BY JEFF FALK

LANDISVILLE – First it was a new sport. Then it was new events within that sport.

Seems funny that when Ariel Jones started exploring new options and became more rounded that she became even happier.

It also makes one wonder what she would be doing now if she had begun this new pursuit a bit earlier.

On a soggy Saturday at Hempfield High School, the second and final day of the annual Lancaster-Lebanon League Track and Field Championships, Jones continued to shine at her newest sport. The Cedar Crest senior turned in an absolutely splendid performance, with two gold medals, a silver and a bronze.

On Saturday, Jones took top honors in her signature event – the high jump – held down the third leg of a Falcon 400-meter relay squad that ran as runners-up and came in third in the long jump. A day earlier, Jones had finished first in her newest event, the triple jump.

Jones’ showing was the best of a number of outstanding efforts turned in by Lebanon County  student-athletes at the league meet. Also starring, among others, were Annville-Cleona senior Reagan Hess, Cedar Crest 12th-grader Jesse Cruise, Lebanon leaper Juan Maldonado and Cedar teammate Derin Klick.

The Falcon females finished a surprising second to Warwick in the team standings.

“Yeah, I’ve come along way,” said Jones, a three-sport star who came out for track and field for the first time as a junior. “The track coaches didn’t give up on me. They kept after me to come out. I probably wouldn’t have done it my junior year. I just believed in them.

“Now I’m glad they did,” continued Jones. “Most people might have given up on me. I like track. I always thought I only loved basketball, and that it was all I wanted to do.”

Yesterday morning, Jones won the high jump with a leap of 5-2 . Then after noon, she ran the next-to-last leg for a Falcon 400-meter foursome that also included Shayla Bonzelet, DeAsia Holloman and Destinee Holloman and came in second.

On Friday evening, Jones garnered the triple jump gold with a 36-8,

“Yeah, I guess I did pretty good,” shrugged Jones. “I wanted to get first in the four-by-one with the girls. In the long jump, I wanted to beat my personal record. All season I’ve been jumping 34s and 35s in the triple jump. I worked on it in practice and started getting 36s.”

Jones finished third in the long jump, an event won by Hess, with an 18-6,75. It was the same Reagan Hess who edged Jones for the Outstanding Female Athlete award at the Lebanon County meet two weeks ago.

But Hess’s victory in the long jump was her only one at the league championships.

“The competition was what it usually is, every year,” said Hess of the long jump. “I was kind of happy with that. It’s been a rough week.

“I just wanted to get through this meet,” added Hess. “It could’ve been a lot better. This wasn’t close to the way I’m used to performing.”

The top seed, Hess finished a somewhat disappointing second in the 100-meter dash, running a 12.63 compared to Warwick freshman Lily Palacio-Lewis’ 12.52. . It was the same event on the same track at the same meet where she suffered a devastating hamstring injury as a sophomore two years ago.

Coming in, Hess was also the top seed in the 200-meter dash. But she did not compete in Friday’s 200-meter trials, partly because of Annville-Cleona’s prom.

“Most of it is mental, because of what happened,” said Hess. “It’s not because it’s the league meet. It’s because it’s the meet before districts and states. I’m healthy, but it’s just such a mental game. Some people have those mental hurdles. I wanted to get over it. It (the hamstring injury in 2015) was such a traumatic experience. It scarred me.

“I was ready (in the 100-meter finals),” Hess continued. “I looked down and I was in the exact same lane in the exact same event. I had these flashbacks and couldn’t do anything about it.”

Cruise, a Cedar Crest senior who was the male recipient of the Outstanding Athlete award at the Lebanon County Track and Field Championships, put forth a similar outstanding effort yesterday. Ironically, Cruise struck gold in a 400-meter dash event that is not one of his strongest, with a 50.66 that was more than a second faster than the rest of the field.

“I’m pretty happy with the day,” said Cruise. “I though the weather affected it a little bit. I wanted to go after it, and I think I got it.

