Pine-Richland’s Meckler, girls 400 relay set school records at PIAA meet

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 8, 2018 | 11:00 PM

The Pine-Richland track and field team was well-represented at the PIAA championship meet, held at Shippensburg on May 25-26, with multiple Rams finishing on the final podium in their respective events.

For the girls, the 400-meter relay team took fifth place with a time of 48.20 seconds.

On the boys side, Luke Meckler ran a 38.80 in the 300 hurdles, good for sixth place.

Both times, for the girls relay and for Meckler's 300 hurdles, broke school records.

“It was excellent. Both the relay team and Luke had their trial races, which are the most important races because it gets participants to the finals, and both were able to set the school records there,” Pine-Richland track and field coach Bill Crummy said.

“They really performed at their best and made sure it was going to be a successful meet.”

The girls relay team, which comprised Jodie Berezo, Meghan Briski, Izzy Greco and Danielle Bryant, proved to be greater than the sum of its parts as their chemistry and teamwork shined through in the biggest race of their season.

“For the relays, we don't place many finalists for individual sprints at states. We've continually have 4-by-100 relay teams make it, though. These girls show that it's more about a team effort than an individual effort that gets them there,” Crummy said.

Meckler, meanwhile, was the only sophomore in a field of seniors and juniors in the final heat of the 300 hurdles. Still, the young Rams runner has managed to steadily improve throughout the season, even managing to cut a significant chunk of time off of his personal best in the team's final practices leading up to states.

“He had a couple of really good practice days. Hurdles are one of the events where kids like him, who are naturally good runners, sometimes will get into a race and forget they have to hurdle first. The hurdles are the first priority,” Crummy said.

“We kept reminding him that the hurdles are the most important part and that the running will just take care of itself.”

Kevin Lohman is a freelance writer.

Tags: Pine-Richland