Javelin belongs to Slippery Rock
SLIPPERY ROCK — The javelin belonged to Slippery Rock Saturday at the District 10 Track and Field Championships.
Sean Northcott and Maryann Ackerman made sure of it.
Northcott, a senior, won the Class AAA boys competition with his effort of 165 feet, two inches while sophomore Ackerman earned the Class AA girls title with a throw of 142-4.
Both will travel to Shippensburg University to take part in this week's PIAA championship meet.
Northcott was hoping to redeem himself after being seeded third last year and placing eighth with a throw of 136-4 on a soggy day outside SRU's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
A change in footware helped him to Saturday's championship.
“I didn't wear jav spikes last year,” he said. “It was raining this morning and I asked my coach about wearing them. Jav spikes help you get closer to the (foul) line because they help you stop.”
Northcott obtained the right shoes and his best effort was two feet, six inches better than that of the runner-up, General McLane sophomore Ryan Harvey.
Only the winner of each event in District 10 Class AAA is guaranteed a spot in the state meet. With that berth secured, Northcott aims to close his high school career with his best performance.
“I'm definitely going out there with a goal in mind,” he said. “The best I've ever thrown is 169. I got it last year and I want to top that.”
Northcott also medaled in the shot put and discus, taking second and fifth, respectively.
This spring has been one of impressive efforts from Ackerman, who has broken Slippery Rock's girls javelin record four times. She was a heavy favorite to place first Saturday, ranked better than 20 feet ahead of Greenville's Madison Hawthorne entering the meet. The latter placed second (127-4).
In Class AA, District 10 sends its top two in each event to states.
“My main goal was just to get back to Shippensburg,” said Ackerman, who went last year after placing second with a 124-2. “It's humbling just to be in the top two here.”
Ackerman's time of throwing the javelin has not yet reached two full seasons and she shows no sign of slowing down.
“I go to big meets and think about the other girls. A lot of them have been training and practicing for this event for three or four years. I just picked it up last year.
“I'd love to win at states, but just placing (top eight) would be great,” said Ackerman, who finished 26th in the state as a freshman. “The atmosphere out there, it's great.”
Ackerman will also compete in the discus this week. She placed fourth in the district, but her effort of 116 feet met the state qualifying standard. She earned a third medal Saturday by finishing fifth in the shot put.
