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Espinosa, Grissom, Shultz all break records at Don Wilhour Classic

By HENRY HUBER 7 min read

SELINSGROVE — Most wouldn't expect a dropped baton to be the start of a great day. Then again, most people aren't like Lewisburg sophomore Baylee Espinosa.

Amidst a tight 3,200 relay race, a mis-exchange between Lauren Schwartz and Espinosa led to their baton falling to the ground. Espinosa would pick it up inside their respective exchange zone, keeping composed and ultimately breaking the finish line a few tenths of a second before Hughesville's Elizabeth Wolfe to secure the first-place finish for her relay team.

"It added a little extra drama to it but at the same time, it was an opportunity to try to summon a little something deeper within herself to catch the Hughesville team at the line," said Lewisburg coach Michael Espinosa on the race. "So, I was really happy about that, even if I wasn't happy about the baton being drop at the time."

That wasn't the only time Espinosa would earn a trip to the top spot of the podium either.

Two hours after their late-relay theatrics, the sophomore would hit the tracks again for the 1,600 run. With an opportunity to break Lewisburg alum Jenna Farmer's meet record, Espinosa shook off strong gusts of wind and delivered, winning the race and setting the new meet record at 5:05.10.

"She's the only woman that's ever come close to breaking my mom's record," said Baylee Espinosa, referring to her mom Ashleigh Wetzel's program record of 4:55.12. "I love my mom, but I also joke with her like I'm coming for her record."

"Baylee grew up watching Jenna Farmer race when I was her coach," said Coach Espinosa on the accomplishment. "We were texting with Jenna throughout the day and said, 'If anyone was going to take down your record, we're glad it's another Lewisburg girl.'"

She wasn't the only area girl to set a meet record though.

Williamsport seniors Anyae Grissom and Elizabeth Shultz would set records of their own on Saturday, with Grissom breaking her own record from last year's meet with a 15.52 in the 100-meter hurdles. She'd fall just short of two first place finishes on the afternoon by taking bronze in the 300-meter hurdles, but she's still proud of both efforts.

"I beat my record and that made me so happy. I'm so grateful to have that record," said Grissom. "For the 300 hurdles, I haven't been doing so good so, that was my season PR. I'm sure I'll get better when it warms up a little."

Shultz's record came in the 400-meter dash. After breaking a minute last week amidst her second year of track, Shultz continued making headway, breaking Lauren Ball's meet record with a time of 59.15.

"This week, I just wanted to go for the meet record," said Shultz. "I'm happy. I was kind of scared about the wind, but it didn't really affect me."

That covers just four of the area's eight first place finishes on the afternoon, and two of Lewisburg's four.

Green Dragons Alanna Jacob and Emma Bolton took first in the 3200 and high jump respectively. And Warrior Run's Aurora Cieslukowski (pole vault) and Milton's Mackenzie Lopez (300 hurdles) also found themselves at the top of the podium on Saturday.

For Williamsport, Isabelle Sanders (800, 1,600), Madeline Sanders (1,600), Isabella Morrow (triple jump, high jump), Najiyah Smith (high jump) and Dayanna Baines (javelin) managed to end up on the podium as well, rounding out arguably the deepest area run at the event.

"I was happy with my kids' performances today even despite the weather and everything," said Williamsport head coach Vicki Eberhart on her team's performance. "Quite a few PRs and some new records set."

Lewisburg would follow shortly behind, with Madison Moyers (100, 200), Anna Drouin (shot put), Layla Lachhab (long jump) and Ella Mirshahi (pole vault) taking sixth or better in their respective events.

"In conditions that aren't necessarily conducive to PR times, the athletes can still put together PR efforts," said Espinosa. "In adverse conditions, they came out here with a competitor's mentality. I think that's something else that I'm real proud of with the team, top to bottom."

The 2024 Don Wilhour Selinsgrove Classic saw plenty of area success and exciting races. With a lot of time left in the season, there should be plenty more where that came from.

100: 1. Carly Aument, Selinsgrove, 12.34; 2. Jilly Deivert, Shikellamy, 12.59; 3. Olivia Haley, Wyalusing, 12.87; 4. Madison Moyers, Lewisburg, 13.13; 5. Sierra Klinger, Shamokin, 13.21; 6. Makenna Fogle, Mifflinburg, 13.26; 7. Anna Sick, Jersey Shore, 13.26; 8. Camron Roush, Milton, 13.34.

