Kara Millhouse

2008 All-Sentinel Girls' Track and Field

The multi-talented Ms. Millhouse

Boiling Springs' Kara Millhouse is the 2008 All-Sentinel Girls' Track and Field Athlete of the Year

By Tom Ash, Sentinel Reporter, July 11, 2008

Last updated: Friday, July 11, 2008 7:29 AM EDT
It came as a shock to many when Kara Millhouse decided to compete in the 800-meter run finals at the 2008 PIAA Track and Field Championships.

Throughout her career as a runner for the Boiling Springs Bubblers, Millhouse had built a reputation as a dominant distance runner. She earned a bronze medal in the 2007 PIAA Class AA cross country finals. She finished 16th in the two-mile event of the 2007 Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Millhouse could have gone the way of revenge — after winning state gold in the 3200 run in 2006, the Bubbler failed to repeat in the event last year, finishing third to Central Cambria’s Carly Seymour and Harbor Creek’s Lauren Zarger.

She could have opted for a not-so-drastic change of pace in the 1600, where her seed time would have ranked her first among PIAA Class AA hopefuls.

Instead, Millhouse threw everyone, including her coaches, a curve.

“A lot of people were shocked when she decided to run the 800 at states,” said Boiling Springs head coach Joe Harker. “The training for a runner in the 800 is a lot different, especially in the end of the season. She hadn’t really been training like that all year long.”

So why did Kara Millhouse choose to compete in the PIAA Class AA 800 finals? The answer actually lies in the question itself — it was different, a chance for the Bubbler to test her limits in an area no one expected her to excel in.

A chance to challenge herself in an area she wasn’t even sure she could succeed in.

“I knew I ran the two-mile all of my other years (in the postseason), I guess that’s what people were expecting me to do,” said Millhouse. “The mile and 800 were something kind of random, I wanted to choose something different, something out of my comfort zone. Something like a challenge.

“I think I chose the 800 because this is the first year I ran the 800 as an individual event. I surprised myself in it, the first time I ran it I did a 2:14 by myself and was kind of shocked. I just thought maybe I could do something in that.”

She didn’t win the PIAA 800 finals. She didn’t win a gold medal in anything this year.

But really, that isn’t very relevant to the kind of season Millhouse had in 2008. A season in which she never allowed an opposing school to defeat her in a dual meet, one in which she helped earn 40 of her Bubblers’ 91 points at the District 3-AA Championships with four gold medals.

More and more throughout her high school campaign, Millhouse became the go-to girl for the Boiling Springs track team. Someone Harker could count on in season competition for guaranteed points.

“What did (Millhouse) bring to the team? As head coach, one of the things I try to do is look at our lineup and our opponent’s lineup,” said Harker. “For the last four years, I’ve been able to depend on the fact that whatever race we put Kara in, she’s going to win. I’m just coming to terms with the fact that next year I won’t have the luxury.”

It’s that “luxury” provided by Millhouse’s talent that makes her the 2008 Sentinel Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

While the Bubbler didn’t win a gold medal in the state 800 finals, she did shock everyone on her way to a silver medal, posting The Sentinel area’s best 800 time this season at 2:14.17.

Also impressive was her unheralded split in the PIAA Class AA 4x400 relay finals where, according to Millhouse, she ran a 59.7 in the third leg. Had she recorded that time in an open 400 this season, she would have ranked second in the area behind Trinity’s Ciara Cook (58.97).

“(Millhouse) is very fast, she’s got the perfect mix of stamina and speed,” said Harker. “If you put her in the 100 and 200, I’m not sure how she’ll do but she wouldn’t embarrass herself. The last 100 or 150 (meters) for some people is all about endurance... Kara isn’t feeling that, she’s able to maintain her top speed so much longer than just about anyone else.

“The reality is, with her in (the 400), she probably could have won that race in most meets as well.”

Her diverse running ability helped the Bubbler earn three individual district gold medals, as well as one relay gold, this year. However, with great skill comes great confidence — Millhouse was confident in her ability to win all four events, and was more concerned with setting personal bests than district medals.

“It was a big achievement but I knew going into it I could possibly (win all four),” said Millhouse. “My coach asked me to do it and put me in those events so I could score points for the team.

“My sophomore year when I won the state championship (in the 3200), that was a big deal. When I get a best time, that’s what’s really important to me. Also, just making it to states in swimming was a big deal to me. When you do something unexpected, that’s much more satisfying.”

Next season, Millhouse will take her thirst for the uncommon to Penn State University, where she will — for the first time — focus on one event.

