Baby, it’s cold outside . . . but relief is on the way

Accuweather issued a wind chill advisory for Dillsburg and portions of Central Pennsylvania at 5 p.m. Wednesday that remained into effect until noon Thursday.

Very cold wind chills of 10 to 20 degrees below zero are expected, which could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. Windgusts exceeded 40 miles per hour during the snow showers and squals.

Residents enduring the brutal and life-threatening Arctic outbreak to end January can look ahead to the taste of March that awaits during the first weekend of February, according to AccuWeather Global Weather Center.

Photo by Curt Werner

Ducks and geese gather on land and in the water at Boiling Springs Lake on Wednesday.

Polar Plunge

Nearly 300 swimmers, many from the Northern School District, entered the 28- degree water filled ice chunks during the 2019 Capital Area Polar Plunge at Gifford Pinchot State Park on Jan 26. Wellsville Fire Company and New Cumberland River Rescue were on standby. A chain saw was used to cut the ice the day before the event and had to be chopped again in the morning.

Photo by Curt Werner

A swimmer gives a high five to the captain of New Cumberland River Rescue, who is on standby in the lake, as others splash about making their way back to the shore.

PickleFest committe is seeking volunteers

The PickleFest, a Dillsburg Area Community Event, is scheduled to be held on Saturday, May 11. The Pickle Committee is reaching out to not only residents and organizations in Dillsburg Borough, but to all residents and organizations from all surrounding municipalities, for more volunteers.

Volunteers are needed to help with the pickle eating contest, advertising, vendors, selling pickle items and music and entertainment. If interested in volunteering, please come to the February 11 meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Dillsburg Borough office building located at 151 S. Baltimore Street. For more information email Emily Reed at flyingicesticks@gmail.com or contact Karen Deibler at 717-432-9969.

The Dillsburg Jaycees donated $1,000, proceeds from Christmas Trees sales, to the Northern York County Fire and Rescue. Pictured from left are Jaycee members Justin Gasswint, Nathan Foor, Andrea Foor, firefighter Robert Pomeroy, Jaycee President Matthew Pouss, Fire Captain Hector Morales, Fire Police Lieutenant Bill Feist, Jr., firefighter Josh Ford and fire police Ron Coon.

Starliper named Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year

In its 34th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, today announced Marlee Starliper of Northern High School as its 2018-19 Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. Starliper is the first Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Northern High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Starliper as Pennsylvania’s best high school girl’s cross-country runner. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in February, Starliper joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Lukas Verzbicas (2010-11, 2009- 10 Carl Sandburg High School, Orland Park, Ill.), Megan Goethals (2009-10, Rochester High School, Rochester Hills, Mich.), Jordan Hasay (2008-09, Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School, San Luis Obispo, Calif.) and Chris Derrick (2007-08, Neuqua Valley High School, Naperville, Ill.).

Photo by Curt Werner

Marlee Starliper

Champions! Polar Bears capture Colonial division titles

By Joe Guty

Saving the best for last, the Northern H.S. Swimming and Diving teams made it official last Thursday, claiming the outright 2018-19 Mid Penn Colonial Division titles. Hosting Boiling Springs in the final dual meet of the season on Jan. 24, the Girls team posted a 107-72 win, and the Boys team defeated the Bubblers, 112-68. Both Northern teams finished at 6-0 in the Colonial while the Lady Polar Bears moved to 8-3 overall and the Boys team to 7-4 overall. By virtue of these key victories, this season’s squad is the first Northern H.S. Swimming and Diving Team (Girls and Boys) to ever go undefeated in the Colonial Division, at 6-0, and win two Championships in the same season.

Contributing to the resounding victories were 44 more Career Best Times, 11 In-Season Best Times, and two New Pool Records: The Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay team of Kate Luft, Evangeline Soerens, Dahna Yoon and Abigail Soerens and the Girls 400 Yard Free Relay team of Dahna Yoon, Abigail Soerens, Katelyn Boyce and Kate Luft. After the meet, Head Coach Bill Resser emphasized how much the teams earned their titles through hard work in practice every day and by paying attention to all the details that go into making champions. In addition, Resser gave credit to those athletes who capped their dual meet careers in outstanding fashion.

“Yesterday we honored our ten graduating seniors who, along with their parents, have had such a profound impact on our program,” added Resser. “They are such an important part of this very special season.”

Photo by Curt Werner

Ben Clarke has a good start off the blocks in the Boys 200-Yard Freestyle placing first with a time of 1:57.57.