WHITEHALL - For the third consecutive year, Tamaqua's Monika Shimko captured gold in the 800 at the District 11 Track and Field Championships. The junior won the Class AA title with a time of 2:21.99, well ahead of runner-up Tina Capparell of Marian (2:25.17).

"It feels good because it's always so nerve-racking waiting the whole meet just to run the 800," said Shimko. "It's good to win my third title. It feels good."Though proud of her accomplishment, Shimko, admitted she was hoping for a slightly faster time."It was a little slow," Shimko said afterward. "I was not happy with it."I just wanted to definitely make sure I qualified for the state meet, and just tried to get first or get my time down."Shimko, who was a member of Tuesday's winning 3200-meter relay squad, qualified for her third event at the PIAA Championships later in the day when she led the 1600-meter relay team of Chelsea Frantz, Janette Kabana and Victoria Labar to a second-place finish in 4:05.82.Having the same lineup as a year ago is something that should benefit the group, which features two seniors - Frantz and Labar - a junior in Shimko and a sophomore in Kabana."It's very exciting," said Kabana. "I feel like we've grown a lot. We're a lot closer now, and we've really improved a lot over the past year. With two seniors on the team, we really wanted this for them."I feel like our experience will really help us because we'll know what to expect this year and just how to handle ourselves."Capparell wasn't able to run down Shimko in the 800, but the talented sophomore still qualified for states in the event and then added gold in the 1600, winning in a personal best 5:16.99.Coming in as the third seed with a time of 5:21.45, Capparell picked the right time for a breakout performance."I was hoping to run around a 5:20, and running a 5:16 just feels amazing," she said.Coming off another solid cross-country season, the sophomore has settled into the 1600 as her primary race this year."I was really focusing on the 1600," the sophomore said. "I just figured out that it was my main event. Running cross-country, it will help me during the season, too."With a year of experience under her belt after advancing to states in the 800 last year, Capparell is hoping to make even more noise this time in her second appearance as a district champion."It was such a good experience going last year," she said. "Now going as the top seed from this district (in the 1600), hopefully I'll be able to go out there and compete."I think I can take a little more time off. As the season has gone on I'm taking more and more off so I'm hoping the other girls there push me to, maybe a 5:12."Tamaqua's Morgan Boyle, who won the pole vault Tuesday, knows how to handle herself in pressure situations. Boyle delivered again on Wednesday, winning her second straight javelin title with a throw of 126-5.While Boyle was hoping for a toss closer to her PR of 142-0, she's happy to be moving on to the next one - the one that really counts."I'm not really happy," Boyle said. "But I think the only thing that really matters right now is that I'm going to states.""I think it's (the throw) right there. I didn't lose it. It'll be there, I just need to focus a lot in practice this week - breakdown in practice and just focus."As Boyle prepares for yet another trip to Shippensburg University, Tamaqua's Allison Pedersen qualified for the state meet for the first time after winning the shot put with a mark of 34-10. Marian's Brenna Karnish took second (33-9) to also advance."It's awesome," Pedersen said. "I worked so hard for this and I'm so proud and happy."The throw was a personal best for Pedersen, who was the top seed with a mark of 33-11.75.Pedersen was tied with Karnish at 33-9 heading into her last throw before unleashing the winner."I just really wanted it," Pedersen said. "And I knew I needed to get that (to win it)."I tried to visualize it and get the perfect throw in my head, and it felt good and it was like the visualization I had. I feel like I can do really well at states. The other day I threw better than I did today so I know it's there and I know it's in me, I just have to do it."Pleasant Valley's Jenn Mickens earned her second straight Class AAA 800 title with a personal best time of 2:16.13. Mickens was the top seed with a time of 2:16.84."I didn't feel that great, but the hardest part of the sport is the mental part, 'Can you do it? Can you do it? What if? What if?" she said. "I told myself I haven't lost one yet, just get on the line and you'll be fine. After the first lap, I knew I had it."What Mickens hopes to have next is a state medal to round out a stellar career."Instead of being one to qualify, I'm there and in contention," Mickens said. "If everything works out right, I'm going to be in the final heat and have the possibility for a medal."STAYING BUSY. … Palmerton's Brinn Doherty had a successful two days at Whitehall's Zephyr Sports Complex, earning a total of four medals. The senior qualified for states on the first day of competition, taking third in the Class AA long jump. Doherty was on the podium three more times Wednesday, securing another spot in the state meet with a second-place finish in the 100 (12.75) before taking third in the 200 (26.88) and helping the Lady Bombers to a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter relay (51.82). "I'm very excited," Doherty said. "I would have been happy going for just one event - just going is awesome. But I get to go for two of my events, probably two of my favorite events."