(EDITOR’S NOTE: Since May of 1999, the Times News Sports Department has featured an On This Date practically every day, highlighting an event that happened in the past. With the coronavirus putting a halt to sports locally and nationally, the On This Dates have been expanded to the stories that actually ran in the next day’s newspaper. Today’s On This Date story is from April 20, 2001).

By Joe Plasko

jplasko@tnonline.com

POTTSVILLE - Lauren Kelchner feels her best jumps are yet to come this season.

That could be bad news for the rest of the District 11 AAA girls field, since the Pleasant Valley senior came away with a gold medal in the long jump and a silver in the triple jump at the Sixth Annual Crimson Tide Invitational, held amid some sprinkles Friday night at Pottsville’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Lehighton junior sprinter Katie Grant also had an impressive showing on Pottsville High’s all-weather service, capturing a gold medal as part of the Lady Indians’ winning 400 meter relay team and adding a pair of silvers in the 100 and 200 meter dashes.

Also striking gold among TIMES NEWS area athletes was Ashlie Hankee of Allentown Central Catholic, by way of Walnutport. Hankee set a new meet standard in winning the 100 meter hurdles in 15.6 seconds.

The Tide Invitational gathers the top AAA schools in the Lehigh Valley, serving as a District Meet preview of sorts. In that regard, Lehighton coach Chuck Laviolette was happy with his runners, who finished in eighth place overall with 33 points, behind team champion Parkland’s 64.

“I think our kids realize they are Class AAA again this season and have to work harder to get where they want to go,” said Laviolette.

Kelchner won the long jump with an effort of 16-10, not far off her season’s best of 17-3. Her top effort of 34-2 1/2 in the triple jump just missed giving her a double gold by four inches, with Bangor’s Kirsten Rotzell placing first at 34-6 1/2.

“I’m a little disappointed with my triple jump, because I’ve done better than that (her season’s best is 35-2 1/2),” related Kelchner, who also tied with Lehighton’s Nina Aniskevich for sixth in the high jump (4-8) and ran on the Bears’ sixth place 4x100 team. “I worked real hard on my jumps this year, and I know I can do better.”

Grant was part of three season’s bests. She joined teammates Becky Frey, Danielle Muffley and Janie Neff in winning the 4x100 in 51.3, more than a second faster than their previous best of 52.3.

“We haven’t had a day where everybody was on at the same time, but our times have been dropping, so by the time Districts come around, I think we’ll be a lot more comfortable,” said Grant.

Katie also posted her season’s top performances in the 100 (12.6) and the 200 (26.5). She finished second to Allen’s Shantell Davis in both races. Davis was clocked at 12.4 and 26.3, respectively.

Hankee, who attended Northern Lehigh as a freshman and sophomore, was thrilled with her winning time of 15.6, which topped her personal best of 15.74 from a year ago.

“I was surprised, but this was my first time on a real good track all year,” Hankee said. “The competition helped, too.”

Lehighton also got a fourth from Angie Rothermel in the 400 (1:02.7); fifth from Sam Nonweiler in the 100 hurdles (17.1); a sixth from Nonweiler in the 300 hurdles (50.8); and a sixth from Krystyn Fenon in the 1600 (5:37.5).

Pleasant Valley added a fourth from Jessica Brown in the long jump and, in the boys meet, a sixth from Derek Metzger in the shot put (44-1 1/4).