A genuine jump for joy between Freedom hurdlers Ethan Huertas and Stephan Richards at the finish line of the Class 3A 300 meter hurdles signified a trip to states for the best friends and Patriot teammates at the District XI Class 3A Track and Field Championships on May 13 at Whitehall High School.

“When I turned around, [Stephan] was yelling, we did it, we did it, so that’s when I knew,” said Huertas. “It’s everything. We’ve talked about this ever since freshman year. This is the end goal, and he’s a senior, so it’s just everything. I was just pushing myself to go fast and got the job done.”

Huertas clinched the gold medal with a time of 39.66. Richards took silver in 40.11.

“I was super happy to realize that I qualified for states. I’ve always wanted to since freshman year, and to realize that I made it with my teammate made it even better so we both could go,” Richards said. “I just had to lock in and remember I had to give it all that I had. I think it was mostly adrenaline because it’s districts, and I had that push. Around the second or third hurdle, I did stutter but that was really it. I was looking next to me, and all the competitors were really close. It all came together. All the hard work paid off.”

Just as elated was Bethlehem Catholic’s Zack Papcsy who not only won the silver medal in Class 2A javelin but relished in the sometimes soaking, cold rain that fell over the district championships.

“I kind of like this weather,” Papcsy said. “Growing up playing football when I was little, my family always used to say this is ball weather, so this is what we come out to play for. It was awesome. Last year, didn’t get what I wanted, and I won it this year.”

Papcsy’s best throw was 155-10.

“My first throw was my best throw,” he said. “[States] was probably the only thing I was thinking about. I came in as the sixth seed, and I knew I could probably get a good throw. It was a little wet out so everyone kind of slowed down on their run, but my goal was to attack the run and let it go.”

Freedom distance runner Dylan Boyle also won a silver medal when he placed second in the Class 3A 3200 meter run with a time of 9:45.95.

In the 3A girls 4x800 relay, Liberty’s Elizabeth McClarin, Anijah Davis, Emma Haas, and Katie Drabouski won district gold with a time of 9:32.06.

“Probably the last 150 I started going,” said Hurricane anchor Drabouski. “My goal was just to pass slowly and make sure I had enough energy for a kick if it needed to come down to that.”

Davis ran the second leg.

“It was huge for Emma and I to be district winners our senior year, so this is really exciting,” Davis said. “I definitely had to sprint that last 100 because the Easton girl was speeding up and on my hip, and I had to make sure I ran as fast as I could.”