WHITEHALL – The first act was good.

But the encore was even better.

Palmerton’s Jake Martinez backed up his victories in the 800 and 1600 at last week’s Colonial League meet with two more dominant performances in the events at the District 11 Track and Field Championships.

The junior romped to two more titles Thursday at Whitehall’s Zephyr Sports Complex, winning the Class 2A 800 (1:59.36) and 1600 (4:34.54).

“These past two weeks, especially today, it’s shown the work I put in over this winter,” Martinez said. “It’s a lot of hours alone; it’s a lot of miles, and it beats you up.

“But for it to pay off is just fantastic. The field I had today, they’re awesome. They push me so hard, and they keep me working hard. I have so much respect for those guys. In both races, I had a plan going in, and I executed exactly how I wanted to, so I really couldn’t be happier.”

Martinez was well ahead of Salisbury’s Shane Artis (4:38.31) in the 1600, and held off strong challenges from Tamaqua’s Derian Stianche (2:00.43) and Brad Clemson (2:00.63) in the 800.

After winning the 1600 and placing third in the 800 last year at districts, Martinez is eager to continue to progress in both events next week in Shippensburg.

“I feel so much more prepared going to states this year,” he said of the experience. “First and foremost, I would love to make a state final. It’s been a goal for a long time. And if I can execute perfect races, a state medal, too. It’s been a goal of mine since I was really young.

“I have an incredible field out there. I‘m gonna have to push myself harder than I ever have. But I would love to be able to be rewarded for the work I put in.”

While Martinez executed his game plan, so did Lehighton’s Tahmir Spencer. Spencer powered to wins in the Class 2A 100 (11.09) and 200 (22.42), leaving little doubt about his prowess on the track.

Spencer was well ahead of North Schuylkill’s Scott Grigas (11.34) in the 100, and 200 (22.75).

“It’s pretty good,” Spencer said. “I’ve been working for it, doing everything I had to do in practice, and it paid off there.”

Much of that work centered around his starts. After a false start in the 100 at last week’s Schuylkill League meet, Spencer locked in on getting out of the blocks clean at practice, something that paid off Thursday.

“I felt like I was smooth throughout the whole race,” Spencer said after the 100. “My block start was good, my stride was good.

“That was my main focus the past week, just block work, strictly block work.”

Spencer has his sights set on making an even bigger impact at states.

“I know it’s going to be hard competition, so I just have to keep practicing,” he said. “It’s the same thing, just a different meet, pretty much. I just have to stay focused.”

Palmerton’s Jordan Nelson delivered a strong performance in the 2A 110 hurdles, winning the event in 15.70, just ahead of Pen Argyl’s Eric Lobb (15.84).

Nelson, who was second in the race last year, cut over a second off his prelim time (16.76) to stand on the top step of the podium.

“It means a lot, coming back (to states) a second year in a row,” said Nelson. “I owe it all to my coaches, helping us improve everyday.

“It feels good, knowing that at states there’s going to be close races, so you just have to push through it. I feel like I’m peaking now, and I’ll only get better as states comes.”

The Jim Thorpe and Tamaqua boys 1600 relay teams closed out the day with impressive victories.

Jeffrey Gorman, Justin St. Hill, Sam Hydro and Nujai Walcott produced what might have been the most exciting race of the day, winning the Class 3A 1600 relay with a staggering time of 3:25.61 – well ahead of second-place Parkland (3:27.44).

“That was the perfect race,” said Walcott, who ran the anchor leg. “We knew what we all had to do. They gave me a big lead.

“It was for Jeff (Gorman). He was the only one out of the 4x4 that hadn’t made it to states yet, and we wanted to really get him there. And we did it for him.”

Seeded with a time of 3:29.52, the Olympians obliterated that number – and the competition.

“We felt coming into this, we were huge underdogs,” said Walcott. “We saw Pottsville a second ahead of us, Parkland, a whole four or five seconds ahead of us. But we just forgot about that … we all came through.”

Hydro ran a 1:57.05 — under the state qualifying standard — in the 3A 800 to advance to states, while Walcott finished second in the 200 in 22.73 to move on. St. Hill previously qualified after winning the triple jump on Wednesday.

Tamaqua’s Matt Kistler, Dair Miller, Brad Clemson and Stianche won the 2A race in 3:30.80, better than their seed time of 3:31.13. Clemson, Miller and Stianche were also on the 3200 relay team that placed first on Wednesday.

“I know we’re a bunch of strong guys, and when it comes down to it, we’ll push hard and run our hardest,” said Clemson. “Derian came out real fast, and got a good start for us, Matt Kistler took the lead then.

“We just pushed through, and ran a great time. We PR’d again, so it was a pretty good day.”

