NTL TRACK & FIELD: WYALUSING HAS STRONG RETURN SEASON, ENDING WITH CAMERON'S STATE MEDAL (2021-06-11)

Northern Tier Sports Report
It was a successful return to competition for both Wyalusing track and field teams in 2021. The boys and girls both went 9-2 in the dual meet season, sent several athletes to districts, and even moved two on to the state competition, with Kashawn Cameron coming home with a medal.

“I am really proud of the resilience of this team,” said coach Jim Schools. “We were shutdown for 11 days this year, and every time that we returned, the athletes were stepping up to make sure that they were ready to compete.”

Cameron took sixth in the long jump at states, along with claiming a district and NTL meet title in the event. He now holds the new school record in the event, along with the 100.

“Kashawn medaling at states was definitely icing on the cake for the season,” Schools said. “The season was a lesson experience for the coaching staff. We constantly had to redesign our training plans for the team. Our main focus was to let the athletes have fun. The athletes were facing all types of stress throughout the season, we wanted track to be an outlet for the stress, not an additional stress.”

Cameron won the district title with a jump of 21-feet, 11-inches, while also taking fourth in the 200, and seventh in the 100.

But he wasn’t the only success story at the end of the season.

Grady Cobb tied for second in the high jump at districts, earning a spot at states in his first year of competition.

Senior Justin Hiduk took sixth in the 800 at districts, Jacob Palfreyman was also sixth in the discus and the shot put, while Darevin Curlee (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Nolan Oswald (high jump, long jump, triple jump), Ethan Lewis (high jump), Abram Bennett (javelin), and Alex Hunsinger (pole vault) all competed at districts.

Their 4x100 relay of Brian Arnold, Joey Gonsauls, Oswald, and Cameron was fourth, while their 4x400 relay of Curlee, Colbrin Nolan, Travis Bahl, and Hiduk, and their 4x800 relay of Josh Stoddard, Curlee, Hiduk, and Clayton Petlock also competed.

The girls’ also had several athletes compete at districts, with Olivia Haley taking eighth in the 200. She also competed in the 100, and 4x100. Madison Armitage was also eighth in the high jump.

Other girls at districts were Kassandra Kerin (400), Catherine Brown (800), Sierra Allen (1600), Carina Beebe (3200), Hannah Ely (high jump), Mia Wilcox (high jump), Layla Botts (long jump, triple jump), Marie Scarborough (pole vault), and Prescilla Newton (pole vault).

All three relays made it, with Haley, Ely, Wilcox, and Botts taking eighth in the 4x100. Kerin, Botts, Brown, and Haley ran in the 4x400, while Brown, Allen, Kayla Beebe, and Carina Beebe ran in the 4x800 relay.

“I was very pleased with our performances at the NTL Coaches Invitational, and District IV Championships,” said Schools.

With several athletes returning, including Cameron and Cobb, expect Wyalusing to continue to excel in 2022.