TRUE GRACE: Elk County Catholic Senior Neubert Snags Two Medals, Including Silver in 4×800 Relay, in Bittersweet Morning at State Meet

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Grace Neubert’s lips quivered, and she blinked away a few tears.

It was a long, sweltering morning for the Elk County Catholic senior at Seth Grove Stadium under an unrelenting, baking sun on Saturday.

Neubert ran the girls 3,200-meter run in Class 2A at the PIAA Track and Field Championships, placing third with a time of 11 minutes, 2.59 seconds.

Two hours later she was on the track again, running the anchor leg of the Crusaders’ 4×800-meter relay.

And she felt it.

(Pictured above, the Elk County Catholic 4×800 relay team of, from left, Sami Straub, Sophia Bille, Gianna Bille and Grace Neubert was second for the second consecutive year at the PIAA Track and Field Championships.)

Still, Neubert powered through and helped the team of Sami Straub, Sophia Bille, Gianna Bille and herself place second for the second consecutive year in the 4×8, crossing the finish line in 9:27.53.

Warrior Run won with a time of 9:25.28.

But Neubert wanted more. She wanted that relay gold.

“We’ve worked so hard for this,” Neubert said, smiling through her disappointment. “I’m really proud of these girls. We worked together for three tears. So proud of ourselves for that.”

ECC led after the second and third legs before Warrior run anchor runner Claire Dufrene overtook Neubert and kept that lead through the finish line.

“They all got me in a really good place. They were all phenomenal,” Neubert said of her teammates. “When you run that anchor leg, you know the person you are running against is gonna be good. I was trying to find whatever I had left in my legs and finish for the team.”

A silver is nothing to quibble about, especially at the state level.

“We gave it our best,” said Straub, a senior. “I mean, it’s a little hard. It’s hard to face this is our last time running together, but it’s nothing we should be sad about. Two years ago, we would have been excited for second place.”

Neubert will end her career with five medals at the state meet. She also has three in cross country — and a team state championship this fall to boot.

All four on the 4×8 relay also ran cross country.

“I’m very proud of that,” Neubert said. “I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I’ve definitely put in a ton of work and a ton of hours. Hours and hours of training. But I think what really paid off for me and for my teammates was how we’ve worked hard together. We’re very proud of the work we put into it.”

ANOTHER MEDAL FOR SHERRY

After winning 1,600-meter gold in Class 2A on Friday, Coudersport senior Kevin Sherry snagged the silver in the 3,200, finishing with a time of 9:16.40.

Jaxon Schoedel of Mohawk won at 9:10.45.

Caleb Prettyman of Franklin was fourth at 9:20.03.

SOARING SHENE

Otto-Eldred junior Ray’shene Thomas was sixth in a very competitive Class 2A triple jump.

Thomas leaped 44 feet, 3¼ inches.

The top six jumpers were only separated by a little over a foot. Lorenzo Fancher of East Allegheny won at 45-6¾.

FREE ROEMER

DuBois senior Morgan Roemer was second in the Class 3A 3,200-meter run, finishing with a time of 10:33.48.

Logan St. John Kletter of Mount Lebabon won the gold with a time of 10:21.46.