It's safe to say that Whitehall's 4x800 team has been fueled by a single quest this season, and now they have an opportunity to make their mark as they prepare for the state meet.

They won the District 11 AAA Championships last week in dramatic fashion and will now set their sights on the state tourney that begins Friday, May 23, at Seth Grove Stadium on the campus of Shippensburg University.

After last year's disappointing finish to their track season at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Track and Field Championships, their main objective this year was to get back on the track at Shippensburg and compete for a title. Head coach James Sebesta said it was their worst race of the season, an outcome they'd like to remedy.

That team consisted of J.C. Falcon, Michael Leonhardt, Michael Eible and Brian Plucinsky. This year's quartet features Falcon, Andrew Frisch, Calvin Schneck and Plucinsky, but the goal remains the same.

With each race, they've been keeping an eye on getting back onto the track at the PIAA Championships.

"It's been like that all season," said Falcon who anchors the team. "We've been in training since October, since the end of the cross country season, to get under eight flat (8:00). So right now we're at an 8:01, so we're almost there.

"And once we get to states we're hoping to make it to the second day of finals and hopefully place."

That would help erase the bad taste left after last year's meet in which they finished in 8:51.42.

In order to make the second day, Plucinsky said it boils down to getting their timing just right.

"We'll need to hit out first lap split," said Plucinsky. "We also need to make sure we get out at the beginning of the race, and get our handoffs down, and run like we've been running all season."

The team is undefeated in competition this season. They have won a league and a district championship, the latter in come-from-behind fashion as Flacon had to make up 20 meters with about 70 meters left in the race, according to Sebesta. They defeated Emmaus by .05 seconds, and in the process also established another school record with an 8:01.17 mark.

"He caught him at the finish line," said Sebesta. "It was a great race."

Their ability to win every time they've lined up this year is a product of strong teamwork and the right mindset, said Schneck.

"I think it's been staying positive and having faith in ourselves the whole time, and knowing that we can do it," said Schneck.

For Frisch, who is the newest member of the foursome, the opportunity to help his team make it to the finals has been propelling him forward. He'll have another crack at states as an underclassmen, but it's the swan song for seniors Falcon and Plucinsky.

"My goal is not to let these guys down," said Frisch. "They've been working their entire high school careers for this, and this is my first year, so I just want to make them proud."

All four had an opportunity to run at Shippensburg this year as part of the Jack Roddick High School Invitational. That experience, along with last year's appearance should help ease their nerves a bit.

"We went out there last year and it was everything was so new to us," said Falcon. And just that fact that that thing happened, you don't want to ever let it happen again."

The 4x800 team won't be alone when its time to start the caravan. Also qualifying for states was Kyleem Harrison in the 110 meter hurdles, Gabe Lamm in the 3,200, Nick Nejad in the javelin and Angela Stella in the 800.

It's the second consecutive trip for Stella who finished second behind Hanna Brosky, crossing the line in 2:17.48. In the process, Stella also established a school record, eclipsing her earlier mark in that race.

In the javelin, Nejad finished fifth with a 178-7 toss. He's been constantly among the top throwers in the Lehigh Valley and that success earned him a trip to Shippensburg.

In the 3,200 Lamm finished second, busting the tape in (;35.5. He'll be another member of that group who is Shippensburg bound.

Finally, Harrison qualified for states after finishing second in the 110 high hurdles with a 15:06 mark.

"He just keeps getting better and better," said Sebesta. "He's peaking at the right time."

Sebesta said that the girls 4x100 relay team narrowly missed qualifying as did Isaiah Cary in the triple jump who also just missed a school record.

"I was just really happy with his performance," said Sebesta.

It's the second largest number of student-athletes Sebesta has taken to the PIAA Championships, and now they'll look to place among the best in the state.

"I was really proud of everyone," said Sebesta.