It sat next to the table, off to the side and out of sight.

The unassuming space in the room made the javelin no less significant for Abby Meckes.

It had been a month since she used it to secure a spot on the podium in Shippensburg, a place she always hoped to be, even if the event that put her there seemed unlikely.

An unquestionably gifted thrower, Meckes has found success in each discipline she has tried.

Javelin has been no exception.

What started as something new this season has helped Meckes etch her name into the record books, and establish the Lehighton junior as the Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Meckes earned a fifth-place finish this season in the Class 3A javelin at the PIAA Track and Field Championships, where she also qualified in the discus.

That performance capped a year of tremendous growth for Meckes.

“I only started that right at the beginning of the season,” Meckes said of the javelin. “And I was just kind of doing it because I was decent without much practice, or much form; my form was never that good, but I was able to just get pretty decent throws.”

Meckes made it to Shippensburg in the discus after a runner-up finish at districts, and a third-place result in the javelin, where she hit the state qualifying standard to move on.

More than her skill and athleticism, Meckes showcased her unwavering resolve to secure her first state medal.

After finishing a disappointing 19th in the discus, Meckes regrouped for the javelin, uncorking a 129-6 on her last throw to move into medal position.

She was seeded 11th in the discus, and 12th in the javelin at states, which was done in a one-day format this season.

“I don’t want to say it was surprising, because she always pulls those things off last minute,” Lehighton throwing coach Gwen Remaley said with a laugh. “But her entire season, not only her competing, but her mentality and how she handles herself as an athlete, is very impressive to me.

“You see a lot of people falter under pressure, and I think states was probably the first time that I really saw her nervous. But she did so well. Her whole season, she put in the work, in every single one of her sports (soccer and basketball). I’m just so proud of her.”

The 2014 Times News Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year, Remaley knows what it takes to succeed at the highest levels of the sport. Remaley finished off a record-breaking senior season with an eighth-place finish in the Class 3A shot put at states.

Remaley maintained a level-headed approach with Meckes at states.

“I think in my sense, if you are at the state level and you get to states, there is no point in over-coaching,” said Remaley. “So I wanted to take a really easy way with her, in the fact that, I remember telling her, ‘You know how to throw. You know how to throw, and you literally don’t even need me here. So let’s do this.’”

In addition to Remaley, Abby also could lean on her sister, Isabelle, if she needed some advice. Also a state qualifier, Isabelle was a District 11 champion in the discus for two years, and was undefeated during the regular season for three years. She was also a league champion in the discus.

This season, Abby also placed first in the shot put, discus and javelin at the Schuylkill League Championships.

“I feel like my competitiveness really helps me because I’m so aggressive with it,” Meckes said of the javelin. “So even if my form isn’t good, I’m still able to muscle it, which isn’t really the correct thing to do. But if my form is off one day, I’m still able to get it out pretty far.”

That fire helped Meckes erase the sting of what could have been a disappointing day at states.

“I didn’t really want to go home with two poor events that day,” she said. “So I really made sure to stretch before javelin; I wanted to make sure I did everything right, so that hopefully I would come out a little higher. I didn’t really expect to place.”

While she didn’t have a sophomore track and field season because of the coronavirus pandemic, Meckes might have been forced to miss significant time with a broken foot suffered during her basketball season.

“But I was able to do a lot of power, because that didn’t affect my foot since I wasn’t spinning on it or anything,” she said. “So I kind of tried to perfect my power form, which was good. It kind of was a blessing in disguise type of thing, so I think that really helped.”

Next year at this time, Meckes might find herself in a similar position, and the results might be even more impressive.

“I still don’t consider myself as a jav thrower,” she said. “But I guess now that’s kind of what I am. Hopefully with even more practice, I can get even better.”