SLIPPERY ROCK — At this time last season, Elissa McCune was clueless.

Thrust into the hurdle events because of her untapped potential, McCune got by on raw athletic ability.

A year later, the Slippery Rock High School junior has blended that raw ability with a little more polish.

"I don't hold my breath anymore," said Slippery Rock hurdle coach Tom Meling. "Last year, every time she went over a hurdle, I said, 'Oh, Lord, please let her make it.'"

McCune didn't know the first thing about traversing the eight hurdles that make up the 300-meter event last season.

She stuttered — and sometimes came to a complete stop — before clearing some of them as a sophomore.

But she plugged on with reckless abandon — and had the bruises to prove it.

Still, she was good enough to reach the PIAA Track and Field Championships, black and blue marks and all.

After a year of working with Meling and former Slippery Rock High hurdling great Melissa Sopher, McCune has fewer bumps and is poised to make some major noise as the track and field postseason kicks off this weekend at the Mercer County Athletic Conference Championships.

To McCune, the transformation has been startling.

"It's unbelievable. It's completely different," McCune said. "Last year, I was a sprinter who was doing the hurdles. This year I am a hurdler who is doing the hurdles."

McCune tops the county in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 46.13 seconds. She recorded that time at the Pine-Richland Invitational, despite nearly toppling over a hurdle on the way to the finish line.

"If she could just avoid that one bad hurdle," Meling said.

That process is still ongoing, but when there are no hurdles in her way, McCune can flat-out fly.

She also tops the county in the 100-meter dash (12.9) and the 200-meter dash (27.09).

"My sprinting is going very well," McCune said. "I feel stronger, faster and more explosive that last season."

Sprinting and hurdling go hand in hand.

But McCune has set her goals this season much higher than just staying atop the track and field honor roll and merely making it to Shippensburg.

"I want to get into the final eight (at the state meet)," McCune said.

That's a realistic goal, Meling said.

Still not technically sound in the hurdles, Meling said he thinks one of his prized pupils can shave even more precious seconds off her time.

"She can get into the 45-second range," Meling said. "Her goal is around 45.5."

Running along Sopher two days a week in practice has given McCune an idea of where she ultimately wants to go.

Sopher set the school record in the event in 2002 with a time of 43.78.

"She's not going to beat Melissa Sopher (in practice)," Meling said. "But she's striving for that."

McCune has found Sopher's help invaluable during her growing pains in the event.

"She's helped me on the blocks so I can get my best possible start," McCune said. "She's given me great advice. I usually try to keep up with her in practice."