“At this point, I feel more comfortable with my time in the mile (1600),” Cruise added. “My 800 is close. I’ll be running those events in districts. I think I’ll crank some pretty fast times there.”

In the 1600, Cruise finished as the runner-up to McCaskey superstar Nathan Henderson, in a pretty good time. Cruise’s 4:16.46 was about two seconds off the Cedar Crest school record.

“I was definitely thinking about that,” said Cruise. “I was trying to win and trying to get the school record. I went out hard, but I ran a decent race.

“I definitely think about that (the end of his career),” added Cruise. “Each postseason we’re trying to hit our peak. You know it’s the end, so you want to go hard.”

Maldonado got his gold medal, personal best and school record in the triple jump. He got it with a 44-6, on his next-to-last jump in the finals.

On Friday afternoon, the leaping Cedar finished in a tie for second place in the high jump, with a height of 6-2.

“The competition was great,” said Maldonado. “I think getting pushed helped me. I’m happy. I did what I could for my school, my teammates and myself.

“At the beginning of the triple jump, my head was clear,” added Maldonado. “I just wanted to do what I could do. I wanted to bring it out of me.”

Klick won the event he has come to focus on – the 800-meter run – for the third straight year.

After watching and waiting, Klick was running third halfway through the race. But he used a strong kick with about 150 meters to go to win in 1:54.5.

“It’s really important,” said Klick of his league trifecta. “I’ve been thinking about it all week. The field was so strong and fast. I felt pretty good in my ability to catch them.

“With 200 meters left, I pulled the old ‘out-kick’ trick, like I used to in middle school,” Klick continued. “It’s a little scary when you let them get that far ahead of you. I felt comfortable when I started closing in on them. I trusted my speed and my strength.”

Cedar Crest’s Grace Miller was second in the javelin, as was sophomore teammate Hannah Woelfling in Friday’s discus competition. In addition. Woelfling came in third in the high jump.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To purchase images in this article email jkfalk2005@yahoo.com, or to view more go to https://lebanonsportsbuzz.com/photo-gallery/.

 

 

 Annual Lancaster-Lebanon Track and Field Championships

 (at Hempfield High School)

 

Boys’ Results

3,200 relay — 1. Ephrata (Tyler Shue, Andrew Foster, Alex Morales, Zach Lefever), 8:00.28. 2. Hempfield, 8:10.79. 3. Manheim Township, 8:13.56. 7. Cedar Crest (William Sheffield, Adam Wolfe, Ryan Scicchitano, Nick Blandy), 8:28.46. 15. Elco (Mitchell Grey, Justin Kegerise, Chance Leed, Ryan McAllister), 8:56.83. 16. Lebanon (Matthew Hoffman, Daryl Werni, Riley Klick, Patrick Bray), 8:58.79.

110 hurdles — 1. Aanyah Bermudez, CV, 14.61. 2. Taraje Whitfield, PM, 14.62. 3. Nathaniel Tadesse, Hemp, 15.56.

100 — 1. Jose Barbon, CV, 11.32. 2. Theoren McElheny, PM, 11.47. 3. Gunnar Royer, MC, 11.49. 4. Stanley Miller, AC, 11.53. 6. Blake Thomson, CC, 11.60.

1,600 — 1. Nathan Henderson, JPM, 4:11.73 (New meet record: Old meet record: Craig Miller, Manheim Township, 2005, 4:14.30). 2. Jesse Cruise, CC, 4:16.46. 3. Connor Shields, War, 4:24.99. 13. Cole Nelson, Elco, 4:50.37. 14. Daryl Werni, Leb, 4:51.02. 18. Jordan Berger, NL, 5:07.71. 19. Doyler Shertzer, AC, 5:08.23.

400 relay — 1. Manheim Central (Jay Barreto, Brock Hochstetler, Kody Kegarise, Gunnar Royer), 43.99. 2. Conestoga Valley, 44.08. 3. JP McCaskey, 44.46. 4. Cedar Crest (Chris Rios, Tyler Eisenhauer, Zeb Lasta, Blake Thomson), 44.55. 9. Annville-Cleona (Stanley Miller, Caleb Turner, Domenic Macmillan, Griffin Hertz), 45.76. 14. Lebanon (Christian Manzolillio, Hector Pomales-Torres, Gabe Santiago, De’Undre Andrews), 46.34. 16. Northern Lebanon (Ben Nguyen, Noah Smith, Chris Taylor, Keaton Bender), 47.58.

