By Kenny Varner

UNIVERSITY PARK – All the track and field eyes throughout Pennsylvania were at the Horace Ashenfelter lll indoor track as the best of the best in high school track and field competed.

Three local athletes competed at the PTFCA State Indoor Track and Field Championships Sunday at Penn State University.

Representing the MIfflin County Huskies in the triple jump was Jayden King, who started out in the second flight. He came into the championships seated fourth in the state with a best 44’ 04’.

He finished as seventh best in the state.

“It feels pretty good. I was expecting more but as long as I get on the podium and get a nice medal,I’m satisfied,” said King.

The Juniata/East Juniata squad had two runners, Josef Book and Logan Strawser.

Book competed in the 60-meter hurdles while Strawser competed in the 3000-meter run.

In the 60-meter hurdles, Book was not able to finish.

Jayden’s first jumped out him in temporarily into second place with a leap of 43’ 4 3/4”. After the first round, King was sitting in a solid fourth place.

“It felt like everything was coming together,” said King about his first jump, “All the work I put in this week it felt good.

Fouled on the second jump but still was tied for fifth going into his final jump.

His last attempt in the prelims he finished with a leap of 42’ 11”. He finished the with the seventh place spot as he headed into the final round of jumps. His finish guaranteed a top 10 finish.

He remained in the seventh going into his sixth jump after a leap of 42’ 31/4” in his fifth.

Rounding out the day of local action was East Juniata’s Logan Strawser who finished fifth in the 3000 with a time of 8:32.68.