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Honesdale Senior Erin Meagher Breaks Her Cousin's 37-year-old Triple Jump Record
SCRANTON — In the world of high school track and field, there are records — and then there are records.
On Wednesday evening at Scranton Memorial Stadium, Honesdale's Erin Meagher shattered a school mark that stood for 37 years when she soared over 35 feet in the triple jump.
Meagher's historic leap covered an exact distance of 35 feet, 3.25 inches. It broke the previous mark set back in 1988 by Maggie Meagher Lonergan, who just happens to be Erin's cousin.
“It was a moment that I'll never forget,” Meagher said. “Getting the record has always been in the back of my mind and finally being able to achieve that goal is a surreal feeling.”
More: The future looks bright for Honesdale's boys and girls varsity track teams
Also by Kevin Edwards: From the Tri-County Independent Archives: Memories of Hershey Track & Field
Setting the stage
The backdrop for Meagher’s record setting performance was the 2025 Robert Spagna Memorial Meet.
This event is held every May at Scranton Memorial Stadium, crowning boys and girls Lackawanna League team champions in AA and AAA.
Honesdale’s girls squad battled its way to a fifth place finish in the AAA standings with a total of 38.5 points. Wallenpaupack Area took fourth (49 pts) while Western Wayne earned runner-up honors in AA (53.5 pts).
On the boys side of the ledger, Honesdale finished 10th in the AAA standings. Paupack powered its way to a second place showing, while Western Wayne wound up third in AA.
“I am beyond proud of all our student-athletes,” said Hornet skipper Ryan Keen. “They all rose to the occasion and exceeded my expectations across the board.”
Milestone moment
Meagher is a senior who's been participating in competitive track and field since the eighth grade.
She's a versatile athlete who has tried many different events, but finally started focusing on jumps and hurdles as a sophomore.
Meagher notched a fifth-place finish in the 300 hurdles at the Spagna Meet, stopping the clock at 50:44. She also carved out a spot among the Top 10 in the high jump at 4-6.
Of course, the highlight of her day ― and of her career ― came in the triple jump.
Meagher wasn't thrilled with her first effort, but brought Hornet fans to their feet with an unforgettable try the next time around.
“I didn't believe the official when he told me how far I jumped,” she said. “So, I asked him to repeat it and then my coach and I hugged and celebrated.”
That celebration was a long time coming. After all, Meagher’s effort erased a record that's been on the books since the spring of 1988.
“Records are made to be broken,” said Lonergan, who owned the old mark of 34-10.5 for nearly four decades. “I couldn't be any more proud or thrilled for my cousin Erin. Her jump is an incredible feat. She must have been flying.”
In addition to her athletic prowess, Meagher is also a standout in the classroom. She's a fixture on the Honor Roll, a member of the National Honor Society and senior class president.
“Erin shows up to practice every day rerady to work and improve,” Keen said. “She's not just a team leader, but a leader in the school and community as well.”
Meagher's future plans include attending Penn State University to pursue studies in behavioral health with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician's assistant one day.
Onward and upward
While Meagher captured the headlines on this particular day, several other Hornets also earned high marks for their efforts.
The girls 4x100 relay team continued its dominance with another gold medal performance. The quartet of Karsyn Kromko, Arianna Valerio, Claire Goldstein and Alyssa Czekai posted a blistering time of 4:06.38 to claim the top spot.
Olivia Wood claimed a place on the podium as well, taking fifth in the discus with a throw of 96 feet.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Honesdale track and field Erin Meagher sets new triple jump record
