Jack Inglis came to Southern Lehigh’s track and field team four years ago as a 400-meter runner.
Head coach Cotie Strong wanted Inglis to give the 110 hurdles a shot.
The Spartan left Tuesday’s Senior Day with four gold medals, including a Colonial League-best 14.84 in the 110s, to lead Southern Lehigh to a sweep of Palmerton and Salisbury.
Inglis’ performance — and that of many others — allowed Southern Lehigh to avenge last season’s loss to the Blue Bombers, who also were unbeaten entering Tuesday’s meet.
“We have a lot of good team chemistry,” he said. “We push each other in practices. We put the work in and we support each other. That’s huge because we rely on each other. It’s a team sport. A lot of people think track is an individual sport, but all the individual work goes toward the team score, which is in the end is what pushes us forward.”
Inglis’ contributions go beyond the track and jumping pits, however. The Dartmouth-bound senior embodies the definition of leader and teammate.
Strong said Inglis’ importance to the program can’t be overstated.
“I’m not sure how good I thought he was going to be,” the Spartans coach said. “But he’s just been everything you can think of. He’s been, as far as my coaching goes, the most well-rounded student-athlete I’ve coached.
“From a student-athlete standpoint, from an academic standpoint, from a leadership standpoint, from a maturity standpoint, he might be a one-in-a-career kid. That’s how good he is. He won four events today against some pretty tough competition, and the guys look at him and they know he’s going to win. They know he’s going to do everything he can to help the team.”
Inglis won both hurdles events and the long jump. He also teamed with Noah Tapler, Silvano Avila De La Cruz and Cade Sawyer to win the 400 relay in a league-best time of 42.84, which also is a school record.
Success didn’t come immediately for Inglis, whose fear was that of many hurdlers.
“Starting in the winter it was kind of rough,” he said. “Getting over that first hurdle at the normal height, it’s kind of nerve wracking. I’ve seen people fall. It gets my nerves jittered up. But I’ve been lucky not to fall in the 110s.
“It’s not an event everyone can do. Seeing the progression, feeling confident has been great. Seeing the results come out of that is a great feeling.”
Southern Lehigh (9-0) needs to beat Northwestern Lehigh and host Palisades in next Tuesday’s tri-meet to secure the league’s regular-season title.
Trent Ader set a personal best by six inches, clearing 6-1 to win the high jump for Palmerton. Ryan Burkett (discus),and Logan Anthony (shot put) also finished first for the Blue Bombers (8-1). Matt Machalik, a Lehigh football recruit, was first in the 100, Emilio Gonzalez captured the triple jump and Connor Hibell won the 3,200.
Faith Schiffer, Alexandra Lea and Emily Stock led the Southern Lehigh girls to another tri-meet sweep to improve to 9-0 this season and they have won 92 consecutive meets.
Schiffer ran an area-best 14.64 to win the 100-meter hurdles, then a 46.8 to win the 300 hurdles. She also ran a leg on the winning 400 relay team.
Lea won the 400 in 58.54, just off her Colonial League-best time of 58.52. The Bucknell-bound senior also won the 100 (12.5), pulling away from Palmerton’s Nataly Walters, who returned to action after missing the last two weeks with a right ankle injury.
Walters won the long and triple jumps. Her jump of 17-11¼ on her first attempt was her season-best in the long jump. She jumped 37-5¼ in her only attempt to win the triple jump.
“I’m not one to sit and watch,” Walters said. “So, it was really tough. I didn’t get my little dopamine from working out, that extra happiness I’m used to, so it was a little bit of a struggle just to see everyone competing in beautiful weather.”
Emma Snyder (high jump) and Jessica Heydt (shot put) were other winners for the Blue Bombers.
Stock won the 800 in 2:29.84 and the 1,600 in 5:34.54. The senior, who is headed to Florida to become an anesthesiologist, also anchored the winning 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams.
Gabriella Pena won the discus, Steve Lozada took first in the pole vault and the boys foursome of Michael Heitzer, Emerson Juhasz, Jaydien Kennedy, and Greg Tenzer was first in the 3,200 relay for Salisbury.
