Spring-Ford area track and field makes impact at states

Shippensburg - The Indianapolis 500 is a well known American tradition and seen every year on Memorial Day weekend, another is the annual trek made by the finest track and field performers that the Keystone state has to offer, as they converge on the tiny college town of Shippensburg in search of something that is not available in the Wal Mart that welcomes visitors to town as they trickle off the interstate.

What they are all in search of is a PIAA State championship gold medal.

Thousands of track fans and hundreds of athletes make there way over the turnpike and crossroads to have an opportunity to etch their names into the rich history of the championships.

The word “special” gets thrown around far too frequently when describing today’s athlete.

When talking about Pope John Paul II senior Tom Lang, the word special only scratches the surface.

Lang, who has received a scholarship to Duke University in the fall, won the PIAA gold medal last year in the javelin in class AA and came into this season with one goal in mind, win a second straight gold medal while moving up to class AAA.

“It’s what I set out to do in the beginning of the season,” said Lang. “I have won district gold medal and a state gold here last year but they were in AA. I knew it would be a challenge but wanted to win a gold this year in AAA, I don’t know how many people have ever done that.”

In a season full of ups and downs, Lang admittedly did not have the kind of year on the stat chart that he had anticipated for the newly formed PJP2, but battled through the AAA field at the District One championship last week in Coatesville where it took one good throw by Lang to secure his third consecutive District gold medal.

As Lang lined up for perhaps the final throw of his high school career, coach Bob Greissmiller reminded him that it would be the last throw under his tutelage.

As the Golden Panthers star readied himself, he witnessed junior Billy Stanley of South Park High School in District Seven hurl the javelin through a brutal cross wind for a distance of 205 feet 10 inches. It was a mark that seemed unlikely to be surpassed.

Lang was able to focus and launched a throw that at first was caught by the wind then sailed back to the right, landing more than 211 feet from his starting position, propelling him to the gold medal.

“When I saw the jav go left, I thought, 'Oh no, I just blew it in my final throw',” said Lang. “To be able to respond like that on my final throw and win the gold, which was my goal, is more than I could have ever hoped for. It hasn’t sunk in yet. It was a perfect end to an imperfect season.”

“He did it when he had to,” said father Thomas Lang. “He just has something inside of him that has always helped him respond to pressure.”

Lang wasn’t the only area trackster making his impact known. Teammate and fellow javelin thrower Devon Player, a Pope John Paul II freshman, who qualified for states with a throw of more than 119 feet, battled the heavy winds on Friday as she finished 26^th with a top throw of 99-5.

Tom Lang will be competing in Greensboro, North Carolina in June at the New Balance United States national track and field championships.

"Right before my last throw, coach called me aside," added Lang. "He and I just talked about the fact that it would be my last throw with him as my coach. I had my family here and my friends, which really encouraged me to let that last throw fly."

Spring-Ford senior long jumper Meagan Yates took to the board on Friday with achieving a new school record as her goal.

Yates, who qualified for states with a distance of 17-10, struggled with the blustery conditions and a different board from what she was used to. She recorded a long jump of 15-9.75, which was good enough to claim 25^th place overall in the state.

Sprinters Amber Muhammed and Damien Boham entered Seth Grove Stadium as the Rams short distance contingent.

Qualifying for states  in the 400 meter run with a time of 58.27, Muhammed, like many others, had trouble with the strong wind in her face and scored a time of 59.17, which left her out of the medal hunt.

Boham, a senior, took advantage of a great start to post a time of 48.93 which helped him qualify for the final, where he ran a 49.63 circuit to snag an eighth place PIAA state medal.

“I was disappointed with the way we ran in the final today in the 4 x 800, but to win a medal at states is awesome,” said Boham. “I got a good start and was able to work through traffic early. In this field it was time to hang on in the last 100 meters. It’s great in my final year to leave with a medal.”  

Spring-Ford’s 4 x 800 meter relay, which lit up the track last week in Coatesville, continued to dazzle an elite field in the prelims of Friday as the Rams qualified for Saturday’s final with a time of 7:50.41.

In Saturday’s finale, Spring-Ford got out slowly and was more than six seconds behind the leaders after 400 meters and never recovered form the early traffic snafu, finishing with a time of 7:56.56, which garnered them an 11^th place finish.

“This medal is what I have been working for all year,” said Boham. “Coach Stauffer has really helped us get here, she is an amazing person and her support has been incredible.”