“I hope I can be competitive at (the Division I level),” said Millhouse. “That’s a big goal for me. I hope I really figure out an event that can be my event. In high school, I switched around a lot... in college I want to find an event I can stick with and do consistently.”

In constantly expanding her competitive range these last four years, everyone has come to expect Millhouse to compete in four events every meet.

Imagine, if you will, what she can accomplish when given the chance to focus on one event?

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All-Sentinel Girls’

Track and Field

First Team

Distance - Neely Spence, senior, Shippensburg: District 3-AAA gold medals in the 1600 and 3200 runs... earned PIAA gold in the 1600... recorded area’s best time in the 1600 this season at 4:44.38... that mark was also a state-best for 2008... had area’s best time in the 3200 this season at 10:43.0... recorded area’s fifth-best time this season in the 400 dash at 1:00.7... held area’s second-fastest time this season in the 800 run (2:15.38).

Distance - Rachel Wong, senior, Northern: Earned District 3-AAA silver in 800 run... awarded district bronze and PIAA eighth in 1600 run... ran final leg of 4x400 relay team that placed fifth in district... ran final leg of 4x800 relay team that won district silver... set area’s second-best mark in the 1600 this season at 5:00.70...recorded area’s third-fastest time in the 800 this season (2:16.61)... held area’s fourth-fastest time in the 400 dash this season at 1:00.43.

Sprints - Erin Guty, junior, Trinity: Finish fourth in District 3-AA 100 dash... ran second leg of 4x100 relay team that won district bronze and placed sixth in the state... earned district gold in long jump... placed fourth in the district triple jump... recorded area’s fastest times this season in the 100 dash (12.05) and 200 dash (25.60)... had state’s best leap in the long jump this season at 19-1... held area’s second-best distance in the triple jump this season at 36-11 1/4.

Sprints - Ally Herr, sophomore, Boiling Springs: Placed fourth in District 3-AA 200 dash and fifth in district 100 dash... ran second leg of 4x100 relay team that finished fourth in district... ran last leg of 4x400 relay team that earned district gold and placed fourth in the state... recorded area’s third-fastest time this season in the 200 dash at 25.87... held area’s fourth-best time in the 100 dash this season at 12.63.

Sprints - Ciara Cook, sophomore, Trinity: Earned District 3-AA bronze in 400 dash... placed fifth in district 200 dash... ran last leg of 4x100 relay team that won district bronze and finished sixth in state... ran last leg of 4x400 team that placed fourth in district... recorded area’s fastest time in the 400 this season at 58.97.

Hurdles - Nicole Brownyard, senior, Trinity: Won District 3-AA silver in the 100 and 300 hurdles... ran third leg of 4x100 relay team that earned district bronze and placed sixth in the state... ran third leg of 4x400 team that finished fourth in district... recorded area’s fastest time in the 300 hurdles this season at 46.67... held area’s third-fastest time in the 100 hurdles this season at 15.96.

Hurdles - Anna Bixler, senior, Boiling Springs: Finished third in District 3-AA 100 hurdles... placed fourth in district 300 hurdles... finished fifth in district long jump... recorded area’s second-fastest times in the 100 hurdles (15.88) and 300 hurdles (47.22) this season... had area’s fourth-best leap in the long jump this season at 16-4 1/4.

Jumps - Ashley Corum, sophomore, Carlisle: Earned District 3-AAA and PIAA gold medals in triple jump... won district bronze and PIAA eighth in long jump... had state’s best jump this season in the triple jump at 39-6... recorded area’s second-best distance in the long jump this season at 18-0 3/4... held area’s third-best time in the 300 hurdles this season at 47.47.

Jumps - Erin Flick, junior, Mechanicsburg: Won District 3-AAA gold and PIAA silver in high jump... recorded area’s best mark in the high jump this season at 5-6.

Pole vault - Kelly Fischer, senior, Cumberland Valley: Earned District 3-AAA bronze in pole vault... had area’s third-best vault this season at 10-6... recorded area’s fifth-best distance in triple jump this season at 34-0.

Throws - Shannon Crane, senior, Trinity: Won District 3-AA gold in shot put... placed sixth in district javelin... recorded area’s farthest shot put throw this season at 39-7... had area’s fifth-best javelin throw this season at 107-0.

Throws - Alex Oszustowicz, senior, Trinity: Earned District 3-AA bronze in javelin... placed seventh in district 100 hurdles... ran first leg of 4x100 relay team that earned district bronze and placed sixth in state... recorded area bests in 100 hurdles (15.69) and javelin (125-0) this season... had area’s second-best mark in high jump this season at 5-0.

