HOOKSTOWN, Beaver County — A simple change in form made all the difference for Brian Zimmerman.

The Freeport junior picked up the javelin event for the Yellowjackets track and field team two years ago as a freshman.

"Up until this year, I was throwing sidearm," Zimmerman said. "Then I started coming over the top with it this year."

Zimmerman used that new form to become a WPIAL champion, throwing the javelin 190 feet, 10 inches Tuesday at the Class AA Championships at South Side Beaver High School.

Zimmerman entered the day seeded second behind Mount Pleasant's Derek Auen, who placed a distant second with a throw of 171-1.

Zimmerman, whose personal best in the event is 194 feet, finished fifth at the district championships last year before placing 11th at the PIAA meet. He's setting his sights a bit higher this time around.

"I plan on getting in the top three at states," he said.

Despite the weather, which soaked the track and field event areas with heavy rains at times, there was no shortage of notable performances.

Freeport senior Marisa DeSalvo placed third in the discus (106 feet) and fourth in the shot put (34-1) and will head to states in both events.

"The shot put is my best event," said DeSalvo after accepting her medal in the discus. "And at the beginning of the season I thought I had a chance to get to the state meet in the shot put. But I had no idea I'd be going in the discus.

"I was never any good in the discus until this year," she added.

Joining DeSalvo in the shot put at the state meet will be teammate Jamie Shockey, who placed third with an effort of 34-2¾.

Also representing the Yellowjackets at states will be sophomore pole vaulter Merrissa Malcolm, who managed a height of 8 feet and placed fifth.

The Mars boys team enjoyed a solid day, as four of its members moved on in individual events.

That field was led by junior middle-distance runner Derek Workman, who had something to prove to himself.

"I choked last year in the (Northern) Qualifier," admitted Workman. "I was a sophomore going up against a lot of seniors and I got nervous."

Workman responded first by simply getting to the district championships, then turned in a second-place time of 2 minutes, 1.54 seconds in the 800-meter run to earn a spot at the state meet.

Justin Piocquidio's distance of 20-3 in the long jump was good for third place.

Tim Frye will end his athletic career at Mars with an appearance in the PIAA high jump event after placing fourth at 6 feet.

Cody Kier placed fifth in the 3,200 meter run (10:10.69) and also will head to states.

The Planets advanced their 3,200 relay team of Justin Stadelmyer, Brandon Stadelmyer, Workman and Kier with a fourth-place time of 8:25.53.

The finish was five seconds better than the team's previous best time this season.

Freeport's Brendan Reilly placed fourth in the 1,600 run. The fact he qualified for states with a personal-best time of 4:35.53 was not surprising, but, considering he spent much of the season unable to compete, it had a deeper meaning for the senior.

"A hip flexor kept me out for about a month," said Reilly. "I thought it was still possible for me to get to states and it feels good to get there after not being able to run for a while."

Freeport's Nate Kotecki will head to the state meet following a fifth-place finish in the triple jump (41-5¾).

Summit Academy's Terrence Burton was the lone Knight to make states, placing fourth in the 200 dash at 23.26.