The trip to Shippensburg this year for the Whitehall track team will be for a party of six as the Zephyr contingent will look to make an impression at the state tournament.

The Zephyrs crowned three district champions last week, and earned a silver medal as well, and now those athletes will be heading to the PIAA 3A Track and Field Championships which get underway this Friday at Seth Grove Stadium at Shippensburg University.

Packing for the journey will be Tyler Myers, winner of the discus with a 156-05 mark. It was a personal best for Myers, his previous personal record set at last year’s Jack Roddick High School Invitational at Shippensburg. His win at districts follows his first-place finish at the EPC Championships the prior week.

Myers said that it was especially gratifying since he was able to pull himself out of a slump that occurred midway through the year. He said that while throwing the discus is perceived as a physical endeavor, the mental preparation and execution play a big part as well. Strength and technique can take an athlete only so far, they also have to be in the right state of mind.

“If you’re in a bad head space, everything goes out the window,” said Myers.

Myers has been in a good space during the postseason the last two years. This will be the second consecutive year that Myers will make the trip to states. At last year’s championships he finished 21st.

Myers said that his goal this year is to compete to the best of his ability.

“My main goal is to do the best that I can do,” said Myers. “If I could win a medal, that would be an added benefit.”

Myers said that walking away with some hardware would really “solidify” his year. It’s been a good ride so far as he now has gold in the EPC and District XI Championships.

Also making a return trip is Amanda Crooks. Actually, it’s the third trip for the junior who’s now added a District XI Championship in the 100 meters to her sparkling résumé. Crooks won the event in 12.24, after not participating in the league championships because of a nagging quadriceps injury.

Head coach James Sebesta said that Crooks showed no ill effects from the injury she suffered during the Parkland meet and zipped down the straightaway for the gold. Crooks will now look to better last year’s finish at states where she finished fourth.

Sebesta said that Crooks is seeded ninth this year, but the junior has already won gold on that track this year, finishing first at the Jack Roddick Invitational.

Crooks was also part of the winning 4x100 team that finished in 49.75. That team includes Angel Bacon, Kate Bonshak and Kylee Cunningham.

Sebesta said that he was happy for the team after last year’s disappointment in the district relay finals. A bad baton exchange between Cunningham and Jones took them out of medal contention. This year they breezed to a win with Cunningham opening up a 20 meter advantage during her third leg.

“It was really nice to see that,” said Sebesta. “She ran a hell of a race.”

It will be the first state championships for Bacon, Cunningham and Bonshak.

Sebesta said that the goal for that foursome is to “break the school record and make it to the finals.”

Gavin Wood will also be on that trip. He finished second in the pole vault at the D-11 Championships with a 13-3 mark. The senior also set a personal best with that vault, making it count when a trip to Ship was on the line. He’ll now realize his goal of making the PIAA Championships, something that he set out to accomplish this season.

Sebesta said that Wood finally got over the hump with that vault since he was chasing that 13-0 or better height all year.

“I was happy for him,” said Sebesta.

Sebesta said that Jackson Buskirk narrowly missed the qualifying mark in the javelin. The senior threw the javelin 169-03, good for third place. He also had an outstanding season in track, finishing first at the EPC Champiosnhips and third at districts.

Other notable district performances included Zahir Linton who finished 10th in the 400 meters. Sebesta said that Linton, who ran a 51.84, also set a personal best in that race. Madelyn Mertz finished 6th in the 300 hurdles, crossing the line in 48.83. Additionally, Martin Labib finished 5th in the 200 meters, hitting the tape in 23.12.

Sebesta said that he thought everyone performed well. It’s another year where he’ll be taking kids to the state championships and he’s hopeful some school records will fall along the way.