Having one's priorities straight often brings its own reward, but a silver medal for Freedom distance runner, Will Alpaugh, at the EPC-Colonial League Track and Field Championships last Wednesday may have been the unexpected bonus, not for lack of talent, but for circumstances that were beyond his control.

Alpaugh was scheduled to take an AP Physics exam on Wednesday, which would end for him at 3:30 p.m. at best, giving the Patriot junior barely enough time to get to Whitehall for the 1600 meter run, scheduled for 3:50-4 p.m.

What Alpaugh didn't know was that, while he was taking the exam, the meet was delayed 15 minutes due to a timing/scoring issue during the Colonial League girls hurdles final.

When Alpaugh arrived at Whitehall with the delay in his favor but no more time to spare, teammate, Shaina Palmer, hustled him to the track.

Palmer said, "The whole time, I knew this was happening for Will. I told him, 'This is yours. Go kill it.'"

Alpaugh barely got his shoes on while the other distance runners warmed up.

"I had no time to mentally prepare. Shaina kept saying everything happens for a reason," said Alpaugh.

Alpaugh took his place on the track, and in the middle of the pack at first, Alpaugh's main goal was to get a good spot in the last 400 meters and stay in the second lane.

"It was really sloppy in the middle, and some got boxed in. I know that the kid from Emmaus has a good kick but saw he started to slow down, and I just kept pushing," Alpaugh said.

Alpaugh picked off two other runners before beating out Emmaus's Ryan Paradise for second place with a time of 4:23.57. Easton's Colin Abert, the expected winner, took first place in 4:14.56.

"I'm still kind of shocked. I didn't have time to think about it," said Alpaugh, who set a personal record in the 1600 by nine seconds or so.

Palmer wasn't shocked at all.

"I knew he could do it. Once he's in that, he always comes through. I said, 'I told you. This happened for you,'" Palmer said.

Alpaugh medaled in the 3200 meter run, placing fourth.

Bethlehem Catholic's Freddie Simmons took first place in the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles. Teammate, E.J. Finneran placed third in each of the hurdles. Becahi's 4x4 relay team placed second, and Mike McDaniel took fourth place in the 100 meter dash.

From Liberty, Louie Czaszar won the gold medal in the shot put, Casey Clearie won silver in the javelin, and Darius Jones got bronze in the triple jump.

The Hurricanes' 4x1 relay team placed fourth.