A runner-up finish in the Class 3A 100 helped Jim Thorpe’s Jarrin Geisinger (11.30) make it to states for the second year in a row. Geisinger was seventh in the Class 2A 100 last year at states running for Marian.

“It’s definitely good,” said Geisinger. “I wish I would have got first. But it’s very competitive up here (in 3A) for sure.

“My start wasn’t too great, but you’re not going to have a perfect start all the time. You gotta make that up.”

After winning a Colonial League triple jump crown last week, Northern Lehigh’s Robert Shoff qualified for states by placing second in the Class 2A event with a leap of 42-10 3/4.

“I’m definitely happy that I’m going to states as a senior,” said Shoff. “It’s definitely one of your main goals your senior year, and especially since it’s my first year ever triple jumping. I’m pretty proud of what I did today.”

MOVING ON … Jim Thorpe’s William Munson (143-4) qualified for states with a second-place finish in the Class 3A discus, while Tamaqua’s Khalid Holland (13-0) advanced with a runner-up result in the 2A pole vault.

2018 District 11 Track and Field Championships

Class 2A

BOYS FINALS

(Top 3; other locals)

100

– 1. Tahmir Spencer (Lehighton) 11.09, 2. Scott Grigas (No. Schuylkill) 11.34, 3. Jared Colletti (Palisades) 11.45, 5. Aaron Stasko (Palmerton) 11.52, 6. Gabriel Bauer (Marian Catholic0 11.63.

200

– 1. Tahmir Spencer (Lehighton) 22.42, 2. Scott Grigas (No. Schuylkill) 22.75, 3. Jared Colletti (Palisades) 22.76, 7. Gabriel Bauer (Marian Catholic) 23.68.

400

– 1. Charlie Hohl (Notre Dame GP) 51.49, 2. Luke Halko (No. Schuylkill) 52.22, 3. Joseph Petit-Clair (Lehighton) 52.44, 5. Dair Miller (Tamaqua) 53.10, 6. Elias Tavares (Panther Vy.) 53.10, 7. Matt Kistler (Tamaqua) 53.85, 8. Ean Chelak (Marian Catholic) 54.01, 9. Justen Arriaga (Marian Catholic) 54.22, 15. Kory Marlatt (Palmerton) 55.19, 16. Nathan Keller (No. Lehigh) 55.48, 18. Trent Geist (Palmerton) 56.42.

800

– 1. Jacob Martinez (Palmerton) 1:59.36, 2. Derian Stianche (Jim Thorpe) 2:00.43, 3. Brad Clemson (Tamaqua) 2:00.63, 5. Christopher Osenbach (Tamaqua) 2:03.94, 8. Preston Kemery (No. Lehigh) 2:07.28, 11. Anthony Tavella (Lehighton) 2:09.36, 13. Nathan Lucykanish (Lehighton) 2:11.19, 17. Chad Obert (Weatherly) 2:13.09, 22. Adam Depew (Panther Vy.) 2:18.40.

1600

– 1. Jacob Martinez (Palmerton) 4:34.54, 2. Shane Artis (Salisbury) 4:38.31, 3. Michael Sosnowski (Salisbury) 4:43.33, 12. Brandon Fogarty (Tamaqua) 4:53.58, 14. Scott Zoscin (Weatherly) 4:57.71.

110H

– 1. Jordan Nelson (Palmerton) 15.70, 2. Eric Lobb (Pen Argyl) 15.84, 3. Jonathan Perloni (Palmerton) 16.64, 4. Jevon Nelson (Palmerton) 16.75, 5. Nicholas DiMarco (Tamaqua) 17.89, 6. Caleb Hankee (No. Lehigh) 18.40, 8. Joseph Jordan (Marian Catholic) 18.56.

400 Relay

– 1. North Schuylkill (Braden Heyer, Mitchel Wagner, Brayden Boyer, Scott Grigas) 43.96, 2. Palisades 44.39, 3. Palmerton 44.61, 4. Lehighton 44.76, 9. Marian Catholic 47.96, 11. Northern Lehigh 48.36, 13. Tamaqua 50.05.

1600 Relay

– 1. Tamaqua (Derian Stianche, Matt Kistler, Dair Miller, Brad Clemson) 3:30.80, 2. North Schuylkill 3:31.53, 3. Notre Dame GP 3:32.14, 5. Lehighton 3:32.89, 6. Palmerton 3:41.31, 7. Marian Catholic 3:41.91, 9. Northern Lehigh 3:43.06.