400 — 1. Jesse Cruise, CC, 50.66. 2. Theoren McElheny, PM, 51.70. 3. Jamel Henry, JPM, 51.79. 8. Phil Hillesheim, Leb, 53.27. 12. Noah Smith, NL, 54.32. 15. Mark Nace, AC, 55.05.

300 hurdles — 1. Taraje Whitfield, PM, 38.90. 2. Demetri Whitsett, Coc, 38.91. 3. Aanyah Bermudez, CV, 38.92.10. Tyler Eisenhauer, CC, 42.40. 13. Grant Brubaker, Elco, 43.39. 14. Klayton Adams, NL, 43.46. 16. Julian Imm, Leb, 43.64. 17. Cameron Hoch, AC, 44.91.

800 — 1. Derin Klick, Leb, 1:54.50. 2. Nathan Henderson, JPM, 1:55.46. 3. Cole Sunderland, MC, 1:57.25. 22. Mitchell Grey, Elco, 2:10.39. 25. Xavier Carpenter, AC, 2:27.80.

200 — 1. Jose Barbon, CV, 22.86. 2. Theoren McElheny, PM, 23.07. 3. Brock Hochstetler, MC, 23.12. 4. Stanley Miller, AC, 23.16. 5. Blake Thomson, CC, 23.35.

3,200 — 1. Nathan Henderson, JPM, 9:03.10. 2. Zach Lefever, Eph, 9:24.09. 3. Doug Kramer, PM, 9:38.35. 8. Jake Barrett, CC, 9:54.92. 17. Josh Rudd, CC, 10:10.50. 18. Daryl Werni, Leb, 10:12.10. 22. Dylan Mehler, CC, 10:23.36. 23. Adam Wolfe, CC, 10:23.41. 24. Ryan McAllister, Elco, 10:25.00.

1,600 relay — 1. Manheim Township (Jacob Gaydos, Anderson Velozwong, Gavin Patterson, Noah Tull), 3:26.78. 2. JP McCaskey, 3:29.75. 3. Conestoga Valley, 3:31.53. 5. Cedar Crest (Adam Wolfe, Blake Thomson, William Sheffield, Nick Blandy), 3:32.99. 14. Northern Lebanon (Ben Nguyen, Blaise Torres, Klayton Adams, Noah Smith), 3:41.75. 16. Annville-Cleona (Mark Nace, Dylan Scheer, Romeo Varela), 3:45.32. 17. Lebanon (Riley Klick, Jeremiah Beckley, Phil Hillesheim, Julian Imm), 3:45.80.

Shot put — 1. Ben Viau, MT, 58-1 ½. 2. Brooks Bear, Don, 49-9 ½. 3. Dylan Shaeffer, Sol, 49-0 ¾. 13. Tyler Horst, Elco, 42-8 ½. 18. Cameron Hoch, AC, 39-10. 19. Terrell Davis, CC, 38-8. 21. Alex Martz, NL, 36-8 ¾. 22. Gabe Calini, Leb, 36-7.

Discus — 1. Ben Viau, MT, 177-6. 2. Zach Thomas, Hemp, 149-4. 3. Levi Diehl, PM, 136-2. 7. Noah Myers, AC, 128-3. 16. Dakota Morey, Leb, 105-10. 19. Adam Loehr, CC, 96-7. 21. Alex Martz, NL, 84-8.

Triple jump — 1. Juan Maldonado, Leb, 44-6. 2. Darien Ressler, Hemp, 44-0 ¾. 3. Avery Walker, Don, 42-10. 5. Jabin Joseph, CC, 42-0. 7. Phil Hillesheim, Leb, 41-8 ½. 13. Levi Brubaker, Elco, 40-4 ½. 23. Ethan Fortuna, AC, 35-10. 24. Blaise Torres, NL, 34-5 ¾.

