Track & Field: 2024 Lebanon County Championship Meet

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On Friday night, the highly anticipated Lebanon County Championship Meet took place in South Lebanon, where LebCo’s six high schools sent their top Track & Field athletes. This event, a significant highlight in our local sports calendar, always brings out the best in our area’s top athletes. The 2024 edition lived up to its reputation, with our local stars delivering remarkable performances that set the stage for the upcoming championship season.

Among those outstanding efforts throughout the evening at Cedar Crest’s Earl Boltz Stadium were several record-setting efforts. Palmyra’s Tyler Burgess set a new mark in the 300m IM Hurdles when he won the event in a time of 37.90. Lebanon’s Zariyah Whigham established a new record in the Triple Jump when she put together a jump of 37’7.75” to overtake Cedar Crest’s Ariel Jones as the all-time leader. Palmyra’s Mason Bucks rewrote the Pole Vault record when he cleared the bar at 15’ to best Northern Lebanon’s Daryl Miller’s mark of 14’9.5”, which was set in 1979 and stood as the longest standing county record. It was a big day for Bucks, who earlier in the day took 5th place at the Penn Relays before competing with the rest of his team in the evening. 

Annville-Cleona’s Kendall Cooper, a junior, claimed the title of Outstanding Female Athlete for the second time in her high school career. Cooper won the 100m (12.64) and the 200m (26.10), both times edging out freshman Maddy Waldron, who set Palmyra’s 200m record (26.23) in the highly contest matchup. Cooper would also serve as a leg on the 4x100m team with Miracle Hershey, Jada Morales, and Sophia Caporaletti as the foursome ran to set the school record for the second time in a week. Their FAT time of 49.54 came very close to breaking the record of 49.5 set by Cedar Crest in 2017. Cooper rejoined the same group of girls to take 2nd in the 4x400m with a time of 4:10.26, also a new school record.

For the boys, Tyler Burgess was named the meet’s Outstanding Athlete for his wins in the 110m High Hurdles (14.58) and 300m IM Hurdles. He also served as a leg, along with brother Jacob Burgess and brothers Jonathan and Travis McDannell, in the Cougars’ 4x100m relay that took gold with a time of 42.51. He then finished the meet running the 4x400m, as Palmyra finished 2nd with a time of 3:33.75. 

Led by the meet’s Outstanding Athlete, Palmyra won the team championship for the second time in the last four years. Jacob Burgess joined Tyler in winning multiple events, as he locked down the 100m (11.35), 200m (22.68), and Long Jump (21’8.5”). Cedar Crest’s Dylan Groff was the only other male to win multiple individual events, with the junior taking first in the Javelin (186’3″) and the Triple Jump (40’11.25″). Lebanon’s Ramon Urena Batista won the 800m with a time of 1:57.31 and also led the Cedars to a victory in the 4x800m (8:11.08) and a near victory in the 4x400m before a DQ gave ELCO the win in the final event of the night.

In the girls’ competition, Cedar Crest took the most points as a team. Eliana Schneider won the 800m (2:17.93) and High Jump (4’10”). Her time in the 800m was just a half-second behind the pace that ELCO great Kaleigh Perry laid down in 2010. The sophomore also finished 2nd in the Javelin with a throw of 131’3”, just a foot behind the winner, Sofie Price of Palmyra who set a new personal record. Makenzie Wamsher won both hurdling events, finishing the 100m version in 16.99 and the 300m in 48.77. Emma Pavlesich added a victory in the 400m (1:01.79), and Hailee Kreiser won the Pole Vault (10’6”). Besides Schneider and Wamsher, Lebanon’s Liliana Harrison was the only winner of multiple individual events, taking the Shot Put (35’6.25″) and Discus (114’5″)

While there were several other outstanding performances, one worth mentioning was Abby Berarducci’s win in the 1600m. The Palmyra senior ran the four-lap race in 5:09.06, just off of Perry’s meet record of 5:08.8, set in 2009. Beraraducci’s time set a new Palmyra record, the second time in six days that she rewrote the record books for the black and orange. 

