Spring Grove senior Nathalie Elliott set the District 3 Class 3A pole vault record by clearing 12 feet, 6 inches Friday, May 19, 2017. Jim Seip, GameTimePA
SHIPPENSBURG - Nathalie Elliott thought she had prepared for the District 3 Class 3A track and field championships Friday afternoon at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.
But when she reached the magic number she had chased all year, clearing 12 feet, 6 inches ...
And when she saw her coach …
And when he told her she set a district record, she was overwhelmed by emotions.
“Everything hit me at once: I just did this,” Elliott said fanning her face with her hands.
“Tears just came to my eyes.”
The 12-6 vault propelled her to the district title, since Hempfield’s Carena Nottoli failed to clear 12-6.
Elliott made three attempts at 12-9, acknowledging the crowd with a wave after the public address announcer notified the crowd about her record vault. By then, though, Elliott was just trying to finish her day. Her steps were off, and clearing 12-9 would have to wait for another day.
“It’s just overwhelming a little bit,” Elliott said about her final three vaults. “You set yourself a goal, you reached the goal. Now what do you do?”
She will return to Shippensburg next week for the state championships, and her district vault qualified her for New Balance Championship Nationals scheduled for June 16-18 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
“I’m looking forward to having fun, there’s no more stress for me, it’s my senior year,” said Elliott, who will compete at High Point University next year.
Elliott had learned from past experiences she needed to come prepared for this meet after similar hot temperatures a year ago.
“My shoes melted,” Elliott said about sitting on the turf field waiting to vault at last year's meet. “The soles on my spikes were glued on and the glue melted. So the soles are just flopping around. I was competing with taped-up shoes.
“This year I had a blue cooler filled with ice, sun glasses, sun screen, a towel and an umbrella.”
![Eastern York’s Ashley Kerr, competes in the 2A shot]()
1 of 201![Dover’s Emily Eckard, competes in the 3A discus, during]()
2 of 201![Delone Catholic’s Becca Dolce, competes in the 2A shot]()
3 of 201![Red LionÕs Madisen kling, competes in the 3A discus,]()
4 of 201![Delone Catholic’s Ryan Malinowski, competes in the]()
5 of 201![Eastern York’s Tia Judy, and Delone Catholic’s Brianna]()
6 of 201![Littlestown’s Derek Herr, and Bermudian Springs Trevor]()
7 of 201![Red Lion’s Brianna Wanbaugh competes in the 3A javelin]()
8 of 201![Carlisle’s Prince Gaye, left, South Western’s Drew]()
9 of 201![Eastern York’s Maddie McLain, runs the 2A 1600 meter,]()
10 of 201![Delone Catholic’s Maddie Clabuagh, competes in the]()
11 of 201![York Suburban’s Bodhi Wilson, compets in the 3A high]()
12 of 201![New Oxford’s Madison Smith, compets in the 3A javelin,]()
13 of 201![East York's Nathan Lopez competes in the 800 meter]()
14 of 201![Red Lion's Brianna Wanbaugh prepares to throw the javelin]()
15 of 201![Red Lion's Brianna Wanbaugh competes in the javelin]()
16 of 201![Red Lion's Brianna Wanbaugh stands on the podium after]()
17 of 201![Hanover's Everett Kenworthy competes in the 2A boys']()
18 of 201![Delone Catholic's Leanne Sneeringer smiles on the podium]()
19 of 201![The Fairfield girls won the team score in 2A with 88]()
20 of 201![Fairfield coach Phomma Phanhthy jokes around in front]()
21 of 201![Delone Catholic's Bryce Perkins competes in the shot]()
22 of 201![New Oxford's Madison Smith competes in the javelin]()
23 of 201![New Oxford's Madison Smith stands on the podium after]()
24 of 201![Dallastown's Patrick Jacobson competes in the 800 meter]()
25 of 201![East York's Nathan Lopez competes in the 800 meter]()
26 of 201![Annville-Cleona's Reagan Hess nears the finish line]()
27 of 201![Bermudian Springs' Ryan Curfman reacts as he crosses]()
28 of 201![Bermudian Springs' Ryan Curfman reacts after finishing]()
