Braves girls 4x100 relay clinches spot in final

May 24—SHIPPENSBURG — Upon finishing the anchor leg of her 4x100 relay, Elli Ronk embraced Lily Persing for a hug. Soon after, the other two members of the relay, Jilly Deivert and Emma Koontz, joined them in celebration.

That was because the four took first in their heat, avoiding the dread of having to look up for their time on the scoreboard at Seth Grove Stadium during the PIAA Class 3A girls track and field competition on Friday at Shippensburg.

As a result, the quartet ensured a spot on the medal stand for today's final after running a 48.10, which set a school record in the process, in the second heat.

"We we're excited coming into this, and knowing that we were seeded, and that it was possible," Ronk said. "And then getting first in our heat, and securing that spot just heighten our spirits even more. We're just ready and looking forward to (today)."

Overall, the Braves ran the fifth fastest time during the preliminary heats. Since Ronk is a senior, today will be the last time the four Braves will get to run together as a relay team.

"We've put everything into this team," Persing said. "I feel like since the last couple meets, we've really wanted to last as long as we can, like having Elli here, and giving it our all."

The quartet will solely focus on the 4x100 today as Ronk and Deivert didn't make it past the preliminaries during their individual runs. Also, the 4x400 relay consisting of the same four girls false started.

Deivert finished 14th in the 100-meter dash with a 12.26, a personal and school record. It's the fourth time this month that Deivert's broken the school record in the event — a milestone that stood since 2002 before the start of the season.

"The 4x1 is my favorite event," Deivert said. "I mean I was really sad that I didn't make it in the 100, but it was good to know that I could make it up in the 4x1."

Ronk ran in a tough heat in the 400 that featured the reining state champion — Cedar Crest's Kaddel Howard. Howard was everything as advertised as she ran a 53.76, which was more than a second better than anyone else in the field.

Despite finishing as the runner-up to Howard in the final heat, Ronk's time of 57.79 wasn't enough to propel her to the final. She ended up ninth.

"I was looking at the 400 heats, and I was like 'O.K., I can do this', but it wasn't the biggest thing on my mind knowing that we had already qualified for (today)," Ronk said.

"It wasn't at the forefront in my head. I just wanna run for this team because they've been putting in all the work for me because it's my senior year. So I just wanted to give it all my back to them and leave it on the track."

History repeated itself for Selinsgrove sprinter Carly Aument. After being denied a spot in the 100 and 200 finals last season by 0.01 seconds, Aument was left on the chopping block once again. Aument was eliminated by 0.02 seconds in both events. Aument ran times of 12.14 and 25.14 seconds in the 100 and 200, respectively, settling for ninth place in the two events.

Now that her high school career is officially over, Aument will set her sights on running as a sprinter on Penn State's track and field team.

"I didn't have the best block start in the 100, but other than that it was a nice day," Aument said. "So I though I ran well in the 100 and the 200. I mean it's my season second-best time in both of them.

"Running against the good competition here at the end of my track season for high school, it was really fun to be able to come out here and run my last run here."

Aument's teammate, Shakiya Stapleton, didn't make it out of the first round of shot put. Stapleton finished 14th with a mark of 34-11 3/4.

Lewisburg had two runners compete on Friday in Caroline Blakeslee and Jenna Binney. Blakeslee ran in two preliminary events — she finished 27th in the 200 (26.04) and 18th in the 400 (58.27). Binney ran a 5:11.72 in the 1,600 final — good enough for 27th.

Additionally, Shikellamy pole vaulter Aly Bingaman didn't place after failing to clear the 10-6 bar on all three of her attempts. Shamokin's Carly Nye also faulted during all her three of her tries in the triple jump.