SHIPPENSBURG - It wasn't the result that he wanted. But a fifth place finish in the Class 3A triple jump Friday at the PIAA Championships might be just what Pleasant Valley's Michael Mitchell needed.

"I'm disappointed in myself," said Mitchell. "I'm not happy about fifth place. I never settle for anything less than first. This just gives me a lot of motivation for long jump tomorrow."Mitchell was the third seed in the triple jump, entering the event with a mark of 47-2.But the Bears' senior left Shippensburg University's Seth Grove stadium with a best mark of 45-2."I feel like it's better, because if everybody is having a bad day, and for my worst day to get fifth place with a 45-2 … but I wish I had the springs in my legs like I did at districts last week," said Mitchell, who won the triple jump at last week's District 11 meet. "But no excuses. I came in fifth, so I'm gonna settle for that and I'm gonna come different in long jump Saturday."Mitchell, who also won a district title in the long jump last week, is the second seed in that event. And he knows what he wants in the event."I'm gonna try to aim for 25 (feet)," he said of his goal. "I feel like I can do it. It can be done. If I get everything on the boards … I've been looking at this, and I've been trying to make history."I'm gonna have so much motivation tomorrow. If I don't get it, I don't get it. I feel like if anyone jumps past 23 tomorrow, they're gonna place top-three or top-four. If I don't do what I did at districts (23-2.5), I'm gonna be pretty upset about it. But I'm just gonna look back on it like I gave it everything I had and it just wasn't enough."Mitchell wasn't the only Times News area athlete to medal on first day of the state meet.Northern Lehigh's Jillian Olewine placed eighth in the Class 2A long jump with a mark of 17-3."It feels amazing," said Olewine. "I was hoping to get a medal and I just snuck in. So I'm ecstatic with that."I was hoping to jump a little better, but I medaled at states, so that's just pretty awesome."Olewine, who won Colonial League and District 11 titles in the event the past two weeks, was hoping to jump a little closer to her personal best of 18-2, which helped her earn the fourth seed."I was hoping to jump a mid-to-high 17," said Olewine. "I didn't get there, but I placed, so what else can I say."Olewine praised her competitors. Athens' Breana Gambrell won the event with a leap of 19-5, while Reagan Hess placed second with a mark of 19-1.75, both good for placement on the NFHS Honor Roll (18-10)."They are definitely very good," said Olewine. "They obviously work very hard at everything they do, and they earned everything that they got."It just kind of a motivates me more to want to work harder and do better when I hopefully come back next year."Like Mitchell, Olewine has another event to look forward to Saturday. The junior is the 10th seed in the triple jump."I have a medal under my belt, I have my jumps under my belt," said Olewine. "Saturday, I'm just gonna come out and jump my hardest."Tamaqua senior Monika Shimko was impressive in her Class 2A 800 preliminary race. Shimko surged to a win in 2:19.00."The first lap, I was trying to stay within myself, and then try to see how much I had left at 300 meters and just go," said Shimko, who is the second seed in the event. "I just tried to wait until the last lap."Shimko kicked with 300 meters to go to secure the win."I felt really good," she said. "I just kinda want to prove to myself that my finish is decent enough … and that's basically it."Shimko placed eighth in the event last year, and is eager to end her career with another medal."It's kind of a relief," said Shimko. "I'm so happy that I'm going to get another chance to go for a state medal. I'm excited."Tamaqua's Brad Clemson moved on in the Class 2A boys' 800 final with a fourth place finish (2:01.5) in his preliminary heat.Marian's Tina Capparell had a strong run in the Class 2A 1600, finishing second in her preliminary heat with a time of 5:12.16 to move on to the final."Before it, I was so nervous," said Capparell. "Just as soon as the gun went off, everything disappeared. I just settled in and felt good."Capparell led much of the race before sliding in behind top seed and eventual winner Jordan Williams (5:11.81) of Sharon."I like being in front. I like setting my own pace," said Capparell, who is the fourth seed. "I was just happy I was able to get out."I really didn't have a plan. I kin of just went out there and ran my own race."Marian sophomore Jarrin Geisinger (11.29) advanced to the Class 2A 100 semifinals with a second place finish in his preliminary heat."I just wanted to try to make the semis," said Geisinger, who is seeded seventh in the event. "I'm trying to get 11 seconds (flat). Hopefully I'll do better in the semis."Weatherly's Emily Zoscin (12.75) finished third in her Class 2A 100 preliminary heat and advanced to the semifinals."I thought it went pretty well," said Zoscin. "I was hoping to get top three, and as soon as I saw my name on the board, I just got really happy."Palmerton's Jordan Nelson (15.90) placed fourth in his Class 2A 110 hurdle preliminary heat and did not advance."It was really humbling to see all these people here, and being able to run with all these great athletes," said Nelson.Palmerton's Mike Stasko (41.53) was fifth in his Class 2A 300 hurdle preliminary and did not advance. The senior was grateful to end his career at the state meet."It's just a huge honor," said Stasko. "To be able to run here … I feel making it here is a huge honor. It kind of proves that Palmerton can compete and that we can end up at Shippensburg."Another senior, Northwestern's Trevor Cunningham, closed out his career Friday. Cunningham was third (39.68) in his Class 3A 300 hurdle preliminary heat and did not advance."It's a great feeling to be here," said Cunningham. "This was my goal from the beginning of the season. It's a great way to end it, not only the track season, but high school athletics in general. I'm gonna miss it, but it's a great way to go out."A trio of Marian seniors - Camaryn Wheeler, Natalia Konitzer and Jenna O'Donnell - along with sophomore Grace Mussoline, got to race together one more time in the Class 2A 400 relay. The quartet finished eighth (51.51) in their preliminary heat and did not advance.Despite the result, the team was proud of what it had accomplished together."It didn't really hit me that we were here, because it feel like just like the (Shippensburg) Invitational again," said Konitzer. "As I was jogging over to the exchange zone, I got chills because it finally hit me that we're running at states. It is really nice to be able to finish it out here.""My dad has a schedule of all of our meets up, and he was like, 'Well, there's only one more left, and we're going to it," added O'Donnell. "So we were able to cross that one off right before I left."The season is one Wheeler won't soon forget."I'm very proud of us," she said. "I think we pushed ourselves. We were very dedicated. I'm happy we got to do it one more time together."The Tamaqua boys' 3200 relay team of Clemson, Raymond Kinder, Derian Stianche and Adam Melnick (8:29.80) finished 10th in their Class 2A preliminary heat and did not advance to the finals.The result didn't diminish the significance of the moment."It was really exciting," Kinder said of making it to states. "Just being able to, after such a long time of doing the 4x8 in track, and cross country and everything. I know for me, it was pretty exciting with this being my senior year, it was kinda nice to have the experience during my last season of my high school career.""It was amazing," added Stianche, a sophomore. "Just showing up and getting to run against the best competition in the state, it was just such a good experience."SCHEDULE … On track activity resumes Saturday at 9 a.m. with the finals in the girls Class 2A 3200. The Class 2A girls pole vault and shot put; the Class 3A girls high jump and discus; the Class 2A boys triple jump; and the Class 3A boys long jump and javelin are set to begin at 9 a.m.