By CHRIS MANNINGValley Sports Report
MILTON — There's been a lot of heartbreak on the track for Athens junior Graham Wanck throughout his career, but he put all that behind him on Saturday as the Wildcat won the Class AAA 1600 at the District IV Track and Field Championships to punch his ticket to the PIAA Championships.
"It's rewarding," Wanck said. "I'm happy I was able to execute the race I knew I was capable of, and finally make it."
He'll be joined by senior Abby Burgees, who took second in the 100 qualify for states for the third year in a row.
Wanck came up short in the 3200 on Thursday, taking second and missing the state cut-off time. Only the champion gets a state berth out of District IV in Class AAA.
"We knew I had a lot more in me, and I just didn't have it on that day," he said. "It was really disappointing, but I just focused on learning from it, forgetting it, and just coming and getting a little revenge for today."
Much like the 2-mile, Wanck led from the gun, but he wasn't worried.
"I came into it knowing I had a lot larger PR than some of these guys, but I kind of came into it just knowing I was going to push it from the gun, and just take it," explained Wanck. "If these guys hang on, they hang on, but I was going to do what I can."
Wank's first lap was 1:05.36 and he got progressively slower over the next two, but then finished strong with his fastest lap of the day - 1:04.16.
The last 200, in particular, he pulled away to run 4:27.07, winning by over three seconds.
"This is the best race I've felt towards the end of every race, so I'm happy with the kick," said Wanck.
The Class AAA field at the PIAA Championships will be amongst the fastest in the nation so Wanck k nows he'll have the opportunity to lower his PR.
"I'm just going to sharpen it up," he said. "I'm getting ready to face a good field, and run a final quick time of the year."
“Both the boys and girls teams had really good meets over the two days," said Athens boys coach Mike Bronson. "I am really proud of how our kids competed, we had a lot of PRs or season-best performances.
"Graham Wanck had a great race in the 1,600 to win his first district championship and earn his first trip to the state meet in track, he really took control of the race and dictated how it went," noted Bronson.
"I am really happy for Abby Burgess to get her third trip to states.
"The level of competition this year was really high and I think our kids really stepped up," he said.
"Two sophomores who had great meets for us were Patrick Umber, who ran really well in the 400 to pick up fourth place, and Alissa Vough also placed 4th in the 1,600, her time puts her 3rd on our all-time list.
"Overall, this was a really good meet for us and a great way to end the season for our teams," added Bronson.
In the Class AAA 100 girls' final Burgess ran 12.40, just .10 under the state qualifying standard, to take second overall.
"I'm really excited," Burgess said about heading back to Shippensburg. "I'm glad to go back and get another chance."
Burgess was a state medalist a year ago in the 100.
"It gives me a lot of confidence, and it also gives me a high thing to look at," she explained. "I want to repeat what I did last year."
She was even with Shikellamy's Jilly Deivert (12.31) up until Divert nipped her at the end.
"It's a really familiar feeling," Burgess said about running against Divert. "Me and Jilly and are always really close, and it just did what I also do in the race with J illy, and Piper (Hoprich), and all of them."
Burgess came up just short of states in the 200 (26.21), taking second and missing the state time by .8 of a second.
Sprinters were facing a strong headwind most of the day, and it especially picked up for the 200s.
"I just have to remember to keep my form," Burgess said. "I can't do anything about the conditions so I just have to do what I know how to do."
Form is something she'll be spending plenty of time on this week as she makes her final trip down to Ship.
"I have to work a lot on my form, with the issue being my arms," remarked Burgess. "That's my biggest focus."
Also for the girls, senior Lizzie Gorsline was a medalist in the 100 hurdles (17.26), placing sixth, and the 300 hurdles (50.89), placing seventh.
Alissa Vough was fourth in the 1,600 (5:26.41) and eighth in the 800 (2:28.25) to get on the podium.
In the long jump, junior Kaitlyn Leonard (15-feet, 5-inches) just missed the podium, taking ninth, with sophomore Annika Lezak (77-feet, 11-inches) 15th in the discus.
Freshman Bilikula Wennie was 12th in the 200 (28.07), senior Ava Hughes was ninth in the 1600 (5:42.14), and freshman Stella Unger was 12th (5:47.76).
Sophomore Marlene Roelle (1:05.60) finished 16th in the 400.
In the relays, the 4x100 was sixth (51.88) and the 4x400 took seventh (4:24.93).
On the boys' side Patrick Umber (51.94) came in fourth in the 400 to reach the podium with Alex Thompson (2:01.36) fifth in the 800. Wanck (2:06.19) took seventh in the half mile to get on the podium, while Matt Rossettie (2:08.040 was 10th.
Lucas Persun was sixth in the 1600 (4:36.02) to medal as Rossettie (4:43.03) took ninth.
Zachary Fisher was eighth in the javelin to medal, finishing in 142-feet, 9-inches, with Brenden Comstock 10th in the shot put at 40-feet, 11 3/4-inches.
The boys 4x400 foursome of Thompson, Umber, Cook, and Avery Gorsline was fifth in 3:32.17, while their 4x100 foursome of Ryder Morley, Umber, Brayden Wetsbrook and Cook finished sixth in 45.13.
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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM.
