 |
By Joby Faucett Scranton Times Tribune SHIPPENSBURG May 29, 2004-- Showing the maturity of a seasoned veteran, Susquehanna freshman Amber Gaffey conquered the pressure of the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Clearing a personal-best height of 10-feet, 3-inches, Gaffey placed second in Class AA, bettering her fourth seed and District 2 meet effort by three inches at Seth Grove Stadium. Riverside's (District 7) Nicole Pitchford won the gold at 10-6. "I'm really happy," Gaffey said after receiving her medal. "I've been working for this all year. I didn't expect to medal. I just didn't want to not clear a height." "I'm really excited." Getting off to a shaky start, Gaffey failed on her first attempt at 8-6. From there, however, she muscled over her next four heights, including 10-3, on her first attempt. "This being my first time at states, I was a little nervous," Gaffey said. "Then I got it together. Once I get my first jump over, I'm good. I know I can do it." At 10-6, after a change to a stronger pole, Gaffey missed on her first two attempts, never getting vertical. She returned to her lighter pole for her final try, got better bend, but hit the crossbar on the way up and somersaulted onto the mat. Still, she received a rousing ovation from the attentive crowd. "I never tried the (stronger) pole before," Gaffey said. "I just wanted to see how it would work." |
|||