The LebCo female Track & Field athletes demonstrated an exceptional level of competition during the spring season, making it a challenging task to identify the top performers in each discipline. Due to the outstanding accomplishments of many athletes, the voting was highly competitive.
After tallying the votes, three athletes received unanimous selections: Kaddel Howard for sprints, Zariyah Whigham for jumps, and Eliana Schneider for throws.
Not only was Kaddel Howard named Sprinter of the Year, but she was also honored as the 2024 LebCo Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year by LebCoSports.com.
Looking at the list below, you may notice that Eliana Schneider appears in three disciplines, a testament to her overall versatility, which has led to her being selected as the runner-up for the LebCo Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year.
Thank you to everyone who took time to review the nominees and then vote. For more information on the nominees, you can go back to the nominations by clicking here.
Keep in mind, with the level of talent on all of the LebCo Track & Field rosters, even being nominated was an accomplishment. Congrats to all of the award winners.
LebCo Boys All-County Track & Field
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LebCo Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year
Kaddel Howard
Throughout her sophomore campaign, the Cedar Crest phenom was incredible. Howard won her second straight PIAA State Championship in the 400m with a winning time of 53.25. She repeated as the District 3 Champion and took gold in 400m at the Lancaster Lebanon League Championship Meet. Howard added a League title in the 200m, setting League Meet records in both events. Her season-best time in the 200m was 24.27. In addition to the sprints, Howard used her talent to anchor the Cedar Crest 4x800m in their District 3 Championship run.
Continuing to train throughout the Summer, Howard competed at the AAU Junior Olympics to being August. At the meet, she dominated the 15-16 year old division in the 400m and set a new National Record in the semifinals on her way to winning gold. (At AAU Junior Olympics, Howard Shatters National Record, Wins 400m Championship)
With two years remaining in her high school career, Howard will only add to her accomplishments that have already made her an all-time great.
Runner-up: Eliana Schneider
Howard’s fellow sophomore at Cedar Crest offers a level of athleticism and versatility that is rarely seen. This led to her LebCo All-County nominations and eventual selections in three different disciplines. This has led to her being called a “cheat code,” given her ability to be moved around in dual meet line-ups to guarantee the points for the team.
Arguably, Schneider’s top event is the Javelin, where she won the District Championship before finishing 4th at States. She also set the Lancaster Lebanon League Meet record and finished the season as the top sophomore in the nation with a top throw of 153’1″. Additionally, she was a bronze medalist at the Penn Relays.
While Javelin may have garnered her the highest honorss, Schneider was also the Lancaster League Champion in the High Jump with a top clearing height of 5’6″. She went on to take 4th at the District 3 Championships and then placed 13th at States.
As a Distance runner, Schneider was among Central PA’s best. She took 3rd in the 800m at the Lancaster League Championship Meet and was a member of the Crest 4x800m that were crowned District 3 Champions. Her top 800m time for the season was 2:17.64.
First Team All-County
Sprinter of the Year
Kaddel Howard – Cedar Crest, Sophomore
Distance Runner of the Year
Lizzie Lowe – Cedar Crest, Senior
For the second straight year, Lowe was chosen as the LebCo Female Distance Runner of the Year. This was the result of her 2nd place finish in the 800m at the Lancaster Lebanon League Championships. In the 800m, Lowe went on to finish 10th at the District 3 AAA Championships and helped the Falcons take gold in the 4x800m. She was a silver medalist in the 800m and the 1600m at the LebCo Championship Meet. Lowe’s season-best time in the 800m was 2:17.54. She is headed to Vasser College, where she will continue her running career.
Hurdler of the Year
Makenzie Wamsher – Cedar Crest, Sophomore
Wamsher won the 100m High Hurdles and the 300m IM Hurdles at the LebCo Championship Meet. She went on to qualify for the District 3 Championship Meet in both events. Wamsher was the LebCo Champion in both the 100m High Hurdles and the 300 IM Hurdles. At the Lancaster Lebanon League Championship Meet. Wamsher recorded season-best times of 16.93 and 47.74, respectively.
Jumper of the Year
Zariyah Whigham – Lebanon, Senior
Whigham capped off her season with a 6th place finish in the Triple Jump at the PIAA State Championships following her District 3 Championship the previous week. She also won the Lancaster Lebanon League Championship in her marquee event for the second straight season. Her top jump of 39’1.25” was the third longest jump in the history of the LL. She added District 3 bronze in the Long Jump, an event in which her season-best was 18’1.5”. Whigham is now headed to Shippensburg University to continue her athletic career.
This marks the second straight year where a Lebanon jumper claimed this honor, with Mileyska Calderon winning in 2023. Making this more impressive is that, due to construction, Lebanon did not have a home track or proper jumping pits in which to train.
Thrower of the Year
Eliana Schneider – Cedar Crest, Sophomore
Relay Team of the Year
Annville Cleona – 4x100m
The foursome of Sophia Caporaletti, Kendall Cooper, Miracle Hershey, and Jada Morales ran a season-best 49.06 on their way to a silver medal finish at the PIAA State Championships (AA) after winning Districts the week prior. The LebCo Champions broke their own school record several times as the season progressed, constantly pushing the limits. This group also combined for the 4x400m District 3 Championship and a 6th place finish at States, closing the year as the school record holders.
Second Team All-County
Sprints: Kendall Cooper – Annville-Cleona, Junior
Distance: Abby Berarducci – Palmyra, Senior
Hurdles: Sara Miller – ELCO, Senior
Jumps: Makenna Haas – ELCO, Junior
Throws: Sofie Price – Palmyra, Junior
Relay: Cedar Crest – 4x800m
Link to the Nominations
All-County Honorable Mention
Sprints: Maddy Waldron – Palmyra, Freshman
Distance: Eliana Schneider – Cedar Crest, Sophmore
Hurdles: Carmen McConaghy – Palmyra, Senior
Jumps: Eliana Schneider – Cedar Crest, Sophmore
Throws: Liliana Harrison – Lebanon, Junior
Relay: Palmyra – 4x100m
The nominations for this honor were done by the coaches. The final rankings were compiled based on votes by the coaches, our writers, and the members of the LebCoSports.com community.
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