Long jump — 1. Jose Barbon, CV, 22-9 ½. 2. David Martin, Hemp, 22-2. 3. Demetri Whitsett, Coc, 22-1 ¼. 7. Phil Hillesheim, Leb, 21-3. 8. Stanley Miller, AC, 20-10 ½. 10. Juan Maldonado, Leb, 20-4. 16. Kendell Shand, CC, 19-2. 22. Earl Pyles, NL, 16-6 ½.

High jump — 1. Elie Basenga, Eph, 6-5. 2t. Derek Heisey, Etown, Rob McHugh, Sol, Juan Maldonado, Leb, & John Wilson, War, 6-2. 10. Griffin Hertz, AC, 5-10. 13t. Austin Martin, Elco, & Isiah Hunter, CC, 5-6. 18. Klayton Adams, NL, 5-4.

Javelin — 1. Alexander Scheivert, PM, 198-4. 2. Eric Garner, War, 190-8. 3. Nick Ketner, Don, 178-0. 7. Tyler Horst, Elco, 165-2. 9. Greg Munnion, CC, 155-10. 11. Evan Heilman, AC, 145-5. 19. Nick Bradley, Leb, 128-4. 22. Nicholas Goodyear, NL, 117-9.

Team scores — 1. Penn Manor, 90. 2. Conestoga Valley, 64. 3. Manheim Township, 60. 4. JP McCaskey, 57. 5. Hempfield, 54.50. 8. Cedar Crest, 40. 11. Lebanon, 30.75. 15. Annville-Cleona, 13. 18. Elco, 2.

 

Girls’ Results

3,200 relay — Ephrata (Haley Schaller, Nadine Eichenlaub, Mary Campbell, Sydney Morgan), 9:34.32. 2. Manheim Township, 9:37.61. 3. Warwick, 9:40.92. 5. Cedar Crest (Tyra Craun, Elizabeth Nazeeri, Briseida Martinez, Emily Peters), 10:04.95. 8. Elco (Dezaree Balthaser, Lily Brubaker, Abby Keath, Jordan Rosengrant), 10:14.68.

100 hurdles — 1. Jane Livingston, CV, 14.34. 2. Billie Jo Bollinger, MC, 15.15. 3. Kyra Horst, Eph, 15.87. 5. DeAsia Holloman, CC, 16.29.

100 — 1. Lily Palacio-Lewis, War, 12.52. 2. Reagan Hess, AC, 12.63. 3. Destinee Holloman, CC, 12.66.

1,600 — 1. Lianna Tirado, JPM, 5:07.26. 2. Katie Locker, Etown, 5:10.03. 3. Kate Dickow, War, 5:15.53. 16. Lily Brubaker, ELCO, 5:40.30. 26. Erin Ditzler, NL, 7:01.62.

400 relay — 1. Hempfield (Kara Benedict, Ava Hostetler, Carena Nottoli, Alexa Pitts), 49.32. 2. Cedar Crest (Shayla Bonzelet, DeAsia Holloman, Ariel Jones, Destinee Holloman), 49.48. 3. Warwick, 50.21. 11. Elco (Heather Gettle, Alana Nash, Hannah Williams, Emily Bidelspach), 54.94. 14. Lebanon (Yessica Gonzalez-Martinez, Madison Mattern Cortes, Jaquelin Madrigal Estrada, Allie Parr), 56.63.

400 — 1. Leah Graybill, War, 57.64. 2. Alice Fernald, Don, 58.48. 3. Cassidy Kline, War, 58.97. 7. Shayla Bonzelet, CC, 1:0.08. 21. Hannah Whitman, NL, 1:09.87. 22. Denise Colon-Olivencia, Leb, 1:12.88.

300 hurdles — 1. Jane Livingston, CV, 44.05. 2. Billie Jo Bollinger, MC, 45.46. 3. Kara Benedict, Hemp, 46.20. 13. Natalie Swingholm, Elco, 49.95. 20. Madyson Brown, CC, 53.27. 21. Gracen Kreider, AC, 53.36. 24. Yessi Gonzalez-Martinez, Leb, 58.06. 25. Shannon Ostermayer, NL, 1:00.69.

800 — 1. Katie Locker, Etown, 2:18.16. 2. Alana Yoder, Sol, 2:18.75. 3. Lianna Tirado, JPM, 2:21.74. 4. Emily Peters, CC, 2:21.97. 16. Abby Keath, Elco, 2:33.50. 22. Mary Tshudy, AC, 2:50.72. 23. Madison Pillsbury, NL, 3:20.31.

200 — 1. Lily Palacio-Lewis, War, 25.26. 2. Leah Garybill, War, 25.47. 3. Courtney German, MT, 25.66. 8. Shayla Bonzelet, CC, 26.26.

3,200 — 1. Lianna Tirado, JPM, 11;06.44. 2. Kate Dickow, War, 11:13.23. 3. Jordan Haberstroh, Col, 11:17.81. 13. Cate Strunk, CC, 11:53.51. 19. Elizabeth Lattanze, Elco, 13:30.48. 20. Erin Ditzler, NL, 14:36.45.

1,600 relay — 1. Warwick (Cassidy Kline, Lily Palacio-Lewis, Meghan Quinn, Emily Williamson), 3:58.25 (New meet record: Old record, Warwick, 2002, 3:58.80). 2. JP McCaskey, 4:04.12. 3. Donegal, 4:06.71. 7. Cedar Crest (Emily Peters, Elizabeth Nazeeri, Shayla Bonzelet, Hannah McCurdy), 4:13.94. 12. Elco (Dezaree Balthaser, Abby Keath, Jordan Rosengrant, Natalie Swingholm), 4:29.62.

Shot put —  1. Aliyah Striver, JPM, 40-6 ½. 2. Anna Cooney, Sol, 39-1 ¾. 3. Sydney Fitzwater, GS, 35-4 ½. 4. Alexis Thomas, Elco, 35-1 ½. 6. Hannah Weddle, CC, 33-5 ¾. 8. Eriley Torres, AC, 31-6 ¼. 20. Taylor Chance, NL, 25-6 ½.

Discus — 1. Aliyah Striver, JPM, 130-8. 2. Hannah Woelfling, CC, 121-8. 3. Sydney Fitzwater, GS, 114-9. 9. Mackenzie Drane, AC, 95-6. 17. Kaylynn Keppley, Elco, 83-7. 18. Olivia Sforza, Leb, 78-2. 19. Taylor Chance, NL, 77-0.

Triple jump — 1. Ariel Jones, CC, 36-8. 2. Stephanie Laudien, Hemp, 36-2 ¼. 3. Nia Allen, War, 36-0 ½. 10. Kaylin Nolt, Elco, 32-2. 17. Gracen Kreider, AC, 29-8 ¾.

Long jump — 1. Reagan Hess, AC, 18-6 ¾. 2. Ava Hostetler, Hemp, 17-5. 3. Ariel Jones, CC, 17-1 ½. 5. Destinee Holloman, CC, 17-0 ¼. 14. DeAsia Holloman, CC, 15-4. 22. Jordan Rosengrant, Elco, 14-1 ¼.

High jump — 1. Ariel Jones, CC, 5-2. 2. Trinity Bitting-Ellis, War, 5-0. 3t. Hannah Woelfling, CC, & Delaney McKnight, MT, 5-0. 6. Amber Levengood, CC, 5-0. 9. Emily Bidelspach, Elco, 4-10.

Pole vault — 1. Carena Nottoli, Hemp, 12-0. 2. Courtney German, MT, 10-6. 3. Carley Sheppard, MC, 10-6. 7. Kayla Long, AC, 9-6. 11. Emily Bidelspach, Elco, 9-0. 12. Megan Deck, Leb, 8-6. 16. Morgan Menser, CC, 7-6.

Javelin — 1. Kristen Herr, LS, 142-1 (new meet record: Old meet record: Tiffany Heisey, Elizabethtown, 2012, 131-4). 2. Grace Miller, CC, 124-1. 3. Mackenzie Hainley, Coc, 111-0. 8. Madyson Brown, CC, 99-8. 10. Eriley Torres, AC, 90-2. 21. Hannah Whitman, NL, 80-1.

Team scores — 1. Warwick, 107. 2. Cedar Crest, 90.50. 3. JP McCaskey, 84. 4. Manheim Township, 60.50. 5. Hempfield, 55. 12. Annville-Cleona, 20.50. 18. Elco, 6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lancaster-Lebanon Track and Field Championships

 Meet Records

EVENT	GENDER	STUDENT/ATHLETE	SCHOOL	TIME  DISTANCE	YEAR
100 M Dash	Girl	Brooke Gillford	MT	11.8	1997
	Boy	Jaren Hayes	CC	10.3	2001
200 M Dash	Girl	Liz Giering	MT	24.8	1985
	Girl	Shannon Norris	WAR	24.8	2002
	Boy	Jaren Hayes	CC	21.4	2001
400 M Dash	Girl	Sarah Helgeson	Hemp	56.34*	2012
	Boy	Eric Hiller	ET	48.5	1999
800 M Run	Girl	Meredith Newman	MT	02:14.0	2014*
	Boy	Jared Weaver	CV	01:52.9	2006
1600 M Run	Girl	Kayleigh Perry	ELCO	5:00.93*	2008
	Boy	Craig Miller	MT	04:14.3	2005
3200 M Run	Girl	Emily Kruger	LS	11:03.7	2003
	Boy	Brad Miller	MT	09:09.4	2006
100M HH	Girl	Megan Ryan	HEMP	14.2	2003
110 M HH	Boy	Chance Post	CV	14.02*	2014
300 M IH	Girl	Mary Witmer	Ephrata	42.30*	2013
	Boy	Chance Post	CV	37.43*	2014
4 x100 Relay	Girl	Cherelle Simmons, Cierra Pagan, Melissa Miller, Emily Dresser	JPM	48.47*	2007
	Boy	Kelvin Reyes, Tobias Robinson, Michael Fox, Peter Habegger	CC	42.2	2004
4 x 400 Relay	Girl	Carley Hess, Musser, Ganne Way, Shannon Norris	WAR	03:58.8	2002
	Boy	Rick Rineer, Matt Robinson, Ken Walter, Walter Whack	JPM	03:22.4	1983
4 x 800 Relay	Girl	Kaitlyn Oliver, Kristine Gutshall, Alli Mannion, Alyssa Grube	WAR	9:29.09*	2009
	Boy	Shafer, Wagner, Webb, Thiry	COC	07:50.6	2000
Shot Put	Girl	Niecy Houston	JPM	45′ 10″	1981
	Boy	Kyle Felpel	Coc	60′ 1 1/2″	2012
Discus	Girl	Eliese Mitchell	GS	159′ 10″	1999
	Boy	Kyle Long	Hemp.	193′ 9″	2012
Javelin	Girl	Marilyn Senz	HF	146′ 1″	1980
	Girl	Tiffany Heisey(IAAF)	Etown	131′ 4″	2012
	Boy	Troy Burkholder	COC	220′ 11″	1995
	Boy	Thomas Jordan (IAAF)	CC	213 ‘6″	2003
Long Jump	Girl	Leslie Hummer	AC	18′ 10″	1987
	Boy	Tom Rath	SOL	23′ 10.25″	1984
Triple Jump	Girl	Stephanie Laudien	Hemp	38’7″	2014
	Boy	Sylvester Gray	JPM	47′ 3.25″	1996
High Jump	Girl	Angie Messner	GS	5′ 10″	2009
	Boy	Dana Hollinger	CC	7′ 0″	1981
Pole Vault	Girl	Erin Winters	Leb	12’8″	2014
	Boy	Jon Andrews	GS	15’0″	2006