Plans make diamonds: Lancaster Catholic senior secures District 3 Class 2A long jump gold | High School Track and Field

SHIPPENSBURG – The plan was to collect some extra points for the team. That was the goal the Lancaster Catholic track and field coaching staff laid out for Carson Spangler.

But as Spangler became further entrenched in the long jump, points were no longer the lone priority. Rumblings of significant postseason hardware echoed. Sprinting, while still in the fold, was placed on proverbial pause.

Five meets into his long-jump journey, Spangler is now a District 3 Class 2A champion. He reached a personal-best and school-record distance of 21 feet, 3 inches at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium Friday.

Spangler netted the golden leap on his final attempt. Bermudian Springs’ Liam Watts erupted for a 20-11.25 before the Crusaders’ jack-of-all-trades dictated the final decision.

“I learned that, with me, a lot is possible,” Spangler said. “If I really put my mind on it, if I really just take the time and focus on one thing, and trust my coach to what he says, then a lot could happen.”

“A lot” has happened within the last week.

Spangler’s display Friday was a complete 180-degree turn from what he produced at the Lancaster-Lebanon League championships.

The senior didn’t surpass 18-4.5 on the L-L circuit. He plummeted to 28th place.

“Leagues wasn’t my best performance at all,” Spangler said. “I don’t think I sniffed 19 (feet). So that kind of got me some motivation to want to come out here and really show what I could really do.”

Spangler surmounted his expectations and the rest of the field’s. His opening jump rested at 19-2 before his remaining five each eclipsed 20 feet.

Lancaster Catholic coaches sat in the stadium bleachers along the runway and lined the trackside fence. Spangler would look to his staff between jumps, seeking the best option for corrections.

Five words, ahead of his final launch, resonated with him the most.

“My coach came down to the fence and said, ‘You just gotta send it,’ ” Spangler said. “We had practiced that in practice. I just flailed my body out and hoped for the best.”

When Spangler, a two-time All-State selection in soccer, dipped his toes in the long-jump waters, “hoping for the best” was the initial outlook. He and the Crusaders weren’t focused on postseason recognition, only the opportunity to compile more points.

There’s no telling what’s on the horizon now.

“I kind of block everything out and just focus on the jump ahead of me,” he said. “I picture when I’m at a practice, just doing any ordinary jump. … It’s just me, my coach and picturing myself in the pit.”

Also at districts

Cedar Crest senior Travis Furmanski was the other L-L boy to stand atop the podium, mining District 3 Class 3A 3,200-meter gold in 9:17.92.

Annville-Cleona’s Dominic Wentling uncorked a throw of 159-9 to secure silver in the 2A boys discus. Teammate Oliver Funck also swiped second place, covering the 2A 3,200 in a personal-best 9:28.91.

Manheim Township’s Jake Ruch ripped off a 55-5.75 mark for 3A shot-put silver.

In 2A javelin, Catholic’s EJ Torres exploded for a 159-11 PR and a second-place finish.

Conestoga Valley’s Jonah Richards collected Saturday’s 3A boys 100-meter top seed, flying to a time of 10.79 seconds in prelims.