With a run of 4:48.27, she broke the program record by almost six seconds. And on top of that, she also crossed the finish line before everyone else in the event, earning a PIAA Class AA gold medal with the record-breaking effort.

It was a momentous kick-off day for the Green Dragons, who head into Day 2 at the top of the Class AA PIAA Track and Field Championship standings with 20 points. Fellow junior Teagan Osunde also took home state gold in the javelin with a NFHS-standard throw of 141-5 and on the boys side, senior Jonathan Hess took fourth in the 1,600 with a PR of 4:13.70.

Alongside Hess, Hughesville senior Shea McCusker earned his first career state medal in the 1,600, running a 4:17.10 to finish in fifth. Just .28 seconds after him, teammate Tyce Shaner also crossed the finish line to take sixth, earning his first career state medal as a junior after making a ton of progress this season.

Hughesville junior Kylie Temple earned the top seed in the 300-meter hurdles, running a 44.38 and heading into the final with almost a second lead. And she was by no means the other area athlete to qualify for a Saturday final.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg’s Teagan Osunde competes in the javelin during Day One of the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg on Friday.

Wellsboro sophomore Piper Hoprich qualified for two for the second straight season, earning the fourth seed in the 200 with a 25.38 and the fifth in the 100-meter dash with a 12.21. Warrior Run’s Raygan Lust continued her prominence in the 400-meter dash, running a 57.80 to earn the No. 3 seed.

And in both Class AA boys hurdle events, the Sun-Gazette area saw an athlete earn the No. 4 seed. Lewisburg senior Haneef Shavers ran a 14.84 to do so in the 110, and Milton’s Kade Ficks ran a 39.44 in the 300 – just over a second ahead of Warrior Run’s Gavin Hunter, who finished 11th.

In relays, Lewisburg saw multiple girls relays qualify for finals, occupying the No. 1 seed in the 1,600 and third seed in the 400 with times of 4:00.46 and 49.41. In the 1,600, they outpaced Warrior Run by under a second, an area battle which should be fun to watch.

On the boys side, the Milton boys led the way, earning the No. 3 seed in the 400 relay wit a time of 43.24. Warrior Run made it two Class AA boys squads to qualify for finals, taking the fifth seed in the 1,600 relay with a 3:27.28. And though it didn’t qualify in Class AAA, Williamsport promising 1,600 relay capped a great campaign by finishing in 12th of over 30 teams with a 3:21.12.

Williamsport also saw near-qualifications and underclassman success individually. From the sophomore class, Aubrey Phillips-Cobb finished .01 second short of qualifying for the 100-meter hurdle finals, running a 14.78. Geiana Whaley took 13th in the 400-meter dash with a 47.47. And Alex Takach built off a tough debut, running an 11.02 to finish in 18th in the 100-meter dash.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville junior Kylie Temple competes in the 300-meter hurdle preliminaries at the PIAA Track and Field Championships on Friday in Shippensburg.

Apart from Osunde, Montoursville Ellie Maeulen led the way in the field, taking ninth in the javelin with a second throw of 114-0. She fell just eight inches short of a medal.

Lewisburg’s Emma Bolton was next up, finishing in 12th in the high jump with a mark of 5-0. South Williamsport senior Dylan Scheller hit a mark of 21-0 1/4 to place 15th in the long jump. And in Class AAA, Williamsport Aiden Everett placed 16th in the triple jump with a 43-4 1/4.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville junior Tyce Shaner competes in the 1,600-meter run final at the PIAA Track and Field Championships on Friday in Shippensburg.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville senior Shea McCusker competes in the 1,600-meter run final at the PIAA Track and Field Championships on Friday in Shippensburg.