29 of 201![Bermudian Springs' Ryan Curfman stands on the podium]()
30 of 201![Red Lion's Jerome Jessup and West York's Shane Kauffman]()
31 of 201![Greencastle-Antrim's Jacob Hockman competes in the]()
32 of 201![Eastern York's Hannah Myers competes in the 400 meter]()
33 of 201![Fairfield's Annabell Anderson competes in the 400 meter]()
34 of 201![Delone Catholic's Sophie Gilbart competes in the 400]()
35 of 201![Eastern York's Hannah Myers and Delone Catholic's Maddie]()
36 of 201![New Oxford's Ella Flickinger competes in the 400 meter]()
37 of 201![New Oxford's Ella Flickinger crosses the finish line]()
38 of 201![Gettysburg's Genesis Mercedes prepares to compete in]()
39 of 201![Gettysburg's Genesis Mercedes crosses the finish line]()
40 of 201![South Western's Samantha Trone competes in the 400]()
41 of 201![West York's Luke Hoffman competes in the discus throw]()
42 of 201![West York's Luke Hoffman stand on the podium after]()
43 of 201![West York's Luke Hoffman's first-place medal hangs]()
44 of 201![Fairfield's 4x100 meter relay team of Hannah Louge,]()
45 of 201![Fairfield's Hannah Louge competes in the triple jump]()
46 of 201![Eastern York's Taylor Currier competes in the triple]()
47 of 201![Eastern York's Taylor Currier competes in the triple]()
48 of 201![Cedar Crest's Ariel Jones stands on the podium after]()
49 of 201![Eastern York's Maddie McLain competes in the 1,600]()
50 of 201![Northeastern's Maddie Warender competes in the 1,600]()
51 of 201![(From left) Eastern York's Maddie McLain, Delone Catholic's]()
52 of 201![Red Lion's Kiersten Lloyd competes in the 1,600 meter]()
53 of 201![Bermudian Springs' Chad Long competes in the 1,600]()
54 of 201![York Suburban's Madison James smiles on the podium]()
55 of 201![Chambersburg's Reagan Winebrenner smiles on the podium]()
56 of 201![Bermudian Spring's 4x800 meter relay team of Dalton]()
57 of 201![Palmyra's Kirstin West stands on top of the podium]()
58 of 201![Greencastle-Antrim's Darius Carter competes in the]()
59 of 201![Chambersburg's Trayton Barnette takes off out of the]()
60 of 201![Chambersburg's Trayton Barnette competes in the 300m]()
61 of 201![Greencastle's Campbell Parker stands on the podium]()
62 of 201![Greencastle's Jacob Hockman stands on the podium at]()
63 of 201![Chambersburg's Kelton Chastulik stands on the podium]()
64 of 201![Greencastle's Taryn Parks stands on the podium after]()
65 of 201![James Buchanan's Dalton Leab stands on the podium after]()
66 of 201![Fairfield's Cierra Phillips competes in the pole vault]()
67 of 201![Annville-Cleona's Stanley Miller runs to a first-place]()
68 of 201![South Western's Drew Hartlaub competes in boys' 3A]()
69 of 201![Littlestown's Kristin Langrill stands on the podium]()
70 of 201![Annville-Cleona's Stanley Miller stands on the podium]()
71 of 201![Red Lion's Madisen Kling, left, smiles along with Dover's]()
72 of 201![Eastern York's Ashley Kerr, center, stands on the podium]()
73 of 201![Littlestown's Kristin Langrill crosses the finish line]()
74 of 201![Annville-Cleona's Kayla Long competes in the pole vault]()
75 of 201![Delone Catholic's Julianna Malesky competes in the]()
76 of 201![Bermudian Springs' Trevor Grim competes in the boys']()
77 of 201![Red Lion's Dominic Eyler competes in the boys' 3A 110]()
78 of 201![Annville-Cleona's Reagan Hess competes in girls' 2A]()
79 of 201![Annville-Cleona's Kayla Long reacts while competing]()
80 of 201![Chambersburg's Secret Shaffer (right) hands off to]()
81 of 201![James Buchanan's Dan Corcoran competes in the 400 at]()
82 of 201![Chambersburg's Quintan Barbour explodes out of the]()
83 of 201![James Buchanan's Dan Corcoran stands on the podium]()
84 of 201![Greencastle's Jenay Faulkner gets her medal in the]()
85 of 201![Greencastle's Jenay Faulkner smiles on the podium at]()
86 of 201![Chambersburg's Breya Clopper competes in the girls]()
87 of 201![Chambersburg's Breya Clopper competes in the 300m hurdles]()
