WHITEHALL - Faith Yost left last year’s league meet with a pair of gold medals around her neck.

The Northwestern junior matched that total after the first day of the Colonial League Track and Field Championships on Tuesday, winning both the high jump and the 300 hurdles.

And she’s not done yet.

Yost also ended the first day of competition with the fastest time in the 100 hurdle prelims, an event she won a year ago. Her fourth event will be the 1600 relay.

“It’s really special,” Yost said. “I worked really hard for it. I think the most important part for me was PR’ing, or doing the best that I can. It’s not always about necessarily winning or getting the medals; but there was self-improvement for both the high jump and 300 meter hurdles, so I’m very happy with that.”

Yost’s victories highlighted a strong start to the Colonial League and Eastern Pennsylvania Conference meets for area athletes.

Palmerton crowned a pair of champions in the Colonial League meet, with Nataly Walters winning the long jump and Lucas Heydt placing first in the javelin.

Pleasant Valley had a pair of medalists in EPC competition with its boys 3200 relay team and Reese Ruggiero, along with a number of athletes advancing to today’s finals.

COLONIAL LEAGUE

Yost won the high jump by clearing 5-5 to tie a familiar school record, which was set by her aunt Kathy Yost in 1992.

“I came in with the mindset of trying my best,” said Yost, who was seeded first at 5-3. “I know it’s a lot with three events, and then I have two more tomorrow, which is the 100 hurdle finals as well as the 4x4 (relay). So I just wanted to try my best, and I was not necessarily expecting to get 5-5; I was expecting to get 5-3. I was ecstatic at 5-4, and was like, ‘Let’s go 5-5.’”

Yost’s aunt was in attendance for the event.

She went for 5-6 after clearing 5-5 and nearly got it on her first try, but the bar skimmed her calf.

Yost qualified for the 100 hurdle finals with a time of 16.31.

“I like 100 meter hurdles and high jump equally,” said Yost. “The 300 meter hurdles are definitely more of an endurance, distance type event. I definitely plan to work more on endurance throughout the summer and next year. But right now, the 100 meter hurdles and high jump are my favorite.”

Yost has made tremendous progress in both events. She set the school record in the 100 hurdles earlier this year with a time of 15.10, breaking the previous mark of 15.54, set by Alexis Gawelko in 2015.

“At leagues (last year) I actually had shin splints and Achilles tendinitis,” said Yost. “So I think I got 4-7 at leagues and DQ’d out of districts. So it was a rough transition going from that to 100 meter hurdles right after. But I then won 100 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles ... so I’m very happy with today.”

She repeated as champion in the 300 hurdles with a time of 47.63 to close out her day. She was seeded with a time of 47.74.

“Definitely still a bit of a high. I actually went back to the tent and I sat for about five minutes before I heard that I had to start getting ready for the 300 meter hurdles,” said Yost. “So I’m still pretty tired, running on Gatorade.”

Heydt won the javelin with a throw of 160-0, far surpassing his seed of 149-2.

He was seventh in the league meet last season.

“Last year, coming into the league meet I wasn’t expecting much,” said Heydt. “In the offseason, and this year, I just really put a lot of work in in the javelin. I was fortunate enough to win today and PR by about 10 feet.”

Heydt pulled out a big throw - and his best - when he needed it most.

“I threw in the first flight and my first throw was a foul, and I didn’t make the finals until my last throw, really,” said Heydt. “But then going into the finals I was second, and it wasn’t until my last throw overall that I threw 160 (feet).

“It really helps my confidence, having my teammates around me, helping me practice. They can show me things, I can show them things.”

Harrison Dailey finished third for the Bombers with a throw of 145-6.

“We’re really good friends,” Heydt said of Dailey. “We have classes together all day at school and we’re able to practice together, and coming out here and medaling together is a great feeling. I’m really happy that I get to experience it with him.”

Walters soared to a win in the long jump with a leap of 17-5 1/2.

“I’m super happy with my jump, and that’s state qualifying (standard), so now I can relax a little bit going into next week going into districts, knowing that I can hit that mark in a big meet,” said Walters. “So that takes a little bit of the weight off my chest with that.

“I was aiming for the gold medal; I’m pretty sure everyone was going into that event, and I’m super happy with myself that I did achieve that.”

Like Heydt, Walters also shared the podium with a teammate, as the Bombers’ Emma Christman was third in the event.

“For my freshman season, I’m really happy that I get to share it with one of my best friends, Emma. She is a senior this year, so I’m definitely going to miss her next year,” said Walters. “But I’m happy with my jumps, and I’m happy that she could be on the podium with me today.”

