WHITEHALL - A strong start often leads to a good finish.

When the Colonial League and Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Track and Field Championships came to a close Wednesday, a number of Times News area athletes stood on the medal stand, many on the top step.And if the two days of competition at Whitehall High School were any indication, all signs point to another strong showing at next week's District 11 Class AA and AAA meet, and hopefully a trip to Shippensburg University for the PIAA Championships to cap the season.Eastern PennsylvaniaConferenceIf the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference meet was in fact a tune up for what's to come in the next two weeks, Pleasant Valley's Jenn Mickens proved herself more than ready for what lies ahead.Mickens captured the 800 (2:16.84), 1600 (5:14.35) and helped the team of Shelbi Jones, Armani Dunkley and Jalurah Moore win the 1600-meter relay in 4:07.71.The relay might have been the most surprising, as the team just came together and had only one meet under its belt."We decided we were going to put it all together to see if we could get a good seed for districts," said Mickens. "And we end up running amazingly fast."Coming into today, we were all a little tired, but we wanted to try. We thought we might come out of this with a medal. To come out of it with a gold? That's really something."Added Jones, "I'm super excited because I knew we could pull out another good race. I have these three girls to back me up."I'm so excited and ready to finish my senior year with a bang."Individually, Mickens used a strong kick to win both the 800 and 1600. In the 800, the senior surged past Liberty's Olivia Sahaydak, who took second in 2:17.55; and pulled away in the 1600, beating Stroudsburg's Allana Powlette, who finished in 5:15.12."I'm ecstatic," Mickens said after winning the 800. "Hopefully I can get a PR at districts. I'd love to win again and get a great time going into states, hopefully."I just want to see where I can go. I didn't feel great today, but to not feel great and run a 2:16? What more do you want?"Pleasant Valley's Mary Michael took third in the pole vault, clearing 9-6.Dealing with a nagging foot injury, Michael has been able to adapt and hopes to improve on her position next week."I just want to rest my foot and come back and get 11-0," she said. "I would love an opportunity to get to go to states. As a sophomore, that would be amazing. That's really my goal."On the boys' side, Mike Mitchell took second in the long jump with a mark of 22-0.75.Danny Hunter (11.26) and Mike Morris (11.27) took third and fourth, respectively, in the 100."I wanted to get first - you always want to get first - but it was a good time," said Hunter. "Coming out of yesterday's prelims I didn't feel that good. So it was nice to come back and get some redemption."Being able to compete with a teammate is something Morris sees as an opportunity to improve."He pushes me a lot," Morris said of Hunter. "We both push each other to be as strong as we can be, and that's really strong right now."Colonial LeagueOne day after taking second in both the open 3200 and the 3200-meter relay, Northwesterns' Madeline Consuelos earned gold in the 800, taking first with a time of 2:23.00."I knew I wanted to be on the podium," said Consuelos. "I was seeded first, but I knew I couldn't go off that. I was kind of just hoping to get a medal. We're all really close in time, so I wasn't sure what was going to happen."Consuelos was able to fend off a charge from the Southern Lehigh duo of Sarah Yanega (2:23.86) and Allyson Yanega (2:23.99) to claim the win."I had a pretty bad start and was in the back for a little bit, but then I was able to make a move and pass a group," said Consuelos. "I knew I wanted first, and in the last 100-meters I just kicked it in."Consuelos wasn't the only lady Tiger to claim gold, as Vanessa Blose also won the shot put with a mark of 33-6.5.Despite entering as one of the top seeds, Blose wasn't so sure a victory was possible."I went through a rough week a few weeks ago where my throws really weren't going so well," said Blose. 'But I just worked so hard and knew I had it in me."After taking second in the 300 hurdles Tuesday. Northwestern's Trevor Cunningham took third in the 110 high hurdles with a time of 16.33."I'm happy with the two medals, but a second and a third, I'd much rather have two firsts," said Cunningham. "But there's always room for improvement and I'm going to work to do that."Emily Renner of Northwestern took third in the 400, crossing the line with a time of 1:00.56."I'm very happy," said Renner. "It was rough but I got through it and got the medal."Palmerton's Brinn Doherty captured her second and third medals at the event, taking second in the 100 (12.73) and third in the 200 (27.00). Doherty placed second in the long jump Tuesday.Doherty started the day with the 100, a race she admittedly is anxious about."The 100 is the one I get the most nervous about, because it's the race that's the most important to me," she said. "If I can do good in the 100, I am more positive about the rest of the day."Palmerton's Jackie Tracy took third in the triple jump with a leap of 34-10.5The Bombers also had success on the boys' side, as Spencer Hay (high jump) and Logan Blasiak (pole vault) took second, while Mike Stasko earned a bronze medal in the 200 with a time of 23.25.Hay cleared 6-4 in the high jump, and took second to Notre Dame's Greg Lauray who jumped a staggering 7-1, a meet record."What can you do? There's nothing you can do about that," Hay said of Lauray.With a personal best of 6-6, a mark he got at the Allen Invitational last month, Hay is looking to improve at next week's district meet."I didn't get the results I wished for, but I still have another week to prepare for districts," he said. "I feel really good. This is probably the best I've felt my entire four years at Palmerton. I'm just excited for districts because I want to get 6-7."Blasiak cleared 13-0 in the pole vault, just below his personal best of 13-1."I was hoping to get 13-6 to get a higher seed at districts, but I wasn't able to do that," Blasiak said. "I didn't have good jumps at 13-3 when the bar went up. But next week is when it matters."Northern Lehigh's Conrad Bevans placed third in the discus with a throw of 134-4, a mark that was a personal best."It's a good feeling," Bevans said. "I felt really good this week at practice. I felt really good in my technique, and in my release and everything, and it showed today."TEAM STANDINGS.… Southern Lehigh won the Colonial League girls team title with 131 points. Northwestern was third with 102 points. Liberty won the EPC girls title with 118.5 points, while Pleasant Valley took third with 53.5 points. Wilson won the Colonial League boys crown with 135 points, while Stroudsburg won the boys EPC title with 128 points. Pleasant Valley was fourth with 60 points.