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or atthousenick@mcall.com
Colonial League track & field
Tuesday at Southern Lehigh Middle School
BOYS
Southern Lehigh 87.5, Palmerton 62.5
Southern Lehigh 117, Salisbury 33
Palmerton 95, Salisbury 45
Shot put: 1.Logan Anthony, Palmerton: 45-0.25; 2. Zack Anthony (P) 44-3.75; 3. Carter Giberson (SL) 43-8; 3,200 relay: 1.Salisbury (Michael Heitzer, Emerson Juhasz, Jaydien Kennedy, Greg Tenzer) 10:04.7; 2. Southern Lehigh; 3. Palmerton; 110 hurdles: 1. Jack Inglis (SL) 14.4; 2. Bryson Walters (P) 15.0; 3. Jairo Suarez (Sal) 15.4; Long jump: 1.Jack Inglis (SL) 21-8.5; 2. Jake Rutkowitz (P) 19-4.5; 3. Calvin Gehman (SL) 19-1; 100: 1.Matt Machalik (P) 10.9; 2. Noah Tapler (SL) 11.1; 3. Cade Sawyer (SL) 11.1; Javelin: 1.Grady Oravec (SL) 134-7; 2. Ryan Burkett, Palmerton (132-9); 3. Alex Konze (P) 124-6; 400 relay: 1. Southern Lehigh (Noah Tapler, Silvano Avila De La Cruz, Cade Sawyer, Jack Inglis) 42.6; 2. Palmerton 42.9; 1,600: 1.Greg Rubino, Southern Lehigh: 4:32.8; 2. Connor Hibell (P) 4:42.6; 3. Miles Etters (SL) 5:05.5; 400: 1. Sean Steckert (SL) 53.7; 2. Stanley Wempe (SL) 54.1; 3. Bryce Marino (P) 54.5; Triple jump: 1. Emilio Gonzalez (P) 40-6.25; 2. Calvin Gehman (SL) 39-11.5; 3. Steven Lozada (Sal) 39-3.5; 300 hurdles: 1. Jack Inglis (SL) 39.5; 2. Bryson Walters (P) 40.4; 3. Heriberto Hernandez (Sal) 44.1; 800: 1.Peter Jones (SL) 2:07.5; 2. Greg Rubino (SL) 2:08.0; 3. Sean Steckert (SL) 2:09.8; Discus: 1.Ryan Burkett (P) 151-0; 2. Zack Anthony (P) 139-8; 3. Logan Anthony (P) 114-7; 200: 1.Noah Tapler (SL) 23.0; 2. Cade Sawyer (SL) 23.1; 3. Ty Sander (P) 23.9; High jump: 1.Trent Ader (P) 6-1; 2. Josh Hudak (Sal) 5-11; 3. Calvin Gehman (SL) 5-9; 3,200: 1.Connor Hibell (P) 10:22.4; Miles Etters (SL) 10:45.1; 3. Greg Rubino (SL) 11:14.2; Pole vault; 1.Steve Lozada (Sal) 10-9; 2. Jackson Stein (P) 10-3; 3. Aaron Lynn (SL) 10-3; 1,600 relay: 1. Southern Lehigh (Noah Tapler, Jones, Cade Sawyer, Sean Steckert): 3:35.81
GIRLS
Southern Lehigh 101, Palmerton 49
Southern Lehigh 141, Salisbury 7
Palmerton 125, Salisbury 16
Javelin: 1. Raquelle Riggins (SL) 97 feet, 7 inches; 2. Gretchen Schaible (P) 77-5; 3. Brianna DeNave (SL) 60-2; 3,200 relay: 1. Southern Lehigh (Jacquelyn Shoenberger, Caelee Lenhart, Neva Bogert, Emily Stock) 10:58.8; 2. Palmerton; 3. Salisbury; 100 hurdles: 1. Faith Schiffer (SL) 14.4; 2. Meghan Conron (SL) 15.0; 3. Morgan Pera (SL) 16.2; High jump: 1.Emma Snyder (P) 5-0; 2. Elena Johnson (SL) 5-0; 3. Kamarrah Saslo (P) 4-9; Shot put: 1. Jessica Heydt (P) 34-0; 2. Raquelle Riggins (SL) 28-0.75; 3. Cate Morgan (P) 27-2.75; 100: 1.Alexandra Lea (SL) 12.5; 2. Nataly Walters (P) 12.8; 3. Chloe Posavek (SL) 12.8; 400 relay: 1. Southern Lehigh (Chloe Posavek, Faith Schiffer, Reese Higgins, Morgan Pera) 50.1; 2. Palmerton 52.2; 3. Salisbury 57.3; 400: 1. Alexandra Lea (SL) 58.3; 2. Cora Wentz (P) 1:00.5; 3. Elizabeth Yazdanyar (SL) 1:05.0; 1,600: 1. Emily Stock (SL) 5:34.3; 2. Zoe Vezenov (SL) 5:43.5; 3. Emily Batten (Sal) 5:44.0; Discus: 1.Gabriella Pena (Sal) 100-2; 2. Jessica Heydt (P) 94-0; 3. Gretchen Schaible (P) 75-10; 300 hurdles: 1. Faith Schiffer (SL) 46.8; 2. Ruby Walters (P) 48.9; 3. Morgan Pera (SL) 50.8; Pole vault: 1.Ella Sarnitsky (SL) 9-9; 2. Gracelyn Dickinson (SL) 8-6; 3. Farrah Smith (SL) 8-3; 800: 1.Emily Stock, SL: 2:29.60; 2. Neva Bogert (SL) 2:43.30; 3. Caelee Lenhart (SL) 2:46.6; 200: 1.Chloe Posavek (SL) 26.7; 2. Erin Gombert (P) 27.3; 3. Nataly Walters (P) 27.6; 3,200: 1.Tessa DiCesare (SL) 13:10.1; 2. Elizabeth Kane (SL) 13:15.4; 3. Jacalyn DeSimone (SL) 13:50.4; Long jump: 1.Nataly Walters (P) 17-11.25; 2. Raquelle Riggins (SL) 15-5.25; 3. Gracelyn Dickinson (SL) 14-6.75; 1,600 relay: 1. Southern Lehigh (Zoe Vezenov, Caelee Lenhart, Neva Bogert, Emily Stock) 4:35.5; 2. Palmerton 4:36.5; Triple jump: 1.Nataly Walters (P) 37-5.25; 2. Gabby Lucas (P) 32-10.5; 3. Raquelle Riggins (SL) 32-8.5.
