Among the many highlights from this past weekend's PIAA Track and Field Championships was Tamaqua's Morgan Boyle taking sixth in the Class AA javelin.

The result kept alive a tradition of female medalists in the event that started in 2006 with Casey Wagner's fifth place finish and continued Saturday with Boyle.The significance of the moment was not lost on Boyle."It feels really good," the junior said. "John's (Kotchmar, throwing coach) mom came up to me after my last throw and said, 'You did it! You kept it going!' It's pretty awesome."The medal was Boyle's second in the event after an eighth place finish last year, and she credited Kotchmar for helping her achieve so much success."John's awesome," she said. "He's knows how to get in your head, but in the right way."Boyle has certainly had plenty of plenty of great throwers to look up to over her first three years in the program.During her freshman campaign in 2013, Christine Streisel was wrapping up her career with a second place finish in the event, her second consecutive runner-up finish.In 2011, Streisel gave Tamaqua back-to-back state champions in the event after Allison Updike took gold in 2010.And all of those that have medaled for the Blue Raiders over the past 10 years have done so multiple times.Wagner followed up her fifth place finish in 2006 with a fourth place result in 2007 and a silver medal in 2008.Updike went from seventh place in 2009 to state champion in 2010. That year, Streisel started her four-year streak with a fifth place result.Though Boyle was alone in Shippensburg this year, she was joined by teammate Paige Demetriades in 2014, something she was hoping would have happened again this season."I wish she could have been here this year," Boyle said of Demetriades, who will be continuing her track and field career at The University of Pittsburgh next season. "We always pushed each other at practice and in meets. It was great to have someone like that as a teammate."It's not just the girls that have experienced success in the event in recent years.Tyler Hope was a state qualifier from 2012-14, medaling twice.In 2012, Hope took second with a school record with a throw of 198-4. Following a 13th place finish in 2013, Hope finished his career with a sixth place medal in 2014 with a toss of 194-11.When it comes to who will follow in her footsteps, Boyle pointed to freshmen Alyssa Campomizzi and Kristin Jones as candidates to keep the Lady Raiders' streak going next season and beyond.But with one more chance to move up the medal stand, the only thing that's on Boyle's mind is next year and what she needs to do to get better."I have another season and I'm ready for next year," she said. "I'm ready to work hard and get back here next year."The following is a list of all Tamaqua state qualifiers in the javelin from 2006-15, listed in chronological order with distance and place:2006: Casey Wagner, 136-2, fifth overall.2007: Casey Wagner, 140-1, fourth overall.2008: Casey Wagner, 146-3, second overall.2009: Allison Updike, 125-11, seventh overall.2010: Allison Updike, 161-2, state champion; Christine Streisel, 136-3, fifth overall.2011: Christine Streisel, 143-11, state champion.2012: Christine Streisel, 149-2, second overall; Tyler Hope, 198-4 (school record), second overall.2013: Christine Streisel, 144-11, second overall; Tyler Hope, 169-6, 13th overall.2014: Morgan Boyle, 125-1, eighth overall; Paige Demetriades, 110-6, 19th overall; Tyler Hope, 194-11, sixth overall.2015: Morgan Boyle, 133-11, sixth overall.**********END OF AN ERA … The PIAA Championships also marked the last time an enormously talented - and accomplished - group of athletes would compete together for Northwestern. Lauren Anderson, Rachele Cerrone, Ashlynn Dicataldo, Alexis Gawelko, Elizabeth Iobst, Juliet Long, Sabrina Mertz, Angela Motolese, Carly Pierce, Rosie Pergosky, Kristen Post, Kari Schultheis, Sarah Segan and Caitlyn Ziemniak compiled a 38-6 dual meet record over their four years in the program, including a 33-0 mark during the past three seasons. The group captured regular season Colonial League titles from 2013-15, the Colonial League meet championship in 2013-14 and was runner-up at the event this season, which was the first for senior transfer Natcheli Gomes.**********BEST OF THE BEST ... Four all-time area bests were set this season. Pleasant Valley's Khai Samuels and Jenn Mickens each set new marks in the 800. The Pleasant Valley boys' 1600-meter relay team of Aliem Hoousendove-Jackson, Nyiem Nevarez, Tyson Calhoun and Samuels also established a new area best, as did Jim Thorpe's Rayan Green in the triple jump. Samuels' time of 1:53.67 broke the mark of 1:55.06, which was set by Tamaqua's Alex Zubey in 2008. Samuels ran the anchor leg of the 1600-meter relay team (3:17.82) that smashed Palmerton's time of 3:26.09, a record that was set just last season. Like Samuels and PV's 1600-meter relay team, Mickens also established a new mark on the second day of the PIAA Championships, running a 2:16.82 in the AAA final, where she took 10th. Tamaqua's Liz Manness set the old record of 2:17.83 in 2000. Green was the only athlete not to establish a new area best in Shippensburg. The junior came away from the first day of the District 11 meet with a gold medal in the AAA triple jump after leaping 47-9. Tamaqua's Dave Keich held the record for 32 years after jumping 47-5.5 in 1983.