One of the last track events for most athletes, the Track and Field Schuylkill League Championships took place at Tamaqua Area high school on May 11 and May 12. Nativity BVM, Pottsville, Tamaqua, Pine Grove, Blue Mountain, Jim Thorpe, North Schuylkill, Minersville, Marian, and Lehighton all participated in this meet. 

Many of the runners have prepared throughout the season and pushed themselves to work very hard for one of the final meets of the season. 

Senior Bobby Walchak said, “I was working with Bricker hard, he was giving me some really tough workouts, but we got through them and it seemed to work out good.” 

Walchak’s events were the 100m hurdles, 100m dash, and the 4×100 relay. 

Walchak said, “I placed first for the 110m hurdles and I believe 5th for the hundred. My hardest event at leagues was definitely the 100m dash, because it was right after I had finished first in the hurdles event. So I had to quickly run down to the start and get ready for the 100m dash. My hardest event all year was probably the 300m hurdles. I only ran it once, and I was doing really well until I fell. After that I retired from the 300 hurdles.”

Senior Lexy Maccarone also qualified for leagues, running 4×8 relay, and the 300 hurdles. 

Maccarone said, “To prepare for leagues I tried to just prepare for the races. I was doing the best I could. I did hurdle work while also adding in some mileage at practice. We placed second in the 4×8 relay and I placed third in the 300 hurdles.” 

Greta Snukis prepared for leagues by going to the track to run on weekends for extra training and did a lesson with coach Vandermeer the Saturday before just focusing on form and distance.

Snukis said, “During leagues, I participated in triple jump and made it to the final 8 and in pole vault I placed second. I also did long jump as well. I worked with the higher bungees to try and make sure my vault height would be better than past meets. I’m very proud to have vaulted over 8 feet and set a new PR.”