ 5 1/2″.
The PIAA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships will take place Friday, May 28, at Shippensburg University. Events are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
Leichtenberger narrowly missed qualifying for states in the javelin as well. She finished third in the event, with her 116′ 5″ was just behind Karns City’s Ashley Fox (117′ 10″) for the second place.
The Lady Wolverines finished ninth in the team standings. Lexi Goldthewaite finished 10th in the triple jump, Foster was 14th in the long jump, and Leichtenberger was ninth in the shot put.
On the boys’ side, the 4 x 100 relay team of Quahien Pressley, Landon Mead, Garret Waters and Lucas McNeal took eighth, and McNeal was seventh in the high jump.
Brookville swept the team titles, with the boys winning their fourth straight and the girls their second consecutive.
They also swept the Jim Manners MVP awards, with Kyle MacBeth taking home the boys’ honors and Morgan Monnoyer on the girls’ side.
Full coverage can be found here: Results • Recap – courtesy D9and10Sports.com
