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Olewine is district champion

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Jillian Olewine has been on a roll.

At last week's Colonial League Championships, the Northern Lehigh junior turned in personal best performances en route to winning the long and triple jump.Olewine kept that momentum going Tuesday at the District 11 Championships.Not only did she win the Class 2A long jump Tuesday at Blue Mountain High School, Olewine set a school record in the process, capturing the event with a leap of 18-2."I'm just really happy with how I jumped," Olewine said afterward. "I worked really hard, obviously, this whole week. I just really wanted to get into an 18-0; that was my goal. But getting an 18-2 feels awesome, to have our school record."Olewine won the league title in the event with a mark of 17-10, but knew she could get more."I definitely thought that I could jump an 18-0," she said. "I just knew I had to put as much work as possible in."The top seed in the event, Olewine wasn't taking anything for granted."Obviously, I was a little nervous, just because I wanted to get to that 18-0," Olewine said. "But I just kinda thought to myself, I just want to do better for myself, and get better for myself. So I wasn't really too under pressure. I was just worrying about myself."Olewine had great competition in the event, as the top-four all advanced to states.Palmerton's Trisha Billig turned in a phenomenal performance, jumping 18-1 to place second and qualify for states. Billig was seeded third at 16-06.50.The result served as a measure of redemption for the senior after last week's league meet."It feels good, especially from last week, not placing at leagues," said Billig. "So coming here and getting second is great."It feels good. I wasn't expecting to get second at all. I haven't even jumped 17-feet yet. So jumping 18-1 … I think last week, from getting fifth, it made me really want to come back here and jump further."A second-place finish in the Class 2A 300 hurdles helped Northern Lehigh's Darby Pender punch her ticket to states. The senior finished with a time of 47.90."It doesn't feel real yet," said Pender. "I'm so thankful for this season and I feel like all my hard work has paid off, and it's just such a great feeling."I've had a lot of support from friends, family, my teammates have been tremendous, and just to see the support, and the encouragement, and the drive that they feel along with me is just phenomenal."Pender (17.16), along with Palmerton's Madison Martinez (17.42), also advanced to the Class 2A 100 hurdle finals.Marian's Brenna Karnish (119-2) qualified for states with a second-place finish in the Class 2A discus."I'm really happy," said Karnish, who was seeded second. "I accomplished a goal. I broke my PR, and I'm going to states, so there's not much more I can ask for."All I wanted coming into today was being able to make it to states and get myself three more throws, hopefully six."Karnish couldn't deny she was a little bit anxious beforehand."Coming into the meet I was very nervous," she said. "But then, once I started throwing, and I was doing well, then I relaxed a lot."Sometimes it doesn't take long for Karnish to settle in."It's kind of tough," Karnish said. "Normally, I do well under pressure. So when I feel, on a day like today, where I come and I feel really nervous and stuff, if I can get myself to relax, and if I can get my first throw in and it's good, then it's a good day."Karnish also has a teammate to push her. Marian's Emma McClafferty (106-08) was third."We really push each other," Karnish said of her relationship with McClafferty. "During practice, she's always there to help me and tell me what I'm doing wrong, and I help her out. So really, we're each other's coaches, and I'm really happy to have her there."Tamaqua's Alyssa Campomizzi (113-10) was second in the Class 2A javelin, a result that put the junior into the state meet."It feels great," said Campomizzi. "I can't wait."As the top seed in the event, Campomizzi just tried to relax and focus on what she could control."I was just trying to think smooth," she said. "I was just trying to do my best."Pleasant Valley's Mary Michael (10-0) tied for second in Class 3A pole vault and advanced to sates. Michael, whose opening height was 9-0, tied with Saucon Valley's Joslynn Rose, who came in at 8-0."I am so happy," said Michael. "I was not expecting it, because I came in seeded third, and after last week (when she cleared 9-0 at the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference championships), I was like, 'If I don't go, I don't go.'"But I am so happy."Michael did all that she could to avoid a repeat of a week ago."I've been at practice every single day, and I've gone to Vertical Assault two times since then," said Michael. "My coaches have been in extra time after practice with me, and I've just worked so much harder, because I knew that I had such a bigger drive, so I could go to Ship."Pleasant Valley's Jalurah Moore (12.60) and Armani Dunkley (12.84) advanced to today's Class 3A 100 finals.Moore (26.12) and Dunkley (26.20) also qualified for 200 finals.Lehighton's Alexis Barndt (16.77) advances to the Class 3A 100 hurdle finals.Weatherly's Emily Zoscin (12.71), Marian's Camaryn Wheeler (13.04), Northern Lehigh's Jill Olewine (13.09) and Jim Thorpe's Emma Dunbar (13.23) advanced to the Class 2A 100 finals.Wheeler (26.54), Zoscin (27.42) and Dunbar (27.29) also advanced to 200 finals.The Tamaqua team of Nicole Wasserleben, Olivia Stanek, Sarah Maue, Monika Shimko finished third in Class 2A 3200 relay (9:55.54).Shimko (48.75) was also third in 300 hurdles.Tamaqua's Sarah Maue (11:52.32) placed third in 3200.

Pleasant Valley's Mary Michael tied for second in the Class 3A pole vault and advanced to states. BOB FORD/TIMES NEWS
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