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Bleiler's throw lands in gold
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Matthew Harris/Special to The Sentinel
Carlisle field participant Reggie Oberton clears the high jump during the Mid-Penn Track and Field Championships at Landis Field on Saturday.
COLONIAL PARK — Northern’s Robbie Bleiler picked a fine time to have the best day of the season.
With a throw of 160-3 in the discus Bleiler secured gold in the event on the second day of the 2008 Mid-Penn Track and Field Championships at Central Dauphin Middle School.
Bleiler edged out Middletown’s Collin Ray, who threw a 160-0. Travis Nye of Central Dauphin East took third with a throw of 155-06.
The 160-3 bested Bleiler’s top effort for the season by five feet.
“It feels pretty good,” Bleiler said as he accepted his medal as competitors filed out of Landis Field. “I could tell it was good when I let go but I didn’t know it was 160, but it did feel good.”
It was just one week ago at the Cedar Cliff Relays that Bleiler threw his season-best 155.
“The past week I’ve just worked on just shot put and discus and improved my form,” Bleiler said. “I have another whole week of practice to hopefully improve my chances at district.”
Bleiler’s dad, Carlton knows the situation all too well, winning a state championship while at Milton Hershey.
“His personal best is 167, so I am still trying to beat that,” Bleiler said. “We’ll see”
Bleiler came into the event as the fifth seed, Ray and Nye were the top two headed into Friday’s preliminary event. Ray had previously thrown a 162-7 to earn the top seed.
Bleiler hinted that there was little pressure in being a lower seed.
“I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both,” Bleiler said. “If you’re the best there’s pressure on you to perform best and there’s not as much pressure on the lower seeds. You can only move up.
“Consistently (Ray) was throwing better than me, I just had one throw that was a little bit farther. I was definitely a little nervous. I’m kind of relieved his last throw wasn’t 160,” Bleiler said.
Bleiler also placed fourth in the shot put and fifth in the javelin. Nye won the shot, Central Dauphin’s Justin Shirk the javelin.
Cumberland Valley’s Juan Steward appeared to be back in top form as he took gold in the boys’ 200 meter dash, beating out Bishop McDevitt’s speedy Chris Houston.
Steward, who injured his hamstring nearly two weeks ago against Harrisburg then tweaked it at Cedar Cliff last Saturday, ran a 21.60 beating out Houston’s 22.08. Houston’s time was good enough for a new Class AA record at the meet.
“I feel a lot more confident,” Steward. “I just went out there and ran. Like I said earlier in the year, they’re all good athletes. I’m just going to take care of my body like I did last week.”
Steward iced his hamstring down then put heat on it in the morning. He also took more time to warm up, running three events.
Steward also mentioned he will make a decision on what events he will run next Friday and Saturday at the District 3-AAA Championships, held at Shippensburg University, sometime this week.
He may aim for just the 100, 200 and 400 or drop two of the runs and pick up a relay.
“It’s what I feel like running. I might just feel like running the 100, 200 and 4x400, or I might do the 100, 200 and 4x100.”
“I could tell he really wanted it,” said Houston. “I tried to go after him because I know he was a little tweaked, but I didn’t get out like I wanted to.
“It just gives me a big boost and lets me know I can compete with the best of them. All year round he’s one of the best guys. I haven’t beat him yet. I really wanted to beat him, this was my last race against Juan.”
Steward also surprised some with his appearance in both the 4x400 and 4x100 relays, which he didn’t plan on running this week.
Perhaps his best performance came in the 4x400 as he took CV from seventh to third anchoring the Eagles. Milton Hershey won the 4x400 in 3:22.59.
CV also took second in the 4x100, losing out to McDevitt as Steward and Houston each anchored their respective legs.
Houston propelled McDevitt to a Class AA record 42.46 in the relay, beating out the mark of 42.98 set in 2005.
“It’s not like the old days though when we have everyone back. It’s not that bad for just putting the team together today,” said Steward.
Earlier in the morning, CV’s team of Mike Nemeth, Andy Flynn, Chris Contino and Mark Fuller won the 4x800 relay in 8:00.12.
The win came despite a small issue with the exchange between Flynn and Contino.
“I thought I grabbed it, then I turned around and realized I didn’t have it,” Contino said. “It didn’t slow me down.
“I knew coming into the last leg that there were guys from other schools that have fast anchors. I knew I had to get Mark a lead.”
In other events, Trinity’s Shane Seymore finished runner up to CD East’s Tony Grab in the 800 meter run. Shamrock Christian Kuntz took fifth in the 110 hurdles, won by Lower Dauphin’s Michael Brown, while Susquenita’s Zach Dicks placed third in the high jump and sixth in the triple jump.