Relays - Courtney Papinchak, senior, Red Land: Ran first leg of 4x100 relay team that placed eighth in District 3-AAA... recorded area’s second-fastest time in the 200 dash this season at 25.84... had area’s third-fastest mark in the 100 dash this season at 12.6.

Distance - Kristy Ulrich, senior, Susquenita: Finished fourth in District 3-AAA 3200 and 1600 runs... set area’s fourth-fastest mark this season in the 3200 at 11:07.65.

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Second Team

Throws - Jess Hettinger, senior, Cedar Cliff: Had area’s farthest throw in discus this season at 116-10... recorded area’s fifth-best throw in shot put this season at 32-11.

Distance - Abby Wong, junior, Northern: Placed fifth in District 3-AAA 800 run... ran first leg of 4x800 relay team that earned district silver... recorded area’s fifth-fastest time in the 800 (2:17.89) and fourth-best mark in 1600 (5:09.68).

Sprints - Maryam Smith, freshman, West Perry: Recorded area’s second-best time in 100 dash this season at 12.4... had area’s fourth-fastest time in 200 dash this season at 26.14.

Sprints - Megan Butler, freshman, West Perry: Recorded area’s fifth-fastest times in the 100 dash (12.84) and 200 dash (26.6).

Relays - Kellie Dowling, junior, Boiling Springs: Ran second leg of 4x400 relay team that earned District 3-AA gold and placed fourth in state... ran first leg of 4x800 team that won district gold and placed fifth in state... 4x400 team recorded area’s fastest time this season at 3:58.99.

Hurdles - Ashley Satterlee, senior, Trinity: Placed seventh in District 3-AA 300 hurdles... ran second leg of 4x400 relay team that placed fourth in district... recorded area’s fourth-fastest time in 100 hurdles this season at 16.31.

Distance - Lauren Thompson, senior, Cumberland Valley: Finished eighth in District 3-AAA 800 run... ran first leg of 4x400 relay team that placed fourth in district... ran first leg of 4x800 team that won district bronze.

Jumps - Alexa Davis, sophomore, Red Land: Recorded area’s fourth-best mark in triple jump this season at 34-11... had area’s fifth-best leap in long jump at 16-3 1/2... ran second leg of 4x100 relay team that finished eighth in district.

Jumps - Anna Spisak, senior, Boiling Springs: Earned District 3-AA silver in triple jump... ran first leg of 4x100 relay team that finished fourth in district... recorded area’s third-best leap in triple jump this season at 36-4 1/4.

Pole vault - Alicia Angelini, junior, Boiling Springs: Recorded area’s best vault this season at 11-0... ran third leg of 4x100 relay team that finished fourth in District 3-AA.

Throws - Emily Backel, sophomore, Northern: Placed eighth in District 3-AAA discus... recorded area’s third-best mark in discus this season at 112-6.

Throws - Mekia Kauffman, sophomore, Northern: Recorded area’s second-best throw this season in discus at 112-9... had area’s third-best throw in javelin this season at 112-11.

Distance - Colleen Smith, junior, Carlisle: Placed fifth in District 3-AAA 1600 run.

Distance - Leigha Anderson, freshman, Cumberland Valley: Finished fifth in District 3-AAA 3200 run... ran third leg of 4x800 relay team that earned district bronze... recorded area’s third-fastest time in 3200 this season at 11:07.58.

Distance - Amanda Raudabaugh, senior, Big Spring: Placed fourth in District 3-AAA 800 run... recorded area’s fourth-best time in 800 this season at 2:17.71... had area’s third-best time in 400 dash this season at 1:00.4.

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2008 Sentinel Area Girls’ Track and Field Top Performances

In results reported this season

100 dash: 1. Erin Guty (Trin) 12.05; 2. Maryam Smith (WP) 12.4; 3. Courtney Papinchak (RL) 12.6; 4. Ally Herr (BoS) 12.63; 5. Megan Butler (WP) 12.84.

200 dash: 1. Erin Guty (Trin) 25.60; 2. Courtney Papinchak (RL) 25.84; 3. Ally Herr (BoS) 25.87; 4. Maryam Smith (WP) 26.14; 5. Megan Butler (WP) 26.6.

400 dash: 1. Ciara Cook (Trin) 0:58.97; 2. Morgan Sheaffer (WP) 1:00.0; 3. Amanda Raudabaugh (BiS) 1:00.4; 4. Rachel Wong (Nor) 1:00.43; 5. Neely Spence (Ship) 1:00.7.

