SHIPPENSBURG – Aria Messner had a lot to think about as she wrapped up her high school track and field career.
An accident cost the Pittston Area senior a chance to compete in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Track and Field Championships a year ago when she was a three-event district gold medalist and four-event state qualifier.
Messner carried the same credentials into the meet this year, but after three of those four events was still looking for her first state medal the afternoon of May 25 as she competed in her strongest event, the long jump, at Shippensburg University.
“I think that made it a little more sentimental,” Messner said after capturing her first state medal with a fourth-place finish. “It was my last one ever.
“That can get overwhelming, but you try to concentrate on what you are there for.”
The state medal resulted in some mixed emotions for Messner, who came in as the meet’s top seed after setting a District 2 Class 3A record with a jump of 19-2½ less than two weeks earlier. Though she did not think the top seed necessarily made her the favorite to win, Messner said she expected to finish a place or two higher.
Messner was in third place going into the final jump, which Central Mountain’s Lily Hendricks used to pass her.
“I felt a little disappointed walking around with a fourth-place medal,” she said hours after the meet ended.
Messner acknowledged that over time she is likely to take more pride in the accomplishment of being a state medalist.
Although she also competed in Shippensburg in the 100-meter dash and 400 relay, she said the concentration in the final week of high school practice was on getting her knees up because that helped in both he jumping events where she had the best shot at a medal.
With the top eight receiving medals, Messner tied for 14th in the high jump.
Messner went beyond 18 feet in four of her six long jumps with a best of 18-6¾ on her second attempt.
Susquehanna Township’s Jaylyn Dorsey won with 19-0¾.
Next up for Messner is Bloomsburg University where she will study medical imaging after recently committing to an athletic scholarship at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II school.