100 hurdles: 1. Anyae Grissom, Williamsport, 15.54; 2. Ava Rebuck, Central, 15.61; 3. Camryn Pyle, Midd-West, 16.48; 4. Mackenzie Lopez, Milton, 16.52; 5. Alyssa Varias, Selinsgrove, 17.04; 6. Emma Bolton, Lewisburg, 17.40; 7. Jayda Tilghman, Mifflinburg, 17.43; 8. Baylee O'Connell, Central, 17.48.

200: 1. Carly Aument, Selinsgrove, 25.89; 2. Elli Ronk, Shikellamy, 26.70; 3. Olivia Haley, Wyalusing, 27.06; 4. Madison Moyers, Lewisburg, 27.21; 5. Elizabeth Shultz, Williamsport, 27.60; 6. Kylie Temple, Hughesville, 27.83; 7. Anna Sick, Jersey Shore, 27.91; 8. Josslyn Davis, Montoursville, 27.92.

300 hurdles: 1. Mackenzie Lopez, Milton, 47.33; 2. Camryn Pyle, Midd-West, 47.86; 3. Anyae Grissom, Williamsport, 48.36; 4. Ava Rebuck, Central, 48.52; 5. Rebekah Brinser, Greenwood, 48.65; 6. Kylie Temple, Hughesville, 48.99; 7. Carly Harter, Shikellamy, 49.24; 8. Gigi Veach, Selinsgrove, 49.61.

400: 1. Elizabeth Shultz, Williamsport, 59.15; 2. Olivia Haley, Wyalusing, 59.51; 3. Anna Sick, Jersey Shore, 1:00.61; 4. Raygan Lust, Warrior Run, 1:01.47; 5. Haley Bull, Central, 1:01.63; 6. Bella Pistoia, Bloomsburg, 1:01.82; 7. Katelyn Temple, Hughesville, 1:04.08; 8. Elizabeth Wanner, Montoursville, 1:04.78.

800: 1. Kate Moncavage, Southern, 2:19.19; 2. Abigail Stilzer, Penns Valley, 2:23.65; 3. Alexis Bressi, Shamokin, 2:29.74; 4. Isabelle Sanders, Williamsport, 2:30.86; 5. Claire Dufrene, Warrior Run, 2:31.09; 6. Olivia Solomon, Shikellamy, 2:31.27; 7. Lake Dent, Selinsgrove, 2:33.58; 8. Lauren Sharbaugh, Greenwood, 2:35.85.

1,600: 1. Baylee Espinosa, Lewisburg, 5:05.10; 2. Kate Moncavage, Southern Columbia, 5:15.33; 2. Isabelle Sanders, 5:28.33; 4. Madeline Sanders, Williamsport, 5:34.72; 5. Jenna Binney, Lewisburg, 5:37.17; 6. Claire Dufrene, Warrior Run, 5:37.99; 7. Odin Ryer, Danville, 5:41.27; 8. Olivia Solomon, Shikellamy, 5:42.95.

3,200: 1. Alanna Jacob, Lewisburg, 11:48.91; 2. Shaela Kruskie, Danville, 12:02.60; 3. Lillyanna Smith, Penns Valley, 12:12.57; 4. Lauren Benfer, Danville, 12:17.43; 5. Clara Wade, Williamsport, 12:28.48; 6. Emma Parker, Danville, 12:35.33; 7. Maya Sak, Lewisburg, 12:36.29; 8. Keiara Shaffer, Warrior Run, 12:51.52.

400 relay: 1. Shikellamy (Elli Ronk, Lily Persing, Jilly Deivert, Emma Koontz), 49:45; 2. Hughesville, 52.07; 3. Lewisburg, 52.27; 4. Central Columbia, 52.91; 5. Mifflinburg, 52.97; 6. Warrior Run, 53.22; 7. Shamokin, 53.29; 8. Milton, 53.70.

1,600 relay: 1. Central Columbia (names n/a), 4:14.26; 2. Williamsport, 4:16.64; 3. Warrior Run, 4:19.30; 4. Southern, 4:19.81; 5. Lewisburg, 4:20.58; 6. Bloomsburg, 4:24.28; 7. Montoursville, 4:24.62; 8. Shamokin, 4:27.88.

