Brian Hagberg
PORT ALLEGANY, Pa. – The Sheffield boys’ 4×400 relay team entered Friday’s Northern Tier League Championships knowing it had one last chance to qualify for the District 9 Championships.
The team, Collin Brown, Jaylen Dougherty, Dylan Hardwick, and Colby Barr, had to wait until the final event of the evening for its chance. But when that chance arrived, they seized it by clearing the district qualifying time by three seconds and earning a bronze in the event at the NTL.
“We have been a second off for a couple weeks,” Sheffield coach Jason Snell said. “I knew those guys weren’t leaving without it. Colby Barr, our anchor, after learning we qualified was silent and upset that we didn’t win the event. All six of them are competitors and give their all. We have had six different kids run on this team throughout the year and their splits are all very very close. Trenton Mead and Austin Fiscus have also been in and out of this line-up throughout the year. We may very well have to have a run off to see who runs at districts. Having too much talent is a great problem to have. Luckily at Districts and further this year you may have two alternates so all 6 of them can attend!”
See the finish:
The relay was far from the only medal the Wolverines returned with. Sheffield captured 25 medals (awarded to the top six finishers in each event) from this year’s NTL, despite having its two reigning NTL champions, Lucas McNeal and Emily Foster, out due to injury.
“There were so many personal bests and award winners,” Snell said. “They all definitely brought their top game for the right day. This program is so competitive and hard working from every boy and girl all the way from 7th grade to seniors. We are no longer a track team. We are a program!”
The Sheffield boys had a pair of silver medalists in Dylan Hardwick (800) and the 4×100 relay of Barr, Brown, Jack Chapman, and Leihden Wotorson.
Joining the 4×400 in earning bronze medals were the women’s 4×800 relay (Madison Connolly, Juniper Gilbride, Katelyn Thomas, and Emma McBride), the men’s 4×800 relay (Emre Morgan, Eaton, Mead, and Hardwick), the women’s 4×100 relay (Lily Benton, Bryana Butler, Kassidy Orinko, and Emma Roell – PR time 55.77), Brown (100 and 200), and Connor Finch (high jump – PR 5’6”).
Other medalists included Benton (4th, 100 hurdles – PR 19.39; 5th, 300 hurdles), Sarah Hoffman (6th, 100 hurdles; 4th 300 hurdles; 5th, 200 – PR 30.14), Mason Silvis (5th, 110 hurdles), Wotorson (6th, 100), Barr (5th, 400 – PR 55.93), Marc Lewis (6th, 800 – PR 2:27), Zachary Barnes (4th, 300 hurdles – PR 48.62), Isaac Hammerbeck (6th, 300 hurdles), Dougherty (4th, 200 – PR 24.83), Eaton (6th, 3200), Orinko (6th, high jump), Finch (6th, triple jump), Roell (6th, discus), and Emily Davidson (5th, javelin).
“There was a time when we used to go to the Northern Tier Championships and we had a few kids reach the podium and it was a proud day, and always will be,” Snell said. “These last two seasons, we have lived on that podium with multiple kids in multiple events. We may not have brought home any gold, but silvers to sixth-place podium photos for almost every event we entered, and so, so many PRs”
The Wolverines now turn their attention to the District 9 Championships this Friday at Brookville High School. Sheffield will have 21 district qualifiers compete in 11 events. A full district preview will be available later in the week.
