The Bellwood-Antis girls track and field team pulled off a repeat championship Monday, April 27, at the Bellwood-Antis Invitational, and the Lady Devils’ depth was a big reason why. Overall B-A had place winners in all but three events
However, to no one’s surprise underclassmen Emma Taneyhill and Ella Cherry locked up big points with championships in five total events. Together they would have placed fourth overall.
For their efforts both Cherry and Taneyhill won outstanding runner and thrower. Taneyhill was also presented with the Miss R Outstanding Female Performer Award.
Junior Cam Nelson was named outstanding runner for the boys.
” They ( Ella and Emma ) had incredible performance’s against some tough competition,” said Coach Soisson
The Lady Devils ran away with the team championship, outdistancing second0-place Central Cambria by 40 points.
” The BA invite win is absolutely a team effort,” said B-A Track Coach Jen Soisson, ” The depth we have this year is phenomenal.”
Taneyhill placed first in discus with a throw of 131-6, shattering the meet record by almost 8 feet. She also placed first in shot put with a throw of 34 35-5.
Taneyhill has now won the Outstanding Thrower award in back-to-back years See has spent most of this season breaking her own school record and ranking among the top discus throwers in Pennsylvania, regardless of classification.
“I’ve put in a lot of work into throwing. Whether it’s lifting or doing technique and drills inside, it was never easy. It feels really rewarding to be outstanding thrower. I’m definitely excited and grateful for it,” Taneyhill said.
Cherry was able to place first in three separate events, placing 1st in the 100 ( 12:75), long jump (16-2) and triple jump (36-2).
Even more impressive: those numbers are nowhere near her personal bests. She’s jumped a school record 38-3.25 this season and has been over 37 three times. In the long jump, she’s jumped over 17 feet twice, including a personal best of 17-7. This season alone she has established new records in the 100 and triple jump and run a leg on a record-setting 4×100 relay team.
“I put in a lot of work in the offseason, it feels very accomplishing to get this reward,” Cherry said.
Both Taneyhill and Cherry will be looking to make it back to Shippensburg for the PIAA championships later this month by competing in the District 6 2A championships at Mansion Park in Altoona. Taneyhill will be defending the District discus title she won last season as a sophomore. Cherry, on the other hand, will look to repeat as the championships in triple jump. She qualified for states in three vents as a freshman.
