WHITEHALL - Dominic Mussoline had just run the race of his life. It wasn't a victory, but the Marian Catholic senior turned in an electric performance in the Class AA 800 at the District 11 Track and Field Championships Wednesday, nearly running down Notre Dame East Stroudsburg's Mike Sheptuk before settling for second with a personal best time of 1:57.62.

Not only was the time a PR for Mussoline, it was also good enough to lock the senior into his second event at the PIAA Championships after having already qualified as a member of the 3200-meter relay team on Tuesday."We're not done yet," Mussoline said after stepping off the podium, referencing the 1600-meter relay that was still to come.Boy, was he right.Mussoline, along with Mike Witczak, Zaccary Roberts and Sean Mick, turned in a sensational performance, winning the event in 3:30.06 to not only qualify for the state meet, but also gain a measure of revenge on runner-up Palisades (3:31.71). The Pirates won last year's event with a late surge to deny the Colts a trip to Shippensburg University.Much like a year ago, Mussoline ran the anchor leg for Marian. But unlike last season, when he took the baton with the lead, Mussoline started this race with some ground to make up.Mussoline wouldn't be denied again, using his endurance in the final 100-meters to take the lead and pull away for the victory."That whole race I just thought, 'I have to get this kid back,'" Mussoline said of Palisades' anchor Patrick Lodwig, who also ran the final leg a year ago for the Pirates. "He's a great runner. I knew it was going to be a challenge. But I had that little bit of extra motivation."Things can happen once, but you can't let things happen twice. I came up short last year, but I couldn't let that happen again."While Mussoline atoned for his shortcomings of a year ago, Palmerton's Logan Blasiak and Spencer Hay returned to Whitehall High School's Zephyr Sports Complex and successfully defended their individual championships.Blasiak put on a show in the Class AA pole vault, winning the event with personal best height of 14-0, while Hay earned gold in the high jump by clearing 6-4, which was also the winning height a year ago.After clearing 13-0 and taking second at last week's Colonial League meet, Blasiak, was simply hoping to get 13-6, the state qualifying standard."It feels awesome. I'm super stoked I got 14-0," the senior said. "I wasn't expecting it, but once I got there, I knew I could do it and I was ready to do it."That he was. After clearing 13-9, Blasiak returned to the runway and promptly soared over 14-0.Blasiak then made a run at 14-3, but was unable to clear the height.Now the goal is simple: Get another gold medal."I want to win. That's what I want to do," Blasiak said. "I want to go out there and I want to medal and I want to have a good shot at it."After missing significant time earlier this year due to injury, Hay, who also took second at last week's Colonial League meet, certainly didn't take for granted what it meant to stand on the top step of the podium once again."I realized how easy it is to just lose everything," the senior said. "I thought for a long time that I wasn't going to be able to compete this season. So I was really down all of March and into April until I was cleared."That really just put a chip on my shoulder to come back here and make it to states again. I just have to prepare this coming week, do my normal thing, and I feel very confident that I can be up there on the podium again at Shippensburg."Tamaqua's Joseph Nortavage will be making his first trip to states after turning in a blistering lap of 51.29 to win the Class AA 400."I'm ecstatic. I'm so happy right now," Nortavage said of the personal best time. "I've been waiting for this moment to go to states forever, and it finally happened today in my senior year."In Class AAA competition, Lehighton's Hunter Greene and Pleasant Valley's Mike Mitchell both qualified for states with runner-up finishes. Greene took second in the javelin with a throw of 176-7, while Mitchell grabbed silver in the long jump with a leap of 22-4.25."I knew the competition was good, but I was seeded pretty high (third at 164-9) and I knew I had more in me," said Greene. "I just came out and tried to set a PR and I surprised myself."Surprisingly, I wasn't that nervous. I knew I could throw well. So I just came out, tried to stay relaxed, give it a good throw and it happened to work out for me."Mitchell, who was seeded second in the long jump and set a PR with his mark, was hoping for more. But the junior is looking forward to having one more week to improve yet again."I didn't have it today," he said. "But I'm really motivated to go back to states and see what I can do."HONORED. … The athletic directors and other officials in attendance recognized Tamaqua native Herbie Welsh, the District 11 officials' representative, who will be stepping down after this season. "It means an awful lot to me, it really does," said an emotional Welsh. Though Welsh, who has served in his position for 25 years, never thought he would hold the post as long as he has, a passion for what he does has kept him coming back each year. "I just love sports," he said. "I enjoy the camaraderie; I enjoy everybody."I worked hard at it. I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the people. I'm sorry it's ending."