800 run: 1. Kara Millhouse (BoS) 2:14.17; 2. Neely Spence (Ship) 2:15.38; 3. Rachel Wong (Nor) 2:16.61; 4. Amanda Raudabaugh (BiS) 2:17.71; 5. Abby Wong (Nor) 2:17.89.

1600 run: 1. Neely Spence (Ship) 4:44.38; 2. Rachel Wong (Nor) 5:00.70; 3. Kara Millhouse (BoS) 5:01.73; 4. Abby Wong (Nor) 5:09.68; 5. Sarah Sulon (Mech) 5:11.58.

3200 run: 1. Neely Spence (Ship) 10:43.0; 2. Kara Millhouse (BoS) 10:51.42; 3. Leigha Anderson (CV) 11:07.58; 4. Kristy Ulrich (Sus) 11:07.65; 5. Darcy McKinley-Lester (CV) 11:14.21.

100 hurdles: 1. Alex Oszustowicz (Trin) 15.69; 2. Anna Bixler (BoS) 15.88; 3. Nicole Brownyard (Trin) 15.96; 4. Ashley Satterlee (Trin) 16.31; 5. Alicia Bales (BoS) 16.81.

300 hurdles: 1. Nicole Brownyard (Trin) 46.67; 2. Anna Bixler (BoS) 47.22; 3. Ashley Corum (Car) 47.47; 4. Jenna Knight (Nor) 48.11; 5. Vera Dickey (CC) 48.5.

4x100 relay: 1. Trinity (Alex Oszustowicz, Erin Guty, Nicole Brownyard, Ciara Cook) 49.90; 2. Red Land 50.54; 3. Cumberland Valley 50.69; 4. Boiling Springs 50.7; 5. Cedar Cliff 52.7.

4x400 relay: 1. Boiling Springs (Erin Dowling, Kellie Dowling, Kara Millhouse, Ally Herr) 3:58.99; 2. Cumberland Valley 4:02.51; 3. Northern 4:03.88; 4. Trinity 4:07.52; 5. Cedar Cliff 4:13.0.

4x800 relay: 1. Northern (Abby Wong, Emily Gamber, Katie Meck, Rachel Wong) 9:28.49; 2. Boiling Springs 9:31.09; 3. Cumberland Valley 9:32.89; 4. Cedar Cliff 9:36.32; 5. Trinity 9:54.71.

Shot put: 1. Shannon Crane (Trin) 39-7; 2. Taylor Seiber (WP) 35-1; 3. Kathleen Woods (BiS) 33-2; 4. Mary Ellen Lenz (Trin) 33-1; 5. Jess Hettinger (CC) 32-11.

Discus: 1. Jess Hettinger (CC) 116-10; 2. Mekia Kauffman (Nor) 112-9; 3. Emily Backel (Nor) 112-6; 4. Kathleen Woods (BiS) 107-5 1/2; 5. Katy Mangan (Trin) 106-11.

Javelin: 1. Alex Oszustowicz (Trin) 125-0; 2. Becca Farson (WP) 114-3; 3. Mekia Kauffman (Nor) 112-11; 4. Lauren Mariano (CV) 110-9; 5. Shannon Crane (Trin) 107-0.

Long jump: 1. Erin Guty (Trin) 19-1; 2. Ashley Corum (Car) 18-0 3/4; 3. Amanda Steele (Mech) 16-7; 4. Anna Bixler (BoS) 16-4 1/4; 5. Alexa Davis (RL) 16-3 1/2.

Triple jump: 1. Ashley Corum (Car) 39-6; 2. Erin Guty (Trin) 36-11 1/4; 3. Anna Spisak (BoS) 36-4 1/4; 4. Alexa Davis (RL) 34-11; 5. Kelly Fischer (CV) 34-0.

High jump: 1. Erin Flick (Mech) 5-6; 2. Jaclyn Boone (Nor) 5-0; 2. Alex Braxton (CV) 5-0; 2. Emily Brantner (RL) 5-0; 2. Alex Oszustowicz (Trin) 5-0.

Pole vault: 1. Megan Breski (EP) 11-0; 1. Alicia Angelini (BoS) 11-0; 3. Kelly FIscher (CV) 10-6; 4. Alysse Richardson (CC) 9-6; 4. Lena Miller (BiS) 9-6; 4. Megan Bricker (Ship) 9-6; 4. Emily Smith (Ship) 9-6.