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Family tradition

Ciccolini sisters both finish in top three

Sentinel photo by MIKE GOSS
Mifflin County’s Skylar Ciccolini, left, watches intently as her sister Taylor throws during the javelin competition at the PIAA Class 3A track and field championships Saturday at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium. Skylar won the event for the second year in a row, and Taylor finished third.

SHIPPENSBURG — When it comes to throwing the javelin, perhaps no one has had more success than Mifflin County’s Skylar Ciccolini.

On Saturday, Ciccolini proved again why she’s one of America’s best, defending her gold medal at the PIAA Class 3A track and field championships in the javelin with a top throw of 169 feet, 3 inches, improving on her state throw of 167-4 last season.

Ciccolini’s second-consecutive gold medal makes her the third in county history to earn multiple golds in the same event, joining Indian Valley’s Laura Loht (2008, 2010) and Justin McKnight (1999, 2000).

“It feels great,” Ciccolini said of her accomplishment. “I’m really happy of the number I put out today for the most part. All around it feels good.”

Ciccolini’s gold medal allowed her to finish her decorated career at Mifflin County with a successful title defense. This season her throw of 184-2 came at the Penn Relays on April 25, allowing her to end her high school career with the second-best throw of any high school girl in the nation’s history.

She would have the state record if she had thrown that number at the state meet.

“I’m super excited and I’m really hoping to build through my summer,” Ciccolini said. “That’s my goal right now. I’m happy to end my high school career on a higher note than it started, but I’m really excited for what is to come.”

Her focus now moves to her summer, where she plans to compete in the Ironwoods Throws next week in Idaho, followed by the New Balance Nationals, the U-20 Nationals in Florida and then the Senior National Championships in Iowa. She will begin her freshman season at the University of Missouri in the fall.

“I’m really excited about what the summer holds, as well as to get to Missouri,” Ciccolini said. “They have a great group of people out there and they are doing really well this year just in the throws in general. I’m excited to be part of that and I think it will help push me forward.”

Of the two gold medals, Ciccolini said that her second means the most to her, as back problems forced her to make adjustments and push through adversity throughout the year.

“I think this one means a little more since I struggled a little bit through this season,” Ciccolini said. “With injuries, my back gave me trouble, I lost about two months of training. To come out here and do what I almost was starting my season at meant a lot.”

Mifflin County girls track-and-field coach Scott Gantz recalled the work that Ciccolini has put in that has made her one of the nation’s best.

“I don’t think anybody realizes how much work she put into the sport of track and field,” Scott Gantz said. “It’s basically been her life for the past four or five years. It’s taken her so many places because of it. The hard work and dedication that she has shown has been phenomenal and will lead her to bigger and better things in the future.”

Along with Skylar’s personal achievements this season, making it to states along with her sister Taylor Ciccolini is something that she is particularly proud of. Taylor, a sophomore, earned a bronze medal in the javelin after focusing exclusively on the pole vault before her sophomore year because of injuries.

“Her main focus had been the pole vault and this year she was healthy enough to throw the javelin and put forth more time to train for it,” Gantz said. “It’s just the next step for her. Last year she did what we wanted her to do and what she needed to do. Her future is bright. For her to go down to states and pull a third-place finish as a sophomore is just incredible.”

Skylar was particularly proud of Taylor’s performance and having the opportunity to compete with her at states.

“That means so much to me honestly,” Skylar said. “She came out and struggled at first a little bit, but that’s what you have to do with the atmosphere at the state meet. I think she handled it really well and threw 139, which is close to her PR, and took third and I’m really happy for her.”

Taylor was excited to advance to states in her first season throwing and despite an off day, took third place at the PIAA championships. She said she thought she could have reached second but was happy since she had not set any specific expectations for herself entering the meet.

“I didn’t really have many expectations coming in,” Taylor said. “My only real goal was to get into the 130s and I did that. I know I could’ve thrown further. I think I could’ve had second, but the throws just didn’t come together.”

Taylor hit a monster personal record at the District 6 Class 3A championships on May 16.

“It feels great,” Taylor said. “I knew if I threw decently, I would get a medal but getting third and being close to second means a lot to me.”

Taylor echoed Skylar’s thoughts on what it meant for the two to reach the podium together on the biggest stage.

“It’s great. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like standing up there with her,” Taylor said. “I don’t think people really realize how special that is.”

Taylor’s experience as a sophomore will certainly push her forward as she strives to hit larger numbers and move up on the state podium in her next two seasons.

“I think just getting another big meet under my belt and more nerves than I’ve had with many meets before,” Taylor said. “It just gives me more experience in handling that and seeing how I can use it to my advantage, hopefully.”

Gantz believes that the foundation for success at states was set when Loht competed at states a decade ago and came away with two gold medals in the javelin. He said that Skylar and Taylor continue to pave the way for future success at Mifflin County in the event.

“I think since [Loht] medaled at states and had all of her success, it snowballed from there with Skylar and Taylor. It’s been a fun run watching these girls grow up and do the things they have done, specifically for Mifflin County track and field.

“With Skylar having the second-best throw in the history of the country ever, that’s pretty big,” Gantz continued. “What she’s done at Penn Relays and just putting the Mifflin County name out there — I think through the hard work of Laura and things like that, it will be a tradition that carries on for years to come.”

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