(EDITOR’S NOTE: Since May of 1999, the Times News Sports Department has featured an On This Date practically every day, highlighting an event that happened in the past. With the coronavirus putting a halt to sports, the On This Dates have been expanded to the stories that actually ran in the next edition’s newspaper. Today’s On This Date story is from May 18, 1985).

By Brad Krum

Sports Staff Writer

The weather for Saturday’s District XI Track and Field Championships at Northern Lehigh High School seemed more suitable for an early April dual meet than an important mid-May competition.

But despite the chilly temperatures and a biting wind that sometimes gusted up to 25 miles per hour, there were some athletes who overcame the elements to turn in admirable performances.

The TIMES NEWS area produced eleven qualifiers (eight individuals and three relay teams) for the PIAA championship meet to be held Friday and Saturday in Shippensburg. All told, 12 meet records fell on the blustery day.

Tamaqua and Northern Lehigh led the way among the local schools with four and three state qualifiers, respectively. Northwestern had two, and Pleasant Valley and Palmerton also had one each who earned the trip. Pleasant Valley competed in Class AAA, the others in AA.

Only district champions qualified automatically for the PIAA meet. All other qualifiers had to meet stringent standards, which were made even more difficult by the wind and cold.

Tamaqua showed excellent depth with 12 other placewinners in addition to the state qualifiers. Javelin thrower John Kotchmar and high jumper Tom Scheitrum highlighted the solid Blue Raider effort with first-place finishes in their respective events.

Tamaqua coach Ray Edwards was pleased with the results but thought that the weather prevented an even better showing.

“I’m happy with the way things went, but I just wish we had a nicer day to display our talents,” he said. “The wind really hurt some of our runners. On a warmer day our sprinters would have had a chance to get a little looser and they might have run some faster times. But the results were pretty much what we expected.”

The wind also affected the athletes in the field events. Despite the conditions Scheitrum nearly set a record in the high jump, but failed on his attempts to clear 6-7 3/4. The record is 6-7 1/2. Scheitrum won Saturday’s competition with a leap of 6-4.

“All I asked him to do is get the first (place),” Edwards stated. “The record or anything else is up to him. He’s a pretty intelligent kid, he knows what he has to do.”

Scheitrum indicated that the wind affected his approach and take-off. That, plus the fact that he immediately went after the record after eliminating his competition at 6-4 instead of gradually increasing his height of the bar were the reasons for his relatively low jump. He has a season’s best of 6-8.

Under the conditions, Scheitrum realizes that the important thing was getting to the state meet.

“I’d be happy to place in the top ten or even in the top six out at states,” the Blue Raider junior said. “I’m feeling confident with the way I’m jumping. As far as a height, I’d like to go 6-10. I think that’s a reasonable goal.”

Kotchmar won his first place medal with a toss of 192-3. Other qualifiers for Tamaqua were the boys 400 meter relay team, which finished second to Catasauqua with a time of 44.2, and Sharon Wishousky, who made it in the high jump with a 5-1, good enough for a second place tie.

The Blue Raiders were without Denise Stahler, a standout sprinter and long jumper who was forced to miss the meet because of academic ineligibility. Stahler went to court to challenge the school’s policy of sitting out students involved in extra-curricular activities who do not meet certain academic standards, but the petition for an injunction was denied by a Schuylkill County judge.

Stahler holds school records in the 100, 200 and long jump. She also anchored the 400 meter relay team.

“I think our school board has chosen to set academic standards that are the highest in the district,” Edwards commented. “If they feel that is what we have to do (making students who don’t meet those standards ineligible) then we’ll have to live with it. But I don’t like it. The philosophy is good, but how we implement it has to be looked at.”

Northern Lehigh’s 1600 meter relay team of Todd Gombos, Ryan Chabak, Brett Jones and George Haas ran an outstanding 3:29 and set a new meet mark in winning the event. The Bulldogs had to overtake Saucon Valley with a late charge. The 3:29.9 broke the record held previously by Nativity (3:30.2 in 1981).

Gombos was an individual qualifier in the long jump with a 20-10 effort. He was fourth in the field. Bill Hamby of the Bulldogs was third in the high jump with a 6-2, thus becoming the third Northern Lehigh qualifier.

Michelle Betz of Northwestern dusted the field in the 200, winning with a time of 26.9. Scott Thompson qualified in the javelin (third place, 187-0).

Pam Schaustine, Raquel Searfass, Mary Messinger and Maureen Taylor comprised the Palmerton 3200 meter relay team which won in 10:18.0.

Troy Labar of Pleasant Valley was the lone area state qualifier from the Class AAA competition. Labar took third in the javelin with a throw of 188-3.

Along with Northern Lehigh’s relay, freshman John Funk from Palisades (100, 200), Mike Cadau of Shenandoah Valley (400) and Jack Cuvo of Easton (Class AAA 3200) headed the list of record-setters.