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RIMERSBURG, Pa. – To say that it was a state track and field championship to remember for the Union/A-C Valley track and field teams would be a massive understatement.
Evie Bliss broke the PIAA Class 2A record in the javelin, while Hayden Smith (high jump) and Landon Chalmers (discus) gave them three gold medals in the span of a little more than two hours at the 2023 championships at Shippensburg University.
For Smith, it was his second consecutive gold, while Chalmers broke through a loaded field to win gold.
Bliss uncorked a record throw of 170’2” on her first attempt, throwing the javelin farther than any 2A athlete in the history of the PIAA meet by three feet breaking a 15-year-old record of 167’2″ set by Lakeview’s Fawn Miller in 2008. Bliss’s throw was just over 26 feet ahead of the second-place finisher.
For Bliss, her PIAA record throw came on her first attempt of the competition, drawing gasps from the crowd as it was nearly 15 feet farther than her D9 meet record throw of 155’9” that she had just a week earlier.
“It feels completely different,” Bliss said. “As soon as it left my hand I was like ‘Oh, wow,’ and then I looked up and it still hadn’t landed yet. Everything hit and clicked right. I didn’t know I broke the record until after prelims. It’s incredible, it’s great and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Smith, meanwhile, came in as the favorite to win the high jump and didn’t disappoint.
Hayden Smith with his gold medal.
Smith cleared 6’8″ to beat Noah Gunderson of Annville-Cleona, who cleared 6’6”. He tried 6’11”, and although he didn’t clear that mark, he still had another gold medal to put around his neck.
“I didn’t expect it to be 6’6” (second place), I expected it to be 6’4”, but that’s what I’m saying, you can’t go into a meet thinking that because some guys will pull a jump.”
Chalmers’ winning throw of 171’5” in the discus was 15 feet better than his throw in the D9 championships last week and bested Brady Cooper of Laurel, who finished second at 167’8”.
Landon Chalmers with his gold medal.
“I had some pretty good competition, great guys to go against,” Chalmers said. “I honestly didn’t know what it was (distance) when it landed, I just knew that it was good.”
Three unique champions in what can only be described as a co-op that has worked beautifully.
