By Zach Smart
The laundry-list of Bermudian Springs High School track and field records hangs on a sheet of paper, taped to a locker inside the Eagles’ boys locker room.
Perusing the records set by a litany of local legends, a slew of athletes point out the high jump record. The record height of 6-2 ½, a high watermark leap that would render any athlete an opportunity at the Division-I tier, was set by Perry Altland in 1977.
It was no secret that Ryan Markle has established himself as one of the Hanover-area’s elite jumpers, clearing an area best 6-foot-1 during the Arctic Blast Invitational, an early season barometer last Saturday. Markle, a freshman whose hops and proclivity for trying to dunk in streetball basketball games helped sell him on the jumping events, placed second overall to Greencastle-Antrim’s Taylor Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick cleared 6-4 to earn a trip on the medal stand.
Markle was at it again yesterday, floating to a first place finish in the high jump as he cleared 6-0. The inclement weather and slippery track left a lot to be desired, but Markle helped lift the Eagles to a 79-71 victory over Boiling Springs in both the high jump and the triple. Markle won the triple jump, landing 39 ½ feet before bolting out of a shortened meet early.
Beegle Boy: Following the righteous steps of his older brother, Mike Beegle, Gettysburg’s Danny Beegle has found his niche as a stalwart miler. Beegle’s brother Mike earned a state medal in cross country back in the fall of 2009 and has pushed his little brother’s development in previous seasons. The past is the past, a foreclosed home that no longer holds residents.
Nobody remembers the Beegle that played second fiddle to big brother, as his exploits have been thrust to the forefront.
Beegle was clocked at a smoking 4:37.53, escaping from Hershey junior Nate Hamilton, who applied a thorough stalk job before Beegle broke out on a straightaway and let his kick propel him forward.
6-2 1/2 is not Division-I worthy. Five to six more inches is likely to attract coaches.