Local athletes shine in Section 8-AA track championship
Frazier’s Elisabeth Keaton, Geibel Catholic’s Emma Larkin, Mount Pleasant’s Maddie Barrick, Garrett Eicher and Aiden Johnson, Southmoreland’s Megan Mehall, Lexi Ohler and Makai Trout-Lewis, and Yough’s Noah Jurcevich all won Section 8-AA titles Monday afternoon in the annual meet held at Derry.
Keaton won the triple jump with a top effort of 31-7. She placed third in the long jump (14-5½) and fourth in the 100 (13.61).
Larkin finished first in the 400 with a time of 1:00.21. The sophomore won silver medals in the 100 (13.15) and 300 intermediate hurdles (48.50).
Barrick won the pole vault by clearing eight feet. Johnson won the triple jump with a leap of 39-9½, finished second in the long jump (17-10½), and placed third in the 300 intermediate hurdles in 42.88 seconds. Eicher cleared 12-6 to win the pole vault. The Mount Pleasant boys won the 3,200 relay in 9:23.14.
Mehall won the 800 in 2:25.21. Ohler finished first in the 3,200 in 12:20 and was third in the 800 with a time of 2:37.66. The girls 3,200 relay finished first in 10:22.55. Trout-Lewis won gold in the discus with a throw of 113-9 and took silver in the shot put with a top effort of 40-7½.
Jurcevich was the gold medalist in the 3,200 with a time of 11:00.23 and won bronze in the 1,600 (5:09.29).
The Lady Commodores’ Allie Yauch (2, 1,600, 6:14.31), Jewel Gardner (6, 1,600, 6:36.29), Gabriella McGavitt (2, javelin, 98-1; 4, shot put, 27-2), and Eddie Palmer (4, javelin, 89-10) all earned All-Section honors.
Frazier’s Tyler Clark made the awards stand in three events with two fifth-place finishes (100, 12.00; long jump, 17-3½) and one sixth place (triple jump, 35-2¼).
The Gators’ Troy Hoffer placed sixth in the 400 with a time of 1:07.22.
Mount Pleasant’s Rylin Bogosh (6, 100, 13.15; 2, 200, 27.31), Maggie Piper (6, 400, 1:06.31), Addison Czekaj (4, 800, 2:43.98), Kaylea Voke (3, 3,200, 14:06.32), Helena Harmening (5, 100 high hurdles, 19.22), 400 relay (3, 54.97), 1,600 relay (5, 4:44.59), 3,200 relay (4, 12:00.43), Cassidy Cole (5, high jump, 4-5), Brooklyn Ulery (5, long jump, 14-2½), Shannon McCandless (6, triple jump, 29-7¼), Ella Paul (6, pole vault, 7-0), and Allison Tepper (3, pole vault, 7-0) all had top-6 finishes.
The Vikings’ Jarett Garn (2, 100, 11.43; 2, 200, 22.98), Zach Dill (4, 400, 1:01.41), Damien Ohler (2, 800, 2:08.15), Austin Ulery (6, 800, 2:22.19; 6, 1,600, 5:24.05), 400 relay (4, 51.05), 1,600 relay (3, 3:58.80), Antonio Fleck (4, triple jump, 35-6¼), Gage Sowers (2, pole vault, 12-0), and Seth Painter (6, javelin, 106-8) won All-Section honors.
The Lady Scots’ Kiera Bryson (6, 800, 2:50.75), Lizzy Boone (3, 300 intermediate hurdles, 52.89; 2, high jump, 4-9; 2, triple jump, 31-2), Sophie Slater (5, 300 intermediate hurdles, 53.44; 2, 15-¾), 400 relay (4, 55.69), 1,600 relay (3, 4:26.16), Mia Jordan (5, triple jump, 31-2), Alexis Piovesan (2, pole vault, 7-6), Shay Morrison (2, discus, 87-6), Olivia Aumer (4, discus, 78-11; 6, shot put, 25-9), and Addie Billheimer (3, shot put, 28-3) earned a spot on the medals stand.
Southmoreland’s Adam Halinka (4, 100, 11.61; 2, 300 intermediate hurdles, 42.0), Leo Morales-Pastrana (6, 100, 12.01; 6, high jump, 5-1; 6, long jump, 17-2½), Elliot Premus (3, 200, 24.89), Cam Lee (5, 200, 25.24), Brady Butts (4, 1,600, 5:21.83; 5, 3,200, 12:13.71), 400 relay (2, 47.26), 3,200 relay (4, 10:42.11), and Stanley Betters (5, high jump, 5-5; 3, long jump, 17-8¼; 5, triple jump, 35-3½) won All-Section honors.
Yough’s Caliope Young (6, high jump, 4-3), Collin Barner (6, 200, 25.40), Jack Kopp (4, 800, 2:17.58), Luke Vinoski (5, 100 high hurdles, 18.12), Colby Fender (3, shot put, 40-2), and De’Andre Harding (5, shot put, 36-1½) placed in the top six. The Cougars’ 400 relay was