PIAA track notes: A medal for Cougars’ Akers, PRs for Spartans’ Forrey, Eagles’ Keith
By Julie Pelchar Cohen — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent
SHIPPENSBURG — Lauren Akers came up empty in her first two state meet appearances.
After winning the District 3 title in the 2A javelin as a sophomore and junior, she didn’t find the medal stand at the PIAA championships. She finished 13th two years ago and a disappointing 22nd last spring.
The Kutztown senior found redemption Friday.
Akers earned a fourth-place medal with a Berks Best throw of 128-4.
“My head was in a lot better space than the past two years,” Akers said. “I wasn’t as nervous. I just went into it knowing this is what I do. I just did my thing.”
Akers exhaled after her big opening throw of 128-1.
“I started out on a good note,” she said. “It pushed me through the whole thing.”
After falling three inches shy of her opening mark on her fifth attempt, Akers let loose on her final try.
“It felt a lot more powerful,” she said. “It was all I had. It was my last throw. My last chance. I knew what I had to do.”
Akers finished her career with a county title in 2023, three district golds and Friday’s medal of redemption.
Forrey takes the fifth: Drew Forrey struggled to explain his postseason success.
Never the frontrunner for championship titles, Forrey won a county crown in the javelin. He won District 3 gold in the 2A javelin and discus.
He didn’t have an answer Friday, either.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into me the last three weeks,” he said.
The Wyomissing senior hit a personal-best 180-7 to earn a fifth-place medal in the 2A javelin. Forrey also hit PR’s in the shot put and discus this year.
“It just felt nice to finally hit the 180 mark and the PR,” Forrey said. “The medal is nice. But I care a little bit more about the mark. It was just great.”
Forrey’s best throw came on his second attempt. He found fifth place with that toss and held his position. During the competition, he also enjoyed the gold medalist’s show. Danville Area’s Bronson Krainak threw a 215-7.
“I felt so relaxed,” Forrey said after cracking 180 feet. “I knew I was going to place.”
The PIAA appearance was Forrey’s first.
Mystical mark stands: Exeter’s star miler Gabby Keith chased it as many before her have tried to break the county record in the 1600.
The time of 4:55.60 set by Boyertown’s Kristie Moser in 1993 will live another year.
Keith broke the five-minute barrier for the first time to win last year’s county-championship Firing Meet. She cracked it again to take 3A silver at last weekend’s District 3 championships.
She ran a personal best of 4:58.17 to finish 13th Friday.
“I thought maybe I’d have a chance to get it,” she said. “I was trying to go for it, but it just wasn’t there.”
Keith, a senior who will run at the University of Pittsburgh, finished her career as one of a handful of Berks County girls who had a legitimate chance to erase Moser’s record.
“I’m pretty happy with my race,” Keith said. “I definitely wanted to run a little faster and get a medal and the county record, but I’m still happy I got a PR and ran a good race.”
Wyomissing senior Addie Cohen, who swept the three 2A distance races for a second straight year at last weekend’s district meet, finished far back in her 1600 race. She has had a virus and fever since Sunday and was noticeably weak.
