Sentinel photo by PATRICK WAKSMUNSKI Mifflin County's Carter Smith won the 3A 1600-meter run with a time of 4:08.08 during the district championship meet last week in Altoona.

SHIPPENSBURG – Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium becomes the focal point of Pennsylvania high school athletics this Friday and Saturday, hosting the PIAA Track and Field Championships.

A dedicated group of athletes from Mifflin County, Juniata, Midd-West, Mount Union, and East Juniata have earned their places to contend for state honors, showcasing years of training and dedication. The two-day event will see competitors push their limits across a spectrum of track and field disciplines.

Class 3A

Mifflin County sends a strong contingent, spearheaded by distance runner Carter Smith, who has his sights set on the top of the podium. Smith will compete in the 1600-meter run, with the final scheduled for Friday morning and the 800-meter run, culminating on Saturday afternoon.

“My goal is to get the double and win the 1600 and 800,” Smith stated, his ambition clear. The drive comes from experience. “Winning two Gold Medals would mean a lot to me because last year I came up short.”

In the crucial moments before a race, Smith’s focus sharpens. “What goes through my mind is not to waste the opportunity and do something great,” he shared. His preparation for the championships involves a specific strategy. “The only thing we do differently for states is taper. That means make the training easier so your body is firing on race day.”

A strong mental game matches this physical readiness. “I’m ready for the Shippensburg track. I feel confident on any track I run on. I’m in the best shape of my life.” As the races approach, Smith concentrates on his mindset. “This week leading in, I’m trying to just have fun and not stress about the race. So focusing in on the mind aspect.” For Smith, competing transcends personal accolades; it’s about a larger connection. “I feel great not just to represent our school but more of the community behind me in Mifflin County.”

Wyatt Kauffman joins Smith in the Class 3A 800-meter run, also set for Saturday. Together with Connor Lynch and Reese Cubbison, Smith and Kauffman form the Boys 4×800 Meter Relay team, which will compete in Saturday’s final.

Adding to Mifflin County’s presence on the track is Michael McNitt, who will compete in the Class 3A Boys 300-meter hurdles. McNitt will navigate the preliminary round at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 23, hoping to advance to the final on Saturday, May 24, at 1:55 p.m.

Mifflin County Head Coach Tamara Sechler highlighted the collaborative effort behind the athletes’ success.

“I am fortunate to have very good coaches that have agreed to work with our program. Each coach makes a plan for their event group for the season and breaks it down on a weekly basis, making changes as needed.” The season presented unique hurdles. “This year, the weather, not having a track and changing practice locations, added some interesting features to the training regimen.” Sechler expressed pride in her athletes’ resilience. “We are so proud of the athletes for staying focused, trusting the process, and attaining a chance to prolong their season and compete for a state medal.”

Coach Richard Yearick, who guides hurdler Michael McNitt, focused on the mental aspect and technical refinement leading up to states.

“His training is there. I worked on Michael’s belief in himself and trusting in his training,” Yearick said. To prepare McNitt for the championship intensity, Yearick “dropped his volume some stressing technique with a hard mid-week workout.” Specific technical adjustments were key. “I added more hurdles to his mid-week workout, stressing correct strides between hurdles.” Managing the demands of multiple races is also a focus. Yearick works with McNitt on “recovery protocols between prelims and finals,” emphasizing “staying calm, focusing on positive thoughts and believing in himself.”

Distance coach Alex Monroe, who works with Smith, Kauffman, and the 4×800 relay, detailed their late-season strategy.

“The boys started coming around in training right before the Mid-Penn championships. I actually didn’t back them off all that much until we got through that race. It’s hard to extend a taper and so I wanted to make sure they could hold it through states.” The change in training volume and intensity is nuanced. “We reduce volume but not so much intensity,” Monroe explained. “A common idea is that you back everything off, but in my experience, that change just zaps their bodies and minds further because they are out of routine. I like to make sure they aren’t feeling stale heading into a goal race.”

Monroe noted the athletes’ consistent approach. “This group keeps it business as usual. There are times you can see the pressure building, and so we touch up on the mental side of things. But I didn’t make a ton of adjustments from our indoor cycle because it worked so well. Really, I tweaked a few target workouts that they didn’t take to, so they had a better chance of gaining confidence from them.”

The athletes’ capacity for multiple events is a strength. “They have such big aerobic engines that they can handle it. Recovery for them looks like cooling down, eating/drinking something within 30 minutes, putting their legs up, and settling their minds before going again.”

This group of qualifiers holds a special place for Monroe. “This group is special, for sure. It is the same six that went to states and nationals indoors and saw a ton of success. They have switched their mindset over the last year to ‘process over outcome.’ That’s not to say they don’t have these big dreams. But they know you can’t have a shot at the outcome if you don’t commit yourself to the process. They are incredibly committed.”

As for expectations for the weekend, Monroe stated, “Obviously, the goal on paper is to bring home medals. But aside from that, they also want to get the most out of themselves. That’s just who they are. My goal for them is to walk away from the weekend, knowing there was nothing more they could’ve done. They aren’t racers who finish with something left in the tank when it counts, and this weekend it counts.”

Midd-West also fields a formidable Boys 4×800 Meter Relay team in Class 3A, featuring Connor Stoltzfus, Ben Hummel, Lincoln Hoffman, and Wyatt Nelson. They will race in the final on Saturday. Individually, Hummel, Nelson, and Stoltzfus will each compete in the Class 3A 800-meter run final on Saturday afternoon.

Class 2A

Juniata boasts a strong contingent in the Class 2A competition, with athletes participating in multiple distance and field events.