3,200 relay: 1. Lewisburg (Jenna Binney, Lauren Schwartz, Claire Driver, Baylee Espionsa), 10:08.72; 2. Hughesville, 10:08.85; 3. Danville, 10:12.69; 4. Warrior Run, 10:22.50; 5. Shikellamy, 10:43.99; 6. Towanda, 10:47.78; 7. Greenwood, 10:49.42; 8. Selinsgrove, 10:56.14.

High jump: 1. Emma Bolton, Lewisburg, 5-0; t-2. Najiyah Smith, Williamsport, 5-0; t-2. Hannah Fourspring, MCA, 5-0; 4. Caitlyn Weatherill, Central, 4-10; 5. Maddy Hall, Loyalsock, 4-10; 6. Isabella Morrow, Williamsport, 4-10; t-7. Bryn Zentner, Bloomsburg, 4-8; t-7. Callie Maclay, Southern, 4-8.

Triple jump: 1. McKenna Weller, Greenwood, 33-10 3/4; 2. Isabella Morrow, Williamsport, 32-9 1/2; 3. Carly Nye, Shamokin, 32-8; 4. Emma Koontz, Shikellamy, 31-8 1/2; 5. Zoe Furman, Montgomery, 31-3 1/4; 6. Queenlyn Zartman, Shamokin, 31-3; 7. Abby Pietraski, Loyalsock, 30-10 3/4; 8. Sophie Myers, Greenwood, 30-9 1/4.

Long jump: 1. McKenna Weller, Greenwood, 15-7 3/4; 2. Charly Schlauch, Bloomsburg, 15-5 3/4; 3. Bella Pistoia, Bloomsburg, 15-2 1/4; 4. Layla Lachhab, Lewisburg, 15-0 1/2; 5. Sophie Myers, Greenwood, 14-11 1/4; 6. RubiSolano, Montgomery, 14-9 1/2; 7. Elizabeth Sheesley, Mifflinburg, 14-9 1/4; 8. Camron Roush, Milton, 14-6 1/2.

Discus: 1. Linsey Donlan, Southern, 113-2; 2. Cassandra McGinley, Bloomsburg, 105-11; 3. Anna Baylor, Montoursville, 105-7; 4. Gianna Tewskbury, Elk Lake, 99-2; 5. Abby Mangels, Selinsgrove, 97-9; 6. Leah Ritzman, Greenwood, 96-1; 7. Brylee Kessler,Shamokin, 95-2; 8. Brianna Gordner, Milton, 94-10.

Shot put: 1. Kayl Dreckman, Central, 28-3 3/4; 2. Jasmine Williams, Midd-West, 26-1; 3. Anna Drouin, Lewisburg, 25-3 1/2; 4. Olivia Spontarelli, Shikellamy, 24-11 1/4; 5. Kiana Lester, Elk Lake, 24-3 3/4; 6. Ana Hartmann, Bloomsburg, 23-6 1/4; 7. Mia Barner, Shikellamy, 22-10 1/2; 8. Taryn Boguslaw, Danville, 22-3 1/4.

Javelin: 1. Quinn Johnston, Southern, 124-1; 2. Mackenzie Lopez, Milton, 122-4; 3. Olivia Spotts, Jersey Shore, 110-9; 4. Dayanna Baines, Williamsport, 109-0; 5. Amelia Gainer, Milton, 106-11; 6. Chamiqua Gentzel, Penns Valley, 104-11; 7. Lyndsey Hostetter, Central, 99-0; 8. Hailey Carper, Warrior Run, 98-1.

Pole vault: 1. Aurura Cieslukowsi, Warrior Run, 11-0; 2. Kendall Simms, Montoursville, 10-0; t-3. Alivia Ritenour, Warrior Run, 9-6; t-3. Aly Bingaman, Shikellamy, 9-6; t-5. Sarah Bronowicz, Shikellamy, 8-6; t-5. Grace Bingeman, Selinsgrove, 8-6; t-5. Ella Mirshahi, Lewisburg, 8-6; t-5. Ava Snyder, Central, 8-6;

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