88 of 201![Biglerville's Fisher Taylor competes in the triple]()
89 of 201![Bermudian Springs' Kolt Byers competes in the triple]()
90 of 201![Delone Catholic's Ryan Malinowski competes in the triple]()
91 of 201![Delone Catholic's Julianna Malesky competes in the]()
92 of 201![Palmyra's Ellie Keck waits to start the girls 4x800]()
93 of 201![Palmyra's Ellie Keck hands off to Kelsey Bixler during]()
94 of 201![Chambersburg's Sydney Parson (right) hands off to Kaylee]()
95 of 201![Chambersburg's Kadie Kiser competes in the girls 4x800]()
96 of 201![Chambersburg's Abby Yourkavitch competes in the girls]()
97 of 201![Chambersburg's Cadie Kiser yells during the girls 4x800]()
98 of 201![Palmyra's Jess Dembrowski smiles as she crosses the]()
99 of 201![The Chambersburg's 4x800 relay team smiles on the podium]()
100 of 201![The Palmyra girls 4x800 relay team stands on the podium]()
101 of 201![The Chambersburg girls 4x800 relay team walks back]()
102 of 201![Chambersburg's Reagan Winebrenner throws the discus]()
103 of 201![Chambersburg's Reagan Winebrenner throws the discus]()
104 of 201![Red Lion's Madisen Kling throws the discus at the 2017]()
105 of 201![Greencastle's Taryn Parks (left), Chambersburg's Abby]()
106 of 201![Northern York's Marlee Starliper throws her hands in]()
107 of 201![Greencastle's Taryn Parks crosses the finish line at]()
108 of 201![Chambersburg's Abby Yourkavitch (left) crosses the]()
109 of 201![Chambersburg's Abby Yourkavitch smiles on the podium]()
110 of 201![Greencastle's Taryn Parks smiles on the podium at the]()
111 of 201![Northern York's Marlee Starliper smiles on the podium]()
112 of 201![Fairfield's Hannah Logue competes in the long jump]()
113 of 201![Delone Catholic's Leanne Sneeringer competes in the]()
114 of 201![Eastern York's Olivia McLain competes in the 3,200]()
115 of 201![Eastern York's Maddie McLain competes in the 3,200]()
116 of 201![Eastern York's Maddie McLain cools off after finishing]()
117 of 201![Reagan Hess of Annville Cleona broke her own record]()
118 of 201![Ariel Jones of Cedear Crest takes flight during the]()
119 of 201![Gracen Kreider (4) of Annville Cleona takes flight]()
120 of 201![Chambersburg's Sevrest Shaffer digs in at the starting]()
121 of 201![Reagan Hess (4) of Annville Cleona leads the pack in]()
122 of 201![PIAA District 3 Track & Field events are being held]()
123 of 201![James Buchanan's Jamal Riley, right, battles Erik Mann]()
124 of 201![PIAA District 3 Track & Field events are being held]()
125 of 201![Camryn Simpson of Palmyra finished fifth in the AAA]()
126 of 201![Camryn Simpson of Palmyra lands in the sand during]()
127 of 201![Biglerville's MacKenzie Bender competes in the javelin]()
128 of 201![Delone Catholic's Molly Raville competes in the javelin]()
129 of 201![Fairfield's Cierra Phillips competes in the javelin]()
130 of 201![Biglerville's MacKenzie Bender, left, stands on the]()
131 of 201![Delone Catholic's Molly Raville, center, smiles after]()
132 of 201![Greencastle's Taryn Parks (1) leads the pack in the]()
133 of 201![Biglerville's Dalton Cox competes in the discus during]()
134 of 201![Fairfield's Travis Zimmerman competes in the discus]()
135 of 201![Biglerville's Zach Hutzell competes in the discus during]()
136 of 201![Delone Catholic's Seth Leonard competes in the discus]()
137 of 201![Greencastle's Taryn Parks competes in the girls 3200]()
138 of 201![Chambersburg's Abby Yourkavitch competes in the girls]()
139 of 201![Northern York's Marlee Starliper (left) and Greencastle's]()
140 of 201![Northern York's Marlee Starliper competes in the girls]()
141 of 201![Chambersburg's Kaylee Mowery competes in the 3200 at]()
142 of 201![Northern York's Marlee Starliper is awarded her gold]()
143 of 201![Marlee Starliper (right), Taryn Parks (center) and]()
144 of 201![Greencastle's Taryn Parks competes in the 3200. PIAA]()
145 of 201![Kelton Chastulik of Chambersburg celebrates after winning]()
