The Emmaus girls track and field team is entering the 2021 postseason with confidence they can win conference and district titles.

After an undefeated regular season, the Hornets dropped their first meet last Wednesday with a 92-58 loss at Parkland. Despite the setback, the Hornets have been solid in every group throughout the season and head coach Kami Reinhard has focused on developing a team concept.

“I wouldn’t want to point to one event group,” she said when asked which group has exceeded her expectations. “That isn’t how our team philosophy works. In our opinion, each of our event groups is working as hard as they possibly can, under the conditions and restrictions we are facing this year.”

Reinhard’s team has excelled not only thanks to the team’s overall skill and solid coaching, but also because of team leaders. Girls who step up and lead by example and by maintaining a great attitude.

“We look for team leaders, who put the team above themselves,” Reinhard said.

One such girl is jumper Sachiko Price. Against the Trojans, Price finished seventh individually in the high, long and triple jumps.

“Although there are surely a few others I would mention, we don’t hear requests or complaints from Sachiko on any occasion other than she wants to do more for the team,” Reinhard said.

Emmaus received a strong showing against Parkland by senior Madison Brown, who won the 400-meter dash in 1:01.4. Brown also was a member of the winning 4-by-400 relay team with junior Samantha Walkiewicz and seniors Ashley McNellis and Kera Reinhard. All four have performed well this season, and along with distance runners Ashley Ryan, Keerstin Augustin and Clara Kennedy and hurdlers S.J. Waterman and Tayah Mehrtens and multisport athlete Olympia Curley-Katrishen “will most certainly be in the mix of top athletes in postseason,” said coach Reinhard.

Molly Lineberger and Catherine Sirignano finished first and second in the discus throw against the Trojans. Lineberger has set all of her best marks in discus and shot put this year, establishing her as a bona fide contender in the upcoming league and district meets. Sirignano should qualify for EPC and District 11 championship competition.

The Hornets had a final regular season meet scheduled May 3 against East Stroudsburg. The EPC championship is set for May 10 at East Stroudsburg South High School, with District 11 action scheduled for the following week at Blue Mountain High School.

Parkland 92, Emmaus 58

100: 1. Naeema Salau (P) 12.6, 2. Ivy Dias (P), 3. Jannett Halle (E); 200: 1. Naeema Salau (P) 26.5, 2. Ivy Dias (P), 3. Samantha Walkiewicz; 400: 1. Madison Brown (E) 1:01.4, 2. Ashleigh McNellis (E), 3. Samantha Walkiewicz; 800: 1. Hailey Reinhard (E) 2:28.1, 2. Ava Bendetti (P), 3. Kera Reinhard (E); 1600: 1. 1. Lana Hurwitz (P) 5:32.1, 2. Clara Kennedy (E), 3. Keerstin Augustin (E); 3200: 1. Brooke Labenberg (P) 11:57.3, 2. Isabella Lees (E), 3. Jessica Price (P); 100H: 1. Tayah Mehrtens (E) 16.7, 2. Bethany Brown (E), 3. Isabelle Russo (E); 300H: 1. Bethany Brown (E) 49.9, 2. Gracie Trexler (P), 3. Sarah Jane Waterman (E); 4x100: 1. Parkland (Ivy Dias, Naeema Salau, Aleigha Rodenbaugh, Melanie Lowe) 51.2, 2. Emmaus (Olivia Sullivan, Brogan Roth, Anna Price, Peyton O’Hara); 4x400: 1. Emmaus (Samantha Walkiewicz, Ashleigh McNellis, Kera Reinhard, Madison Brown) 4:12.4, 2. Parkland; 4x800: 1. Parkland (Lauren Williams, Emily Beers, Madison Seed, Ava Bendetti) 9:40.3, 2. Emmaus (Keerstin Augustin, Addison Kleinle, Kera Reinhard, Hailey Reinhard); High jump: 1. Madeleine Battista (P) 5-1, 2. Meghan Haines (P), 3. Lauren Sharp (E); Pole vault: 1. Coral Shivok (P) 11-0, 2. Morgan Belisle (E), 3. Abigail Cohen (P); Long jump: 1. Grace Nation (P) 16-11, 2. Madeleine Battista (P), 3. Meghan Haines (P); Triple jump: 1. Grace Nation (P) 36-10 1/2, 2. Meghan Haines (P), 3. Madeleine Battista (P); Shot put: 1. Mikayla-Ann Woodring (P) 35-6, 2. Sonya Shivok (P), 3. Molly Lineberger (E); Discus: 1. Molly Lineberger (E) 89-3, 2. Catherine Sirignanao (E), 3. Sonya Shivok (P); Javelin: 1. Chloe Chase (P) 101-2, 2. Sonya Shivok (P), 3. Lillian Shields (E).