Walters, who is also the top seed in the triple jump, qualified for the 100 finals, running a time of 12.84 in the prelims. Northwestern’s Carsyn Van Norman also qualified with a time of 13.29.

Walters and Van Norman also advanced to the 200 finals. Walters ran a 27.02 in the prelims, while Van Norman finished with a time of 27.42. Christman also qualified for the 200 finals with a time of 27.44.

Northern Lehigh’s Caitlin Kirk was second in the discus with a throw of 98-9.

“I’m very happy,” said Kirk. “Honestly, this is my first year doing track, so for me it’s huge to be here and to place.

“I beat my PR which is perfect and what I was looking for, and it just so happened that I was able to place second.”

Kirk’s previous best was 92-10, which came in the second meet of the season.

“The adrenaline was there, the pressure was on,” said Kirk, a junior. “I knew I needed to do good, and it just kind of clicked. I was able to do it.”

Palmerton’s Stephen Jones was also second in the long jump with a leap of 20-9, while the Northwestern boys recorded a runner-up finish in the 3200 relay with a team of Sam Bower, Matt Santana, Cole Chukoskie and Nathan Vincent in 8:20.46.

Northern Lehigh’s Trevor Amorim (11.59) and Brett Misera (11.65), along with Northwestern’s Evan Anderson (11.69) and Joshua Heilman (11.71), also qualified for the 100 finals.

Palmerton’s Bryson Walters (16.79), Justin Herrmann (16.91) and Reilly Burke (17.75) all qualified for the 110 hurdle finals.

EPC

Pleasant Valley’s Reese Ruggiero finished fourth in the pole vault, clearing 9-6. Ruggiero was also eighth in the triple jump.

The team of Raymond Lursen, Aiden Green, Frankie Morales and Tyler Akob placed fourth in the 3200 relay with a time of 8:27.14 for the Bears.

De’Nair Drew advanced to the finals of the 100 hurdles with a time of 16.03. Drew was fifth in the 300 hurdle finals with a time of 49.16.

Samantha Merklin also placed eighth in the shot put for the Bears.

Pleasant Valley’s Nyia Moon qualified for the 100 finals with a time of 13.28. She also qualified for the 200 finals with a time of 26.96, as did Nemani Moon, who ran a 26.83.

Patrick Moore qualified for the 100 finals for the Bears with a time of 11.47.

RECORD BREAKER

... Palisades’ Thomas Smigo won the 3200 with a meet record time of 9:27.89. The time broke the previous mark of 9:34.34, set by Palmerton’s Jeff Dobias in 1999.

UP NEXT

... Action resumes at 3 p.m. today for track and field events at Whitehall’s Zephyr Sports Complex.

COLONIAL LEAGUE RESULTS

BOYS

3200 relay - 1. Southern Lehigh 8:09.76, 2. Northwestern 8:20.46, 3. Notre Dame GP 8:25.33; Javelin - 1. Lucas Heydt (Palmerton) 160-0, 2. Dean Bartels (Palisades) 151-8, 3. Harrison Dailey (Palmerton) 145-6, 5. Bailey Smith (Northern Lehigh) 135-10, 7. Dylan Smoyer (Northern Lehigh) 130-4; Long jump - 1. Wyatt Younes (Catasauqua) 21-1.5, 2. Stephen Jones (Palmerton) 20-9, 3. Jack Inglis (Southern Lehigh) 20-8.75, 6. Harrison Dailey (Palmerton) 19-11.75; Discus - 1. Max Mueller (Wilson) 160-6, 2. Hunter Bleam (Salisbury) 130-6, 3. Dean Bartles (Palisades) 126-4, 6. Zack Anthony (Palmerton) 118-4, 8. Ryan Burkett (Palmerton) 114-10, 9. John Schaible (Palmerton) 110-9; High jump - 1. Hunter Bleam (Salisbury) 6-2, 2. Robert Allen (Southern Lehigh) 5-9, 3. Gavin Nelson (Northwestern) 5-7, 4. Jeremy Salvaggio (Palmerton) 5-7, 7. Matthew Shuhay (Northwestern) 5-3; 300 hurdles - 1. Jack Inglis (Southern Lehigh) 41.16, 2. Joseph Phillips (Notre Dame GP) 41.46, 3. Bryce Guthier (Palisades) 41.83, 5. Bryson Walters (Palmerton) 42.89, 8. Justin Herrmann (Palmerton) 44.33, 9. Reilly Burke (Palmerton) 44.86; 3200

- 1. Thomas Smigo (Palisades) 9:27.89*, 2. Alexander Kane (Southern Lehigh) 9:39.13, 3. Matthew Santana (Northwestern) 9:50.17, 5. Cole Chukoskie (Northwestern) 9:52.59, 7. Owen Hibell (Palmerton) 10:24.20.

