May 28, 2021 3 min read

SHIPPENSBURG – Competition, Miranda Schramm is finding out, brings out the best in her.

While Ashley Giles of Schuykill Valley was setting a state record in the discus, Schramm was busy giving the strongest effort of her high school career trying to catch her.

The senior from Burgettstown High School hit a personal record of 141-07, good enough to win the event in most years, but this isn’t most years.

Giles threw 165-04, nearly four feet longer than the old state record of Heather Coyler of East Juniata in 1997.

“The key to today is not letting the anxiety get to me,” Schramm said. “I knew what I had to do. If I focused and went through all the positions, that 140 was waiting there, and it was.”

Schramm hit the mark on her third throw on the first round, before heading to the finals.

“I wanted to get out of the fight for third and fourth and get into the fight for second and maybe first,” said Schramm. “She pushed me. I love watching those people throw.”

Meanwhile, Fort Cherry senior Maura Whalen took fourth place in the 400 dash with a time of 58.52 and fourth place in the 800 run with a PR time of 2:16.90.

“I just wanted to medal,” said Whalen of her finish in the 400. “It was a difficult race, but it was fun. I’m proud.”

In the 800, Whalen was closing fast on the second-place finisher but was faltering before crossing the finish line.

“I came into states with the goal of getting two medals,” said Whalen. “I knew it was going to be difficult because I didn’t do as well at districts as I could and came in ranked 15th. I knew I had to make something happen. It being the final two laps of my high school career, I got a PR.”

Clara Barr, the daughter of Jason Barr and sister of Ethan Barr, took sixth place in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.57.

“My previous PR was 15.85,” said Barr, a junior from McGuffey. “Prelims were a little rough. I stuttered. I’m happy I had a stronger race in the finals than in the prelims.”

Makayla Boda kept up her strong efforts after throwing up twice during the 300-meter hurdles. She finished in fourth place with a time of 46.48.

“I was third coming into the last hurdle,” said Boda, a senior at California. “I stumbled and went back a little. Usually, I’m pretty tired over the last 100, but this time I felt like I had a lot left in me.”

Boda will seek a nursing degree at Westmoreland County Community College.

“I did work on my last 100 meters,” Boda said. “I’m trying to get the first hurdle in under seven seconds. I made it in about six. I felt like I finished pretty strong. And I’m happy about that.”

In other selected results Washington High School’s 400 relay team finished fourth with a time of 43.75.

Gabe McConville of Waynesburg finished seventh in the 800 run with a time of 1:58.34.