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SHIPPENSBURG -- Watching Spring Grove's Randy Richardson high jump, it looks like he has been doing it his whole life. But that is not the case.
This is Richardson's first season as a jumper, and the senior has made the most of the chance.
At Friday's District 3 Class AAA championships at Shippensburg University, the Rockets' senior showed how far he has come when he earned a bronze medal, tying a school record in the process with his leap of 6 feet, 7 inches.
"It's not good enough," Richardson said. "I want that record. I guess not going home empty-handed is a plus, but I am not ready to stop."
He will have another shot at the school mark at next weekend's PIAA meet.
Spring Grove coach Tim Conaway said that Richardson has
"I didn't know what to expect at the beginning of the season," the coach said. "I had no idea what he would be able to achieve."
Ironically, Conaway had something special to do with Richardson's success on Friday when the high jump was moved inside because of the rain.
Neither coach nor athlete knew about it in advance, so all Richardson brought were his track spikes -- a no-no indoors.
"I definitely have to thank coach for lending me his shoes," Richardson said. "They fit and that played a big part."
Also in the event, York Suburban's Dan Johnson placed fifth at 6-5 and qualified for states.
McBride thrilled with silver: Eastern York's James McBride entered the day seeded seventh in the Class AA 3,200-meter run, but ran an outstanding time of 9:46.38, earning a silver medal in the process.
"I am just glad I made states, especially after being seventh coming in," he said. "It feels great."
McBride dropped more than 14 seconds off his seed time in the event, won by Joe Beveridge of Bishop McDevitt with a time of 9:38.59.
Harris says no excuses: Top-seeded Erik Harris of New Oxford said he wasn't comfortable on the runway during his Class AAA long jump competition.
However, the senior wasn't looking for a reason that he finished second in the event.
"No excuses really," Harris said. "Everybody is going to lose once in a while. It's better here than at states next week."
His jump of 22-41/2 was bested by Tyrell Ellison of Muhlenberg (23-6), who also won the high jump and was second in the pole vault.
Shoemaker vaults to seventh: Central York's Seth Shoemaker topped the bar at 13 feet, 6 inches in the Class AAA pole vault, which was good for a seventh place finish.
At least the senior didn't have to endure the cold, rainy conditions, as the pole vault, along with the high jump, were moved inside the Heiges Field House.
Shoemaker was quick to say that although it was his first time vaulting indoors, it did not affect his performance.
"It is pretty much the same thing," he said. "You just don't have to worry about the wind."
After missing his final three vaults at 14 feet, Shoemaker said he was more disappointed with this early round, where it took him three tries to clear 12-6.
"I didn't keep my speed up like it should have," he said. "But, you have good days and bad days."
Watch out for: The times by Eastern York's Damian Myers and Ian Melhorn were good for second and third, respectively, in the Class AA 100-meter dash preliminaries and put the Golden Knights in good medal contention for today's finals.
Myers won his heat with a time of 11.33, while Melhorn's time of 11.30 was quicker, he was second in his heat.
The pair also went third and fourth, respectively, in the semifinals of the 200, with Myers going 22.66 and Melhorn 22.88.
The Knights' Ryan Dohm posted the best time (15.00) and won his heat in the AA 110 hurdles. New Oxford's Sean Patterson (15.11) is third in the AAA.
York Catholic's Dan Taylor and Eastern's Joe Giandalia are seventh and eighth, respectively, in the 110.
William Penn's Robert Richardson enters today as fourth seed in the Class AAA 100 after running 10.99 and seventh in the 200.
All are in the hunt for hardware in today's finals.
Other boys' medals: Ben Thomas of Spring Grove jumped from his 14th seed to capture an eight-place medal in the Class AAA 3,200 with a time of 9:46.08. ... South Western senior Corwyn Gordon finished eighth in the Class AAA shot put with a toss of 49- 3/4.
snavaroli@ydr.com; 771-2060