146 of 201![Kelton Chastulik of Chambersburg celebrates after winning]()
147 of 201![Greencastle's Campbell Parker competes fists bumps]()
148 of 201![PIAA District 3 Track & Field events are being held]()
149 of 201![Kelton Chastulik of Chambersburg, who is headed to]()
150 of 201![Greencastle's Campbell Parker cools off under a towel]()
151 of 201![York Suburban's Ralph Kasper competes in the boys 3A]()
152 of 201![York Suburban's Ralph Casper throws the shot put at]()
153 of 201![Ralph Casper of York Surburban unleashes a throw during]()
154 of 201![York Suburban's Ralph Kasper smiles on the podium after]()
155 of 201![York Suburban's Ralph Casper stands on the podium after]()
156 of 201![Greencastle-Antrim's Campbell Parker receives his third-place]()
157 of 201![Greencastle's Campbell Parker smiles on the podiun]()
158 of 201![Chambersburg's Kelton Chastiulik raises his arms after]()
159 of 201![Delone Catholic's Ryan Malinowski competes in the high]()
160 of 201![Biglerville's Fisher Taylor competes in the boys' 2A]()
161 of 201![South Western's Drew Hartlaub competes in the boys']()
162 of 201![Kelton Chastulik of Chambersburg gives his best effort]()
163 of 201![Greencastle's Campbell Parker competes in the shot]()
164 of 201![Kelton Chastulik of Chambersburg celebrates with Trojan]()
165 of 201![Trayton Barnett (51) of Chambersburg competes in the]()
166 of 201![Trayton Barnett, center, of Chambersburg competes in]()
167 of 201![Chambersburg's Kelton Chastulik throws the shot put]()
168 of 201![Chambersburg's Secret Shaffer runs in the girls 100m]()
169 of 201![Greencastle-Antrim's Campbell Parker throws the shot]()
170 of 201![Chambersburg's Kelton Chastulik hugs a fan after his]()
171 of 201![Dallastown's Taylor Forrester competes in a preliminary]()
172 of 201![Bermudian Springs' Ryan Curfman competes in the 100]()
173 of 201![Spring Grove's Nathalie Elliott stands on the podium]()
174 of 201![Chambersburg's Jocelyn Kibbe placed fifth in the girls]()
175 of 201![Chambersburg's Jocelyn Kibbe stands on the podium during]()
176 of 201![Girls PIAA District 3 pole vault medalists stand on]()
177 of 201![Delone Catholic's Seth Leonard throws in the boys']()
178 of 201![Delone Catholic's Seth Leonard stands on the podium]()
179 of 201![Eastern York's Ashley Kerr competes in the discus during]()
180 of 201![Eastern York's Ashley Kerr competes in the discus during]()
181 of 201![Eastern York's Ashley Kerr receives her first-place]()
182 of 201![PIAA District 3 Track & Field events are being held]()
183 of 201![Jamal Riley of James Buchanan competes in his heat]()
184 of 201![Jamal Riley, second from right, of James Buchanan competes]()
185 of 201![Jamal Riley of James Buchanan competes in his heat]()
186 of 201![Jamal Riley of James Buchanan looks around after finishing]()
187 of 201![Greencastle's Jenay Faulkner throws the shot put. PIAA]()
188 of 201![Reagan Hess, left, of Annville-Cleaona crosses the]()
189 of 201![Reagan Hess, left, of Annville-Cleona crosses the finish]()
190 of 201![Reagan Hess, left, of Annville-Cleona crosses the finish]()
191 of 201![In addition to winning the long jump in record-breaking]()
192 of 201![Greencastle's Jenay Faulkner throws the shot put. PIAA]()
193 of 201![Greencastle's Jenay Faulkner retrieves her shot put.]()
194 of 201![Chambersburg's Reagan Winebrenner throws the shot put.]()
195 of 201![Chambersburg's Reagan Winebrenner throws the shot put.]()
196 of 201![Annvillle-Cleona's Stanley Miller placed fifth in the]()
197 of 201![Stanley Miller competes in the long jump for Annville-Cleona]()
198 of 201![Greencastle's Jenay Faulkner takes the top spot on]()
199 of 201![Greencastle's Jenay Faulkner takes the top spot on]()
200 of 201![Greencastle's Jenay Faulkner takes the top spot on]()
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West York freshman sets PR for mom
Tesia Thomas had extra motivation to perform well at the district meet.
