The Southern Lehigh High School girls' spring track team is making history. As of April 9, 2025, the team has won 98 consecutive meets, marking the longest victory streak in the program's history. And as such, the program has won nine straight Colonial League championships. This season, the girls have made it their goal to reach their 100th meet and 10th Colonial League win in a row.
"I think we are so successful because we all have the determination to continue our winning streak," said senior Ella Kimmel. "We all want to see each other succeed, and everyone is just so talented at the events they compete in."
Coach Cotie Strong and many of the athletes believe that the team's tight-knit and supportive atmosphere has been crucial to their success. To these Spartans, being a part of the track and field team is not only about growing as an individual but also about growing as a team.
"We have always emphasized a team-first approach with our program, putting the team ahead of your own accomplishments," said Coach Strong. “Our athletes are always willing to do whatever is asked of them to help the team be successful."
Since Southern Lehigh is a smaller school, there are usually not enough athletes to compete in only one event in each meet. So, while most track and field athletes typically focus on just one or two events, it is not uncommon for each Spartan to compete in up to four to fill any gaps. Even though this is physically taxing, the girls are always up for this challenge as they are determined to succeed as a team, not just as individuals.
"Running track and field is a big mental sport along with the physical aspects," said freshman Sarah Tapler. "Sometimes it's easy to doubt yourself or think negatively, but you just have to continue forward and push yourself."
Several of the team's strongest athletes will graduate this spring, most notably Faith Schiffer and Neva Bogert, who will run at Lehigh University and West Chester University, respectively. Therefore, to ensure the team's legacy, seniors are working hard to welcome underclassmen and to acclimate them to the high school team quickly.
"The upperclassmen have been a great help by showing me the way around and helping me during workouts," said Tapler. "Everyone is a team player and has great sportsmanship."
Though the ultimate goal this season is to reach 100 consecutive meet wins and to secure a 10th consecutive Colonial League win, Coach Strong notes that the memories, experiences, and skills acquired through the sport are just as important as the accolades.
"My hope is that the girls look back fondly on their time on the team in high school for the memories that they created through hard work and determination as a group," said Coach Strong. "Being able to both succeed in a group and individually is an important skill set for being a successful adult."
Staff, students, and community members who wish to support the girls’ track team in their historic pursuit are welcome to attend meets which are held every Tuesday through May.
Girls track and field team sprints into a historic season
The girls’ track and field team is chasing a tenth consecutive Colonial League win.
About the Contributor
Morgan Downing, Opinion and Features Editor
After spending four years writing for the Spotlight, with three of those years as Opinion editor and one as Features editor, senior Morgan Downing will graduate in May. Morgan originally joined journalism during her freshman year in hopes of finding a community of students who share an equal interest in writing. Since then, she firmly believes she found that community, and so much more.
“I’ve made some great friends through journalism that I’m very grateful for,” Downing said. “It’s the class I look forward to the most because we have so much creative freedom and the other editors make it such a fun and supportive environment.”
During her four years in the club, Morgan has written all sorts of articles—from sports season recaps to album reviews to Homecoming court coverage. However, Opinion and Editorial writing will always hold her heart.
As the Opinion editor for three years, Morgan went on to compete at a state level in Editorial writing at the PSPA State Competition this past March. After an hour-long press conference with Penn State Blue Band members and a timed writing competition, Morgan lived up to her title, placing first in the state for editorial writing.
“Competing in PSPA is always an awesome experience because it allows us to connect with other student journalists from across the Commonwealth,” Downing said. “I was honored to be named state champion at the competition, and it felt great being able to represent the Spotlight.”
In addition to the newspaper, Morgan is also an active member of many other Southern Lehigh clubs. As the vice president of the French Honor Society, co-president of No Place for Hate, and a member of the National Honor Society and Ecology Club, Morgan plays a large role in our school’s success. Morgan also volunteers for the Lehigh Valley Youth Council and is a student ambassador for CareerLink.
In her free time, Morgan enjoys traveling. Through Southern Lehigh’s annual international trips with EF Tours, she visited Italy this past summer and will travel to France this coming summer. Additionally, Morgan enjoys reading, listening to music, photography, and hiking. In fact, she set a life goal to hike all 63 national parks—so far, she’s at 11.
To get to where she is today, Morgan attributes much of her success to the support of her family, including her three role models: her dad for his work ethic, her mom for her creativity, and her grandfather for his kindness. Morgan also recognizes her French teacher, Madame Farley, and several English teachers, for leaving a lasting impact on her education and experience at Southern Lehigh.
“Madame Farley is one of the most supportive teachers I’ve ever had, and I will never forget her kindness,” Downing said. “Also, Mrs. Spritzer and many of my English teachers over the past few years have been crucial to my growth as a writer.”
Although leaving this chapter of her life behind is bittersweet, Morgan is thankful for all she experienced through high school—especially in journalism.
Of the four years she spent as part of the Spotlight staff, Morgan feels her favorite moments to look back on are the times spent with the other editors, whether that be collaborating in the publication lab, attending group field trips, or delivering copies of the newspaper to classrooms on distribution days.
Moving forward, she is excited to continue her education at Lehigh University, where she plans to continue her journalism involvement as a writer for “The Brown and White.” She hopes to one day obtain a career in communications, business, politics, or law.
As she wraps up her final days at Southern Lehigh, Morgan would like to leave a few words of advice for incoming students and underclassmen.
“It’s ok not to have your future all figured out yet,” Downing said. “Take time to explore your interests and discover what you’re passionate about. From there, things will start to fall into place.”