Shot Put

– 1. Joshua Gurzynski (Schuylkill Haven) 49-0 ¼, 2. Thomas Kitchell (Notre Dame GP) 47-1 ½, 3. Noah Yurescko (Pen Argyl) 42-5 ¼, 7. Tyler Disbrow (Tamaqua) 40-4 ¾, 8. Dakota Hiester (Lehighton) 40-0 ½, 12. Carson Schoener (Tamaqua) 37-11 ¼, 15. Matthew Amodea (Tamaqua) 34-6 ¾.

Triple Jump

– 1. Josh Volak (Palisades) 43-7 ¾, 2. Robert Shoff (No. Lehigh) 42-10 ¾, 3. Kyshaun Myers (Notre Dame GP) 42-8 ½, 4. Shae Blasiak (Lehighton) 42-0 ¾, 5. Aiden Hinchey (Marian Catholic) 41-9 ½, 7. Barron Stauffenberg (Tamaqua) 40-5 ½, 8. Isaiah Wetzel (Lehighton) 40-5 ½, 12. John Franko (Tamaqua) 38-10 ¼, 14. Jagan Bruce (Palmerton) 37-10, 15. Caine Carpenter (Lehighton) 37-5.

Pole Vault

– 1. Jacob Wittman (Catasauqua) 13-6, 2. Khalid Holland (Tamaqua) 13-0, 3. Pierce Demetriades (Tamaqua) 13-0.

Class 3A

BOYS FINALS

(Top 3; other locals)

100

– 1. Zaheer Seabrooks (Bethlehem Catholic) 11.25, 2. Jarrin Geisinger (Jim Thorpe) 11.30, 3. Khalili Edwards (PM West) 11.31, 8. Nasai Moon (Pleasant Vy.) 11.86.

200

– 1. Alstan Wolfe (Saucon Vy.) 22.62, 2. Nujai Walcott (Jim Thorpe) 22.73, 3. Joe Kurtz (Bethlehem Catholic) 23.02, 4. Jeffrey Gorman (Jim Thorpe) 23.03.

400

– 1. Collin Ebling (Pottsville) 49.24, 2. Quadir Collier (Wilson) 49.90, 3. Jared Jackson (Northampton) 50.55, 4. Nujai Walcott (Jim Thorpe) 50.81, 5. Jeffrey Gorman (Jim Thorpe) 51.30.

800

– 1. Collin Ebling (Pottsville) 1:53.84, 2. Sam Morgan (Parkland) 1:54.91, 3. Samuel Hydro (Jim Thorpe) 1:57.05, 9. Luke Valdevit (Pleasant Vy.) 2:01.46, 11. Jonathan Mickens (Pleasant Vy.) 2:01.91, 18. Michael Rebert (Northwestern) 2:05.00.

1600

– 1. Thomas Matsumura (So. Lehigh) 4:23.56, 2. Matt Bodon (Stroudsburg) 4:26.05, 3. Ethan Bernstein (Saucon Vy.) 4:26.38, 7. Ryan Murphy (Pleasant Vy.) 4:33.78,

110H

– 1. Powell Posten (ES South) 15.14, 2. Katrell Thompson (Easton) 15.15, 3. Evan Harris (Easton) 15.75, 7. Xavier Garmony (Pleasant Vy.) 16.26.

400 Relay

– 1. Parkland (Habeeb Salau, Ese Duke, Sebastian Suriel, Juilian Colon) 42.93, 2. Pocono Mountain West 43.31, 3. Wilson 43.44, 14. Pleasant Valley 45.32.

1600 Relay

– 1. Jim Thorpe (Jeffrey Gorman, Justin St. Hill, Samuel Hydro, Nujai Walcott) 3:25.61, 2. Parkland 3:27.44, 3. Pottsville 3:27.44, 10. Pleasant Valley 3:32.49.

Discus

– 1. Zachary Liggitt (Northampton) 148-4, 2. William Munson (Jim Thorpe) 143-4, 3. Patrick Patterson-Zuber (Saucon Vy.) 142-9, 4. Jason Scott (Jim Thorpe) 140-8.

Javelin

– 1. Eric Lyon (Bangor) 179-11, 2. Chris Stoudt (Pottsville) 177-07, 3. David Krewson (Blue Mtn.) 175-11, 10. Hunter Miller (Northwestern) 149-6.

Long Jump

– 1. Justin Miller (ES North) 22-10 ½, 2. Daeshawn Teague (Liberty) 22-6 ½, 3. Javonte Haynes (Liberty) 22-2 ½, 12. Justin Hudson (Pleasant Vy.) 20-3 ½.

High Jump

– 1. Anthony Jones (Bangor) 6-5, 2. Bobby Kulp (Bethelehem Catholic) 6-3, 3. Matt Stianche (Bethlehem Catholic) 6-3.