GIRLS

3200 relay - 1. Southern Lehigh 9:53.57, 2. Notre Dame GP 9:56.50, 3. Palisades 10:14.44; Discus - 1. Rose Falletta (Palisades) 103-10, 2. Caitlin Kirk (Northern Lehigh) 98-9, 3. Emma Zambo (Notre Dame GP) 93-8, 5. Abigail Fredericks (Palmerton) 89-7, 6. Sadie Fenstermaker (Northwestern) 86-7, 9. Keona Dyer (Northern Lehigh) 80-6; High jump - 1. Faith Yost (Northwestern) 5-5, 2. Paige Casterline (Palisades) 5-1, 3. Emma Snyder (Palmerton) 5-1, 4. Zoe Hathaway (Northern Lehigh) 4-11, 7. Kirsten Mauer (Northwestern) 4-7, 9. Keona Dyer (Northern Lehigh) 4-5, 9. Jayden Gillette (Northwestern) 4-5; 300 hurdles - 1. Faith Yost (Northwestern) 47.63, 2. Melissa Shunk (Wilson) 48.64, 3. Faith Schiffer (Southern Lehigh) 49.4; Javelin - 1. Julia Pinter (Bangor) 129-1, 2. Katelyn Shoemaker (Palisades) 111-9, 3. Jillian Shulz (Palisades) 91-7, 5. Dekota Barthold (Northern Lehigh) 87-4, 6. Sadie Fenstermaker (Northwestern) 85-9; 3200 - 1. Emily Stock (Southern Lehigh) 11:42.78, 2. Avery Errico (Wilson) 11:43.27, 3. Emma Sydlow (Saucon Valley) 12:01.88, 8. Angelina Klein (Northwestern) 12:48.08, 10. Delaney Szwast (Northern Lehigh) 13:28.79; Long jump

- 1. Nataly Walters (Palmerton) 17-5.5, 2. Madison Trout (Southern Lehigh) 17-0, 3. Emma Christman (Palmerton) 16-6, 5. Kendall Snyder (Northern Lehigh) 15-9.75.

EPC RESULTS

BOYS

3200 relay - 1. Parkland 8:14.59, 2. Allentown Central Catholic 8:18.76, 3. Emmaus 8:19.24, 4. Pleasant Valley 8:27.14; Triple jump - 1. Samuel Chedester (Easton) 45-3.75, 2. Kyle Moore (Emmaus) 43-11.75, 3. Michael Lawrence (PM West) 43-5.25; Shot put - 1. Odin Ferency (Easton) 52-3.5, 2. Clark Gulycz (ACC) 47-8, 3. Ron Blake (ES South); 300 hurdles - 1. Shaun Apsley (Northampton) 40.11, 2. Jake Hilarczyk (Nazareth) 40.54, 3. Andrew Beers (Parkland) 40.75; Pole vault - 1. Aiden Hurlburt (Emmaus) 14-0, 2. Drew Brinker (Stroudsburg) 13-6, 3. Gregory Sommer (Whitehall) 11-6; 3200

- 1. Alexander Heidemann (Freedom) 9:51.81, 2. Ethan Strzempek (Emmaus) 9:57.09, 3. Ethan Willard (Parkland) 9:57.53.

GIRLS

3200 relay - 1. Easton 9:38.55, 2. Parkland 9:46.61, 3. Nazareth 10:01.14, 8. Pleasant Valley 10:43.73; Pole vault - 1. Annika Flanigan (Liberty) 11-0, 2. Coral Shivok (Parkland) 10-6, 3. Ava Wells (Whitehall) 10-0, 4. Reese Ruggiero (Pleasant Valley) 9-6; Shot put - 1. Tamia Bruce (Liberty) 36-2.75, 2. Celis Miranda (ES North) 34-8.25, 3. Molly Lineberger (Emmaus) 33-10.25. 8. Samantha Merklin (Pleasant Valley) 31-2; 300 hurdles - 1. Maggie Scalzo (Easton) 46.53, 2. Jayla Reinert (Easton) 46.60, 3. Sydney Brown (Freedom) 47.35, 5. De’Nair Drew (Pleasant Valley) 49.16; 3200 - 1. Hailey Reinhard (Emmaus) 11:24.62, 2. Avaline Fihlman (Freedom) 11:29.70, 3. Payton Campbell (Emmaus) 11:47.74; Triple jump

- 1. Grace Nelson (Parkland) 37-9, 2. Brooke Rawls (Liberty) 37-0.5, 3. Sheldyne Pierre (Emmaus) 35-5.25, 8. Reese Ruggiero (Pleasant Valley) 34-0.

* - Colonial League meet record.