"Today I was really focused on doing my best because it's also my mom's birthday," Thomas said. "On my second jump I went for a PR and I thought, well, there's one present for my mom.
"She does a lot for us," Thomas said about her desire to perform well on the birthday for her mother, Titania. "There's five of us, and we all do sports, which means spending money and driving far. It just means a lot that she came out and watched me today."
Thomas placed third with a triple jump of 37 feet, 10.5 inches. Lower Dauphin's Karina Long won in 37-11.25. Gettysburg's Hannah Baddick (36-3.75) took seventh.
It's an eventful year for the West York freshman: She played for the Bulldogs in the girls' volleyball state tournament, swam in the state championships and is now headed to the state track meet.
"It's still my first year, and I didn't think I'd be able to pull this out of nowhere," Thomas said about notching a berth to another state championship event.
York-area athletes managed to earn coveted spots at the state track and field championships with their performances at the District 3 Class 3A track and field championships Friday, May 19, 2017 at Shippensburg University. Jim Seip, GameTimePA
New Oxford's Hafner places fourth
Liam Hafner led a talented field of York-Adams jumpers on the podium in the triple jump.
"The past few meets including the (YAIAA championship) meet, my jumps have been starting around almost a foot behind the takeoff point," Hafner said. "So I've been at least a foot behind my jumps and today I was finally able to get my foot where it needed to be."
Hafner, seeded 12th, set his personal best with a triple jump of 44 feet, 8 inches.
Milton Hershey's Treyvon Ferguson won the event with a triple jump of 48-7.Hafner placed fourth, York Tech's D.J. Hamilton (43-5.5) placed sixth and Spring Grove's Noah Myers (43-11) placed seventh.
In order to improve, Hafner said he did "countless run-throughs every day."
"Pretty much my coach pushed me to my breaking point," Hafner said.
McCaskill wins silver
Spring Grove's Airika McCaskill placed second in the shot put, finishing behind Greencastle-Antrim's Jenay Faulkner (41-6.5). McCaskill improved on her season-best by throwing the shot 39-8.75.
The throw guaranteed her a spot in the state championships.
South Western's Jazmin Walker (35.6.5) placed seventh.
Northern's freshman champion
Northern York's Marlee Starliper put on a show in the 3,200-meter run, noting afterward she wanted to dream a little bigger.
She won in 10:31.09, about 50 seconds faster than her seed time, and more than 10 seconds faster than the second-place finisher in the event.
"I just changed my race strategy a little bit," Starliper said. "I never had much confidence ... I wanted to see if I could take it out in races. And it pushed me to go harder.
"When I just laid it out there, I wouldn't have it any other way."
This is expected to be her final 3,200, however, as she plans to focus on the 1,600 for the state championship.
Moving on to states
Red Lion pole vaulter Gregory Potter finally feels himself again.
"Today I just hoped to get back to where I was last year," said Potter, who placed second in the pole vault by clearing 14-9.
After vaulting on a stress fracture in his foot, the navicular bone, that he didn't know about, he underwent surgery in the fall. Headed to Eastern Michigan to vault next year, he was edged out for the gold medal by East Pennsboro's Payton Morris (15-0).
"I've had many people say you look like yourself again," Potter said. "So I'm happy right now.
"My PR is 15 feet, so I'm working up to that number again."
Other notes
- Eastern York's Brady Glatfelter placed third in the pole vault, clearing 14-9 to secure a spot at next week's championships.
- York Suburban's Ralph Casper placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 53-9.5.
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