Faith Yost never had to think twice.

Yost knew immediately what she wanted to do.

“I definitely went to high jump first because I tried that in seventh grade and I loved it,” Yost recalled. “And that kind of just set the standard that I’m like, ‘All right, I want to do this.’”

And she hasn’t looked back.

From those initial impressions in middle school to the medal stand in Shippensburg this past spring, Yost has continued to set new heights in an event that has come naturally to her.

Northwestern track and field coach Chuck Groller has been working with Yost since those early days. The potential was evident immediately.

“I run the middle school track clinic that we have,” said Groller. “She was one of the first groups that we had. And at that time, it was really in the high jump that she excelled. She has the middle school record at 5-1, and from there, it just continued on until she got to high school. She just had the knack for it.”

Yost attached her name to the school’s record books during her junior season this past spring.

She tied her aunt, Kathy, at 5-5 in the high jump, and also set a new mark in the 100 hurdles.

Those accomplishments came as Yost finished her season with a medal at the PIAA Track and Field Championships, clearing 5-4 to tie for sixth place in Class 3A.

With a personal best of 5-3 in the high jump heading into the season, Yost - the Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year - made huge strides to be able to hit the mark, and more, with even greater consistency this spring.

“It takes a lot. If you miss a jump, or if you miss a height that you know you should have gotten, it definitely takes a little bit of a toll,” said Yost. “But I always try to correct it, and sometimes people have off days. It just happens.

“So I just reset and tell myself, ‘You missed it this time, but you can get it next time.’ Or as I’m going from height to height in a single meet, sometimes I miss 5-3 two times before I clear it a third time. And it’s a little bit scary. It’s nerve-racking. You get to the third jump and you’re like, ‘This is it. Either I get the next height or I don’t.’ So it’s definitely a mental challenge, but I can’t say it really bothers me.”

Yost showcased her toughness at states, clearing 5-4 on her third attempt.

Entering states, Yost was seeded fourth at 5-5 - which she cleared to win the district title. It’s a mark she also cleared to win the league title, and tie the school record.

She also qualified for states in the 100 hurdles, an event she also won at districts along with high jump.

During the season, she set the school record in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.10, breaking the previous mark of 15.54 - which had been set by Alexis Gawelko in 2015.

As a sophomore, Yost won league titles in both the 100 and 300 hurdles, her first varsity season after her freshman campaign was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Groller, who works with Yost in both of her events, understands the physical and mental connection that exists between hurdling and the high jump.

“That’s what we work on in some of these sessions, where you want to increase your velocity and stride length and arm length,” said Groller. “And if you really look at both of them, and you look at the hurdles and your stride has to be consistent, your arm positioning has to be consistent; they have to be strong. And it’s the same way with high jump. You’ve got to have the consistency. They’re both the same - you have to be consistent in your steps in hurdling, the three-step, which she does. And you have to be consistent in your steps for high jump.”

Yost performed at a high level in all of her events throughout the season. She also won Colonial League titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles, high jump and as a member of the 1600 relay.

She also earned a fourth-place medal in the 300 hurdles at districts.

“Over time, I’ve grown to love it,” Yost said of the hurdles. “In 10th grade, that’s when I definitely started to really enjoy it, and now I would have to say that I like them pretty equally.”

Yost has thrived in whatever she has done throughout her track and field career.

And there’s little doubt she will continue to excel in whatever she does next.

“I just want to continue to have that drive and dedication,” said Yost. “I would like to do this in college, so I’m not going to just relax and let things just happen. I’ll definitely be working for it.

“It’s kind of hard to compete with this past season. Getting four medals at leagues, and then three medals at districts, and then going to states. But I’m just looking for PRs and to continue working to do my best.”