SHIPPENSBURG — Two years ago Williamson’s Charlize Slusser went home from states empty handed. As a senior in 2021, Slusser went home from states with a silver medal, tying a high school personal best of 5-feet, 6-inches during the PIAA, Class AA Track and Field Championships girls’ high jump Friday.

“It definitely feels really great, especially not being able to come last year,” said Slusser. “My focus was definitely place where I was seeded, so I’m really glad to get second out of everything.”

She came in seeded third at 5-feet, 4-inches, but gave eventual champion, Towanda’s Porschia Bennett, all she could handle up through 5-feet, 6-inches.

“We knew we were ranked third coming into this, so we figured we would get into the top five with this, but to get second is amazing,” said her coach Jason Hungerford.

Slusser had her back against the wall a couple times early with a few misses, but pulled out of the field to challenge Bennett.

“She was super focused today,” explained Hungerford. “Very few times have I been able to watch Charly, and not correct things for her jump, or other coaches say change this, change that; but today her jumps were pretty much spot on.

Once third place finisher, Richland’s Gianna Bedel, went out after 5-feet, 3-inches, it was just Slusser, and Bennett. 

The rest of the best in the state could only sit and watch as the two girls from the Northern Tier League duked it out inch by inch.

First it was 5-feet, 4-inches, then 5-feet, 5-inches, followed by 5-feet, 6-inches.

“She made me nervous, because she always gets better every meet,” said Bennett. “I didn’t know what she was going to get today.”

She had a choice during the competition - keep going up 1-inch or take a chance, and skip a height. If she did that she would get one chance clear it.

“It was definitely different for me to go up by 1-inch instead of two,” explained Slusser. “But I’m glad I kept going, and didn’t skip heights. It was more warm-up for me, and my legs didn’t tire like they usually do.”

Going toe to toe with Bennett one more time - they’ve been facing off against each other multiple times a year since 2019 - was fun for Slusser.

“It was a really nice feeling,” said Slusser. “You knew people have rivals, but I’m glad to have somebody to compete against.”

Everybody from the NTL enjoyed seeing the two go at it inch by inch.

“It was wild,” said Bennett’s jump coach Mark Gannon. “Charlie jumped really well, and battled all the way through. It was cool to watch - it was nerve-racking - but it was cool to watch.”

In the end, Slusser bowed out at 5-feet, 7-inches, while Bennett cleared it on her final jump to claim the state title.

“Having two District IV girls on the podium for 1-2 was amazing,” said Hungerford.

Slusser was a little more consistent this season, which helped with her confidence.

“I am usually up-and-down through the season, but I was consistently 5-2, 5-4 the entire season, which was nice,” she said.

Slusser will now turn towards her collegiate career at Ithaca College.

“I’m going to focus on my form, and my technique,” she said. “I’m hoping to get higher heights there, where they have specific coaches for that event.”

She leaves behind a strong legacy at Williamson, as the Warriors grew into an NTL power the three years she competed. Hungerford hopes that continues into the future.

“Charlie’s been an inspiration for a lot of girls,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of girls coming up watching what she’s done, and what she’s achieved. Without the Covid year, we’ve had three students come, so hopefully it will be more, and more each year.”