Another school record was broken when Northern Lebanon’s Tyler Shunk won the 3200m in a time of 9:47.84.

Below is a list of all the 2024 Lebanon County Track & Field Championship Meet winners. 

Lebanon County Track & Field Championship Meet Records

Female First Place Winners

100m: Kendall Cooper (Annville-Cleona) – 12.64

200m: Kendall Cooper (Annville-Cleona) – 26.10

400m: Emma Pavlesich (Cedar Crest) – 1:01.79

800m: Eliana Schnieder (Cedar Crest) – 2:17.93

1600m: Abby Berarducci (Palmyra) – 5:09.06

1600m (Novice): Katie Dromgoole (Palmyra) – 5:52.14

3200m: Makenzie Stellmach (Annville-Cleona) – 11:47.04

110m Hurdles: Makenzie Wamsher (Cedar Crest) – 16.99

300m Hurdles: Makenzie Wamsher (Cedar Crest) – 48.77

4x100m: Annville-Cleona (Miracle Hershey, Jada Morales, Sophia Caporaletti, Kendall Cooper) – 49.54

4x400m: Palmyra (Ella Stuart, Kate Lachance, Delaney Miller, Maddy Waldron) – 4:08.76

4X800m: Palmyra (Amber McCurdy, Madi Gingrich, Ellie Schaffer, Abby Berarducci) – 10:02.20

Long Jump: Makenna Haas (ELCO) – 17’2.25″

Triple Jump: Zariyah Whigham (Lebanon) – 37’7.75″

High Jump: Eliana Schnieder (Cedar Crest) – 4’10”

Pole Vault: Hailee Kreiser (Cedar Crest) – 10’6″

Shot Put: Liliana Harrison (Lebanon) – 35’6.25″

Discus: Liliana Harrison (Lebanon) – 114’5″

Javelin: Sofie Price (Palmyra) – 132’3″

Male First Place Winners

100m: Jacob Burgess (Palmyra) – 11.35

200m: Jacob Burgess (Palmyra) – 22.68

400m: Jalik Hill (Lebanon) – 51.77

800m: Ramon Urena Batista (Lebanon) – 1:57.31

1600m: Chad Keller (ELCO) – 4:35.81

1600m (Novice): Gavin Bullard (Palmyra) – 4:51.97

3200m: Tyler Shunk (Northern Lebanon) – 9:47.84

110m Hurdles: Tyler Burgess (Palmyra) – 14.58

300m Hurdles: Tyler Burgess (Palmyra) – 37.80

4x100m: Palmyra (Jacob Burgess, Jonathan McDannell, Tyler Burgess, Travis McDannell) – 42.51

4x400m: ELCO (Camden Marquette, Ben Macchione, Luke Macchione, Chad Keller) – 3:32.57

4x400m (Novice): Cedar Crest (Kayden Tirado, Isaiah Zimmerman, Bryce Wampler, Kaeleb Fees) – 3:42.82

4X800m: Lebanon (Owen Kreider, Tyler Long, Gavin Sheetz, Ramon Urena Batista) – 8:11.08

Long Jump:  Jacob Burgess (Palmyra) – 21’8.5″

Triple Jump: Dylan Groff (Cedar Crest) – 40’11.25″

High Jump:  Cameron Tirado (Cedar Crest) – 6’0″

Pole Vault:  Mason Bucks (Palmyra) – 15’0″

Shot Put:  Tristan Long (Cedar Crest) – 47’4.25″

Discus: Alex Kissinger (Cedar Crest) – 141.4″

Javelin: Dylan Groff (Cedar Crest) – 186’3″

Team Standings

Girls

1) Cedar Crest – 175

2) Palmyra – 142

3) Annville-Cleona – 113

4) Eastern Lebanon – 57

5) Lebanon – 43

6) Northern Lebanon – 25

Boys

1) Palmyra- 168.5

2) Cedar Crest – 126

3) Eastern Lebanon – 78.5

4) Lebanon – 76

5) Northern Lebanon – 53

6) Annville-Cleona – 51

For full results, click here.