Sentinel photo by MIKE GOSS Mifflin County’s Carter Smith won the 1600m and became the 2A state champion during the 100th annual PIAA Track and Field Championships in Shippensburg on Friday.

SHIPPENSBURG – Carter Smith crossed the finish line in the Class 3A boys 1600 meters, arms raised. The clock read 4:01.54, a new personal record, another line in his growing list of state and national honors.

Smith’s win on Friday at Shippensburg marked his fourth state title, including the 2024 cross country championship and both 800-meter indoor crowns from the past two seasons.

Smith’s race unfolded with patient calculation. He built a gap on the backstretch, checked his position, and surged forward. “Coming down the backstretch, I knew I put a little gap,” Smith said. “I just had to check behind me. I looked behind me and was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to win.’ At the end I was just like, ‘Let’s go.’ It was such a cool moment.”

His time, 4:01.54, landed him among the fastest high school milers in Pennsylvania history and placed him on the NFHS Honor Roll. Smith, however, kept his focus forward. “I’m really excited with the time today, but championship races, states, the time for me doesn’t matter that much. I want to win,” he said. “But I ran 4:01, so maybe at New Balance or something, I can try to crack it.”

Smith’s result gave Mifflin County 10 points, tying the Huskies for second place in the team standings with Gateway after day one.

For Smith, Friday capped a year filled with achievements and gratitude. “This has honestly been the best year of my life,” he said. “I’m so blessed with my family; they do everything for me. My teammates, my coaches, I’m so thankful for everything. I’ve had a great year.”

As Mifflin County’s top distance runner, Smith’s success pushed his teammates. “It sets the tone for my whole team because it’s like, ‘Look what I can do, you can do it, too,'” Smith said. “The job’s not finished, obviously. I’m going to celebrate this, but I can’t be too happy until the 800-meter is done.”

Michael McNitt entered the boys’ 300-meter hurdles with a plan. He attacked the first two barriers and looked for rhythm. At the third hurdle, he changed lead legs, lost momentum, and fought to regain form for the rest of the race. He finished 27th in 42.84 seconds, missing Saturday’s final.

Mifflin County coach Tamara Sechler described the effort: “Michael McNitt also came into the race with a plan. He executed it well for the first two hurdles. But, he said that the third hurdle became an issue when he ended up taking one less step and leading with his right instead of his left. This messed with his momentum, and he struggled to regain it for the rest of the race.”

McNitt closed a season shaped by steady improvement. “Although he did not reach his goal for this race, we are very pleased with Michael’s performance,” Sechler said. “He has only been training with hurdles for two seasons. To become the District Champion and be given the opportunity to compete at the state meet came with a lot of dedication and focus on his part over the past year. Michael put in the extra time in the off-season, which gave him the base to be here today.”

Juniata’s Wyatt Stroup and Joey Bomberger lined up in the boys 1600 meters in Class 2A. Stroup finished 10th in 4:19.18. Bomberger placed 24th with a time of 4:28.93.

On the girls side, Sylvia Brubaker of Juniata ran the 1600 meters and clocked 5:20.99 to place 23rd.

Cailyn Skopic of Mount Union took on two hurdle events. She finished 18th in the girls’ 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.39 and 21st in the 300-meter hurdles in 48.56. Skopic did not advance to Saturday’s finals in either race.

Jasper Shepps of Juniata earned a spot in the boys’ 110-meter hurdles final after placing seventh in 14.92 seconds. Shepps also competed in the boys’ 300-meter hurdles, finishing 10th in 40.60. In the high jump, Shepps cleared 5-10 to finish 15th.

Cody Nipple of East Juniata ran in the boys’ 400 meters and finished 15th with a time of 50.60. In the boys’ 200 meters, Nipple placed 22nd, finishing in 23.51.

With Smith’s 10 points in the 1600 meters, Mifflin County’s boys placed in a tie for second in the Class 3A team standings after the first day of competition. Only the top eight finishers in each event scored points.

No other Mifflin County athletes advanced to the finals or scored points on day one. Juniata, Mount Union, and East Juniata athletes competed, but none reached the podium on Friday.

Shepps remains the only area athlete guaranteed a medal after qualifying for the boys’ 110-meter hurdles final. His performance in other events reflected Juniata’s depth and willingness to compete across a range of disciplines.

Smith and Shepps will return to the track on Saturday. Smith aims for another title in the 800 meters, a race he has won indoors at the state level. Shepps will line up in the 110-meter hurdles final, already assured of a top-eight finish and a medal.

As the state meet enters its final day, individual focus shifts from preliminary rounds to the push for medals and points. For Smith, the 800 meters offers one more chance to add to a season already marked by wins and records. For Shepps, Saturday brings the opportunity to medal in a field of the state’s best hurdlers.

The PIAA Track and Field Championships continue at Shippensburg on Saturday, with finals in all events and team titles decided by the end of the day. The action gets underway at 9 a.m.