EPC/Colonial League track and field: Parkland’s Beers prepped to overcome all obstacles

Andrew Beers earned three PIAA medals last season after winning EPC and District 11 Class 3A titles in the two hurdles events.

Now a senior at Parkland, Beers committed to Monmouth.

He’s set.

Well, not really.

Beers accomplished all that last season despite flaws in his technique, performance and mental approach. He doesn’t want to have a repeat of his junior season. He wants to be better.

“I fell at states last year,” he recalled. “I fell at Shippensburg this year in the 300s. I’ve learned a lot.

“I was big on worrying who was next to me or right behind me. I would push or stress to get over the hurdle to get ahead. If somebody is there, I’ve just got to run my race, pull ahead later. I don’t want to push it and end up worse.”

That final push this season for Beers and everyone else begins Tuesday and Wednesday with the EPC Championships. The Colonial League meet will run in conjunction with EPCs at Whitehall’s Zephyr Sports Complex.

The Schuylkill League meet also is Tuesday and Wednesday at Tamaqua.

All of District 11 comes together May 14-15 at Blue Mountain for the Class 2A and 3A championships, with the winners and other qualifiers advancing to the PIAA Track & Field Championships, which are May 24-25, at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.

Parkland, Southern Lehigh, Blue Mountain and Minersville won their respective league/division championships on the boys’ and girls’ sides.

All of that, however, is history.

Competitors are looking to create lasting memories the next three weeks. All the hard work dating back to indoors for many is over. The rewards await those who put forth the effort.

Beers believes he is as ready as he can be. He thinks he’s cleaned up the mechanics while still producing the district’s best times in both hurdles events and being part of two of the best relays (400 and 1,600). His time of 37.29 in the 300 hurdles is the state’s best to date.

“My 110s are astronomically better,” he said. “I can actually get out of the first hurdle clean. That sets you up for the last few hurdles. Last year, I struggled with the first hurdle, then forced the next hurdles.

“If you run a clean race, you’ll run a faster race. When you get to late in the year and have to run a super, super hard race, you want to stay clean.”

Beers jumped into the 400 relay at last year’s state meet when teammate Trey Tremba got hurt. The Trojans finished fifth in the state. Despite needing to replace two who graduated, they believe better results are possible.

Parkland ran a 42.52 at the Zephyr Invite, then a 42.55 three days later at Emmaus despite Tremba not competing because of a nagging injury.

It has been a challenging spring for all athletes because of the weather. Health has been another obstacle for a few of the area’s standouts (Tremba, Emmaus’ Kyle Moore, Palmerton’s Nataly Walters), so there are no guarantees.

Tuesday’s forecast looks good: 78 degrees and partly sunny.

There is a chance of a storm Wednesday with a high of 85.

“Warm weather is happy weather,” Beers said.

Not everyone will leave this week’s league meets with smiles on their faces. Most will get a second chance the following week at districts.

But as Beers has learned, proper training and preparation often lead to good results.

Colonial/EPC meet schedule

(both leagues for all track events; all field events are finals)

TUESDAY

3 p.m. : 100 girls preliminaries; Colonial League boys long jump; EPC boys triple jump; Colonial League girls discus; Colonial League boys javelin; Colonial League girls high jump; EPC girls pole vault; EPC girls shot put

3:15 : 100 boys preliminaries

3:30 : Girls 3,200 relay final

3:55 : Boys 3,200 relay final

4:20 : Girls 100 hurdles

4:35 : Boys 110 hurdles

5 : Colonial League girls javelin; Colonial League boys discus; Colonial League boys high jump; EPC boys pole vault; Colonial League girls long jump; EPC girls triple jump; EPC boys shot put

5:45 : Girls 200 preliminaries

6 : Boys 200 preliminaries

6:20 : Girls 300 hurdles finals

6:35 : Boys 300 hurdles finals

6:50 : Girls 3,200 run finals

7:20 : Boys 3,200 run finals

WEDNESDAY

(All events are finals)

3 p.m. : Girls 100 hurdles; EPC boys long jump; Colonial League boys triple jump; EPC girls discus; EPC boys javelin; Colonial League girls pole vault; EPC girls high jump; Colonial League girls shot put

3:05 : Boys 100 hurdles

3:10 : Girls 100

3:15 : Boys 100

3:20 : Girls 1,600 run

3:40 : Boys 1,600 run

3:50 : Girls 400 relay

4:20 : Boys 400 relay

5 : EPC boys discus; EPC girls javelin; Colonial League boys pole vault; EPC boys high jump; EPC girls long jump; Colonial League girls triple jump; Colonial League boys shot put

5:30 : Girls 400

5:50 : Boys 400

6:10 : Girls 800

6:30 : Boys 800

6:45 : Girls 200

6:50 : Boys 200

7:05 : Girls 1,600 relay

7:30 : Boys 1,600 relay

Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com