A week after Salisbury’s Emma Yakaitis placed fifth and missed out on a medal at the Colonial League Track and Field Championships, she hit the reset button with districts on her mind.

With a number athletes that placed above her in the 300-meter hurdles at leagues now moving up to Class 3A competition, Yakaitis had her eyes set on a second consecutive district gold medal in the event.

And she achieved that goal.

The Falcon senior finished in a time of 49.01 seconds to win her second district gold medal in as many seasons in last week’s District 11 Class 2A Championships at Whitehall High School.

“The Colonial League definitely pushes me more to run faster and everything,” Yakaitis said. “It’s very challenging. Coming into districts, I just use what I did in leagues into how I ran at districts.

“I definitely had one of my best starts yet. I felt people behind me and I knew I had to run as fast as I could. I just had to keep on going.”

Yakaitis outlasted Mahanoy’s Hailey Mroczka, who placed second with a time of 49.61 seconds, and third-place finisher Allie Pennypacker of Minersville (50.86 seconds).

Her performance at districts earned Yakaitis a return trip to this week’s state meet at Shippensburg University. She placed 16th at last year’s state meet in the 300-meter hurdles.

The Falcon senior also competed in the 100-meter hurdles, and despite dealing with a bit of adversity, was able to put that behind her for her performance in the 300-meter hurdles, which she considers her main event.

“It was just my steps honestly,” Yakaitis said. “My knee kind of buckled and slid down a little bit. I just wanted to give everything out there that I could [in the 300-hurdles]. I wanted to go to states again even if it wasn’t in the 100, be a two-time district champion, and give it all I got to win.

“I just had to let go what happened [in the 100-meter hurdles]. It was upsetting, but you have to push past it. The 300-hurdles is my main event, so everything has to go into that event.”

Yakaitis wasn’t the only Falcon girl to take home hardware last week.

Senior Isabella Nimeh, who was a member of last year’s 4x100 meter relay team that earned a district medal, picked up two district medals in individual events this season. She placed third in the 200-meter dash and fourth in the 100-meter dash, respectively.

“I feel really good,” Nimeh said. “I’m proud of myself for all the hard work I’ve put in and to see it finally come out in an event I love.”

Nimeh set a personal best time of 26.91 seconds in the 200-meter dash.

“That’s the goal,” Nimeh said. “That’s what I’ve been working for all season, for it to finally come out now in the postseason. I’m very excited about it.”

Rounding out Salisbury’s girls medal-winners at last week’s district championships were Annalise Shelly and Kacie Kaough. Shelly placed third in the long jump with a mark of 17 feet, 3 inches, while Kaough’s jump of seven feet even in the pole vault was also good for third place.

This week’s PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University is set for Friday and Saturday.