Wyatt Stroup aims to conclude his high school running career on a high note. He competes in the 1600-meter run final on Friday and the 3200-meter run final on Saturday.

“It feels great to represent Juniata for the final time,” Stroup said. “This school has given me a lot, and I’m very thankful for it. The staff and teachers support me and understand the work I put in. I’ll miss running for a high school later in life.” His objectives are clear. “My goal for states this weekend is to walk away with two medals of the highest placement. The time will come with it, but I’m determined to give it my all with elite competition with my last two races for my high school career.”

Stroup described his pre-race, mental state: “When the starter says on your mark, I lock in as hard as possible to get angry at the start.” Earning more state medals carries deep personal significance. “To medal two more times would feel very accomplishing for my high school career. I’ve put in a lot of hard work over the four years, and so have my coaches for me, so I thank them for sticking with me along with my friends and family.”

His preparation remains consistent. “Just the normal stuff, just making sure I’m more dialed in and making sure I save the junk food for after the race. Not changing anything up; it’s worked in the past, so there is no reason to reinvent the wheel.” His technical focus remains steady. “Just the normal things I’m used to. Not really adding anything new to the training log, saving that for the summer.”

Sylvia Brubaker will also represent Juniata in the Class 2A 1600-meter run on Friday and the 3200-meter run on Saturday. “It is a really great honor being able to represent my school,” Brubaker commented. “We are such a small school that being able to compete at the state level is just really cool.”

She has specific targets for her races. “My goal for the 1600 is to crack the top eight potentially and go sub 5:10 and just really compete with the competitors. In the 3200, my goal is to crack 11 and get top five potentially.”

Brubaker shared her pre-race experience: “Right before the gun goes off is probably the worst feeling I will have that day. I get very sick in my stomach, but I sit and pray and try to keep myself calm and know that it will be fun.”

For her, success is intertwined with her faith. “For me, I run to represent God and bring Him glory, so to have success doesn’t really reflect much on me but much more on Him and all He has done for me. I’ve grown a lot and have been able to work really hard, so being able to win a medal would feel really great.”

Her preparation includes tapering. “Yes, we have been tapering, cutting out the mileage, and just stretching a lot, keeping it easy and resting the legs.” The Shippensburg track presents a mix of emotions. “Running at Ship is a bit intimidating and can bring a lot of nerves, but it’s a great track compared to the track we are used to running on.” Her recent focus has been holistic. “I’ve really been focusing on my diet, stretching, and hydration as states are coming up because those are the three areas I am affected by the most, or just lack. I’m hoping that being cautious with that will help on Friday and Saturday.”

Jasper Shepps is set for a busy weekend for Juniata, competing in three Class 2A events: the 110-meter hurdles (preliminaries Friday, finals Saturday if he qualifies), the 300-meter hurdles (preliminaries Friday, finals Saturday if he qualifies), and the high jump final on Friday. Joey Bomberger joins Stroup in both the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs, while Mason Beward will compete in the 3200-meter run.

Juniata Track and Field Coach Maisie Aumiller outlined the team’s approach for the championships. “The week going into states, we focus more on technique, fine-tuning, and less on workouts. We want our athletes to be as fresh as possible for states because most of them will compete both days.”

The season’s condensed schedule influenced their training. “This year, we had to cram a lot of meets into a small amount of time due to weather, so resting when needed is really important, especially coming off of districts, which they all ran incredibly at.”

The experience of this group is a notable factor. “This is the same group who competed last year at states so it’s a huge accomplishment to have them all competing again,” Aumiller emphasized self-care for athletes competing on consecutive days. “Competing back-to-back days can be tough on any athlete at that level so I think it’s really important for them to stay hydrated and take care of their bodies by resting, staying off their feet, stretching, eating good meals, etc.”

Her definition of a successful weekend centers on effort and personal achievement. “A successful weekend would just be each of them running a personal best and knowing they each gave it their all.”

From Mount Union, Cailyn Skopic will compete in three Class 2A events. She is entered in the 100-meter hurdles (preliminaries Friday, finals Saturday if she qualifies), the 300-meter hurdles (preliminaries Friday, finals Saturday if she qualifies), and the high jump final on Friday.

East Juniata’s Cody Nipple is slated for two Class 2A sprinting events. He will run in the 200-meter dash preliminaries on Friday, aiming for Saturday’s final, and the 300-meter hurdles, also with preliminaries on Friday and potential finals on Saturday. Nipple was listed as a qualifier for the 100-meter dash but will not compete in that event.

Friday’s track events begin at 9:00 a.m. with the 1600-meter run finals, directly affecting local athletes like Carter Smith, Wyatt Stroup, Sylvia Brubaker, and Joey Bomberger. Hurdle preliminaries for athletes like Jasper Shepps and Cailyn Skopic also take place throughout Friday. Field events, including Shepps’ and Skopic’s high jump, begin at 9:00 a.m. Friday.

Saturday’s action also starts at 9:00 a.m. with the 3200-meter run finals, where Stroup, Brubaker, Bomberger, and Mason Beward will compete. The 800-meter run finals, featuring Smith, Wyatt Kauffman, and the Midd-West trio, are scheduled for later in the afternoon. The 4×800 meter relays for Mifflin County and Midd-West are set for late Saturday morning.

For these athletes, the weekend represents the culmination of a season, and often a career, worth of effort. Goals range from achieving personal bests to securing coveted state medals. The support of their schools, communities, and coaches provides a foundation as they step onto the state’s biggest stage, ready to leave their mark.