Newcomer Xavier Beatty enjoys golden leap into Berks track history

By Julie Pelchar Cohen — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

SHIPPENSBURG – Reading High’s Xavier Beatty seized the lead with a monster leap his last time down the runway that launched coaches, teammates, and spectators into a frenzy.

The decibel level further spiked as the final jumper pulled up on tip toes and prepared to overtake Beatty for the top spot on the podium.

Milton Hershey’s Mark Bridgeford sprinted toward the sand, exploded off the board and soared high into a gray sky at the District 3 Track and Field Championships. 

An entire stadium fell silent.

The wait for officials to stretch the tape and read the result felt like an eternity.

“It was too quiet,” Beatty said, “and it felt like forever.”

The measurement was announced and an unexpected champion was crowned.

Teammates and competitors tackled Beatty with hugs.

Only two months after taking his first official leap into a pit, Beatty won Class 3A gold at Seth Grove Stadium Friday afternoon and burst into Berks County history with one of the best long jump performances in district history.

Beatty’s launch of 23 feet, nine inches tied the second-longest leap ever in District 3 Class 3A competition. Only Gov. Mifflin’s Kim Piersol, in 1965, soared farther.
Beatty has proven to be a natural in his new discipline. The junior sprinted as a freshman and sophomore. He dabbled in the high jump.

Red Knights coach Chris Yeshulas told him last year he should try the long jump.

“But he told me he didn’t like sand,” Yeshulas said.

“I might have said that,” Beatty said with a smile.

While Beatty displayed flashes of speed last year, he never clicked with the high jump.

All cylinders seemed to fire when he switched to the horizontal leap in March. Two months later Beatty became the fastest driver in his race for long jump titles.

While gaining speed on the track – Beatty won the Shaner Meet with a personal-best 11.18 – he also won the long jump that day with a 21-10 ¾.

Five days later at the county-championship Firing Meet he really revved his engine with a 23-5½ that indicated something special was happening.

Yeshulas believed big numbers lived within Beatty all along.

Honing his skills in other sports has helped him in track. Beatty is an all-league defensive back and a starting wide receiver. He was a key reserve and defensive stalwart on a Reading High basketball team that reached the PIAA Class 6A semifinals.

His pedigree doesn’t hurt, either. His mother is Tanisha Giddens Beatty, the former Red Knights girls basketball coach and star player for Reading High and Alvernia, where she was a 1,000-point scorer and Crusaders Hall of Fame inductee.

“He gives everything no matter what sport he’s in,” Yeshulas said. “When he’s on the football field he gives whatever he can on the football field. When he’s on the court he gives his best effort on the court.

“When he’s with us his goal is to be the best that he can be.”

Beatty carried the top seed into the district meet.

He trailed Bridgeford all afternoon. When the Spartans senior surpassed 23 feet on his fifth jump, Beatty had to produce his best stuff to win.   

“I knew going into that last jump I had to show what I could do and really put it out there,” Beatty said.

Bridgeford fell 4½ inches short on his last attempt.

Adding 3½ inches to last week’s PR nudges Beatty near elite company.

Only three Berks boys have eclipsed 24 feet. Schuylkill Valley’s Derek Gaul set the county record of 24-6½ in 2011. Piersol and Oley Valley’s Barry Stebbins belong to the 24 club.

Yeshulas believes Beatty’s golden jump is the school record. Imani Brown, the 50-foot triple jumper and 2012 grad, held the previous mark of 23-7.

Beatty had never heard of Brown until the past few weeks. 

“Once I started hitting the higher numbers, I started hearing his name and hearing about his numbers,” Beatty said. “I thought, ‘He’s legit. I’m going to try to beat him.’ ”

Beatty believes a bigger number lies ahead for next weekend’s PIAA Championships.

With only weeks of experience, Beatty is raw. He’s a wonderful work in progress.

He’ll spend next week learning more about his craft and fine-tuning the skills that have catapulted him among Pennsylvania’s elite. 

“I think I can still improve and hit 24,” he said. “The last couple of meets I’ve kept improving and improving. I  don’t think I’m done yet.”

If county records don’t call for an amendment next weekend, revisions could be in store for Beatty’s senior season.

For now, Berks’ newest and brightest star will relish the unexpected spotlight that seems to suit him as nicely as the sand that he avoided last spring.

“My first year long jumping and winning the district championships?” he said. “It’s surreal.”