WHITEHALL – As sisters go, Jim Thorpe’s Autumn and Brooke Cope are pretty close.

While there might not necessarily be any sibling rivalry between the two, both push each other to always strive for more.Their bond was never more apparent than at Tuesday’s District 11 Track and Field Championships, where the duo displayed what they’re capable of doing.Autumn Cope captured gold in the Class AAA javelin with a throw of 131-0, while Brook earned silver with a toss of 130-2.“We just hope we do well,” said Autumn.“If it’s not me, I always hope it’s her,” added Brooke, the defending champion in the event. “I’m just excited to be going back to states with my sister again.”Though not exactly the number she was hoping to put up, Autumn was still pleased with her best throw, which came early in the competition.“It was pretty good,” she said. “I knew I could do it, so that was a lot of it, just confidence. I just had to get it done.“I was hoping to throw a 135-0 so I could get a decent seed at states. I was really hyped up. When I got on the runway for my first throw, I was really nervous so I wasn’t sure if I was going to throw well but it came out OK and I guess it was my best throw.”Another pair of teammates earned a 1-2 finish Tuesday, as Tamaqua’s Morgan Boyle and Shanna Brinkworth took the top two spots in the Class AA pole vault. Boyle earned gold by clearing 10-0, while Brinkworth took second at 9-0.“It feels pretty good. I’m excited,” said Boyle. “It’s awesome to go (to states) with Shanna. She PR’d today, so that was awesome, and I know she’s excited.”And for good reason. Brinkworth has missed significant time this season due to a knee injury, and has only recently returned to competition.“I haven’t practiced at all really,” said Brinkworth, who tore her meniscus. “I was kind of nervous to go back at it at first because of the injury and the effect it might have. But getting motivation from the coaches and the team really helped me.”The Tamaqua girls defended their crown in the Class AA 3200-meter relay, as the team of Chelsea Frantz, Victoria Labar, Olivia Stanek and Monika Shimko won the event in 9:47.14.“It was thrilling,” said Labar. “And we almost got our school record; we’re like a second off of it. So it was very exciting.”As the top seed, the quartet didn’t want to just win.“We wanted to try to beat last week’s time,” Shimko said of the mark set at last week’s Schuylkill League meet, a 9:59.63. “It feels amazing.”Marian’s Emma McClafferty also picked the right time to turn in a personal best, winning the Class AA discus with a throw of 117-11.Seeded fourth, the freshman wasn’t sure what to expect at the district meet.“I don’t know. My warm-up throw went out of bounds,” McClafferty said. “I always kept it in the back of my mind (that I could win). But way in the back.”Having steadily improved in recent weeks, McClafferty was able to carry that positive momentum – warm-ups aside – into Tuesday’s competition at Whitehall High School’s Zephyr Sports Complex.“I’ve PR’d in the last three meets,” said McClafferty, who set the winning mark on her first throw.McClafferty credited teammate Brenna Karnish, who took third (110-3) and was the defending champion in the event, for much of her success.“Brenna has helped me a lot with this,” she said. “I didn’t know how to spin this year and she (Karnish) has helped me with that, along with the help of my coaches. It was good to be with her the whole way. It helped.“I didn’t think I would make it this far, so whatever happens (at states) happens.”Northern Lehigh’s Jillian Olewine took second and Palmerton’s Brinn Doherty third in the Class AA long jump to qualify for the state meet. Olewine jumped a 17-5.75, while Doherty recorded a mark of 17-2.75.Doherty also advanced to today’s 100 and 200-meter finals, and the senior admitted knowing she was already headed to Shippensburg will take pressure off both of those events.“I feel like I’m going to be more positive tomorrow rather than stressed,” said Doherty, whose time of 12.71 in the 100 was the fastest in the prelims. “I know the seeds for the top-three in the 100 are really, really close.“But the (AA 100-meter state qualifying standard) time I have to get is 12.70, and I did 12.71 in prelims today. So I know I can do that tomorrow with other fast people in my heat to push me.”MOVING ON … In addition to Doherty, the following advanced to today’s finals: Pleasant Valley’s Jalurah Moore (Class AAA 100 and 200); Weatherly’s Emily Zoscin (Class AA 200); Palmerton’s Madison Martinez and Panther Valley’s Samantha Williams (Class AA 100 hurdles).LOOKING FOR MORE … Boyle (javelin), Shimko (800) and Pleasant Valley’s Jenn Mickens (800) will be in action today seeking to repeat as district champions.