District 11 Track: Miners’ big day headlines local storylines from Day 1 at districts
Minersville's Maggie Hoffman-Long stands atop the podium holding the District 11 champion placard after winning the girls' AA long jump Tuesday at the District 11 Track and Field Championships at Whitehall's Zephyr Complex (Photo by Brook Koch-Guers).
Hoffman-Long, Miller, Giuffre, Nativity boys 4×800 relay garner D-11 gold medals
WHITEHALL — It was a big day Tuesday for the Minersville track team.
The Miners garnered 11 top-four medals, including two golds, on Day 1 of the District 11 Track and Field Championships at Whitehall’s Zephyr Complex.
Maggie Hoffman-Long won the Class AA girls’ long jump and Avery Miller took top honors in the AA girls’ javelin as Minersville qualified four individuals and two relay teams to the PIAA Track and Field Championships set for May 22-23 at Shippensburg University.
“They’re amazing,” Minersville coach Jason Burgess said. “They’ve been doing well all season, working really hard.
“They’re peaking at the right time. Lots of PRs, personal bests, today. Hopefully we’re not done yet. The story is not done yet.”
The Miners were the top story on a day that included gold medals by the Nativity boys 4×800 relay team and Pottsville’s Alexa Guiffre, and blazing preliminary times by Blue Mountain’s Chase Guers and Pottsville’s Donovann Durham.
All total, 15 individuals and three relays qualified for states, with several others putting themselves in position to reach states during Wednesday’s second day of competition.
Here’s a look at the top local storylines from Tuesday’s District 11 track meet:
Mighty Miners
Eight of Minersville’s 11 top-four medals came on the girls’ side. In addition to the medals, Ayla Allvord (100), Hope Motuk (100 hurdles) and Parker Zaharis (100, 200) qualified for the finals in their respective events with strong runs in Tuesday’s preliminaries.
Hoffman-Long continued her strong season by winning the girls’ long jump. Her best jump of 18 feet, 9 inches nearly broke the District 11 record of 18-10.5 set by Palmerton’s Nataly Walters in 2023. She’s favored to win a second gold medal in Wednesday’s triple jump.
Miller brought home two medals, qualifying for states in the both the javelin and discus. She won the javelin with a best throw of 120-5, with Weatherly’s Kelly Reiner second at 112-2. Miller was second in the discus at 98-10. Northern Lehigh’s Anna Trelease won the discus at 113-9.
Minersville’s 4×800 relay team of Jenna Cullen, Anna Cook, Ava Bosack and Marley Zimmerman took second, while Cullen grabbed silver in the high jump and Cook took second in the pole vault.
Cullen qualified for states in the high jump despite tying for second. Cook did not advance to states because her silver-medal-winning height of 7-6 didn’t reach the state minimum standard of 9 feet.
Minersville’s other medalists were Allie Pennypacker (3rd, 300 hurdles), Madelyn Bowman (4th, pole vault), Aidan Ryan (2nd, high jump), Chase Zimerofsky (4th, 300 hurdles) and the Minersville boys 4×800 relay team of Johnny Burgess, MacKaiden Sinko, Zimerofsky and Grady McGovern, which was second behind Nativity.
There was one sad note for Minersville on Tuesday. Defending Class AA 200-meter state champion Paiten LaPoint withdrew from both the 100 and 200 preliminaries after re-injuring his hamstring. LaPoint attempted to compete in the 100 prelims but pulled up halfway down the lane and did not continue.
AA Breakdown
Fresh off winning four medals at leagues, Nativity’s Shane Meyer took home two District 11 medals Tuesday after he was second in the 3200 and anchored the Green Wave’s gold-medal-winning 4×800 relay team that also included Nash Stehr, Kyle McCormick and Wyatt Hylka.
Nativity won the event in 8:18.62, with Minersville second in 8:22.03.
Other Class AA state qualifiers were Pine Grove’s Dane Hannevig, Marian’s Jacob Tom, Schuylkill Haven’s Ethan Kline and Mahanoy Area’s Hailey Mroczka.
Hannevig qualified for states after placing second in the long jump with a career-best jump of 22-2. Tom will join him at Shippensburg after his top jump of 21-10.25 exceeded the state qualifying standard of 21-10.
Kline was second in the discus with a best attempt of 152-3. Palisades’ Silas Day won gold with a top throw of 168-4.
Mroczka grabbed silver in the girls’ 300 hurdles, placing second in 49.61 seconds. Salisbury’s Emma Yakaitis won in 49.01, with Minersville’s Pennypacker third in 50.86.
Golden Giuffre
Pottsville’s senior standout Alexa Giuffre is halfway toward accomplishing her goal of qualifying for states in four events.
Giuffre won the Class 3A girls’ triple jump with a best jump of 38-7 and was second in the 300 hurdles in 44.82, qualifying for states. Dieruff’s Aniya Holder won the 300 hurdles in 44.53.
Giuffre was also second in the 100 hurdle preliminaries in 15.29, qualifying for Wednesday’s finals. She’ll also compete in the long jump Wednesday.
Speed Demons
The rivalry between Blue Mountain’s Rafael Liranzo and Pottsville’s Donovann Durham continued Tuesday, as the pair placed second and third, respectively, in the boys’ 300 hurdles. East Stroudsburg South’s Elijah Couch beat Liranzo to the line in a photo finish, with Couch clocked at 38.73 and Liranzo at 38.74. Durham was third in 39.07, beating the state qualifying standard of 39.80.
Durham answered with a blazing run in the 110 hurdle preliminaries, taking first in 14.79. Liranzo was fifth in 15.32, with Pottsville’s Malachi Kollie finishing sixth in 15.98 to advance to Wednesday’s finals.
Speaking of rivalries, Blue Mountain’s Chase Guers and North Schuylkill’s Luke Miller will continue theirs Wednesday in the finals of both the 100 and 200.
Guers was first in both preliminaries Tuesday, running 10.76 in the 100 and 21.98 in the 200. Miller (10.85) was third behind Parkland’s Radnor Rowlands (10.84) in the 100 and second in the 200 in 21.99.
All three sprinters ran in separate heats Tuesday. They’ll be side by side in the middle of the track for Wednesday’s finals.
Field Generals
Blue Mountain grabbed a total of four Class 3A boys’ medals Tuesday, with three coming in the field events.
William Shaner was second in the javelin with a top throw of 181-2. East Stroudsburg South’s Ivan Laubach won at 187-2.
In the boys’ pole vault, Noah Lechleitner earned silver and qualified for states by clearing 12-9. Dalton Minnick was third after clearing 12-3. Northampton’s Samuel Hayes took gold by clearing 14 feet.
