BY JEFF FALK
Like fractions? How about one-third and one-half?
Lebanon County programs make up approximately one-third of the Lancaster-Lebanon Track and Field Leagues. But local squads won half of the circuit’s section championships this spring.
So what do those numbers add up to? Well, it was a very good regular season for Lebanon County thinclads.
The Cedar Crest boys, the Northern Lebanon boys and the Annville-Cleona girls all earned section titles, all in impressive fashions.
On Monday in Lancaster, the Falcon boys captured yet another Section One crown by nudging the Red Tornado of McCaskey 86-64 in a showdown of unbeaten powerhouses. Cedar Crest, which improved to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the section, were paced by senior sprinter Denzel Pierre, who won the 100 and 200-meter dashes and anchored the Falcons’ first-place showing in the 400-meter relay.
Also contributing first-place finishes to the Cedar Crest cause were the 3200-meter relay team of Jarred Glosser, Jesse Cruise, Jarrod Cruise and Noah Redcay, Jarrod Cruise in the 800-meter run, senior Willie Bragg in the 1,600 meters and senior Daniel Neiswender in the pole vault.
Meanwhile Monday in Myerstown, the Viking boys’ repeated as L-L Section Three champs by taking out the host Elco Raiders 93-57 in a spirited dual meet. Both squads entered with unblemished section marks, but it was Northern Lebanon which emerged with a section crown.
The Vikings rode a balanced attack and a domination of all seven field events to their triumph. Nine different Northern Lebanon competitors won events, including Nick Auchenbach, who copped both hurdle events, and thrower Matt Vines, who claimed the shot put and discus.
Starring for Northern Lebanon were: senior Derek DiAngelis, who won the pole vault; Isaac Ray, who took top honors in the javelin; Dominic Trader, who grabbed the triple jump; Ryan Morgan, who won the high jump; Tyler McFeaters, who ran to victory in the 1,600 meters; and Dakota Moyer, who finished as the winner of the 800-meter run.
Earlier in the season, the Annville-Cleona girls claimed the L-L Section Three title, thus ending Elco’s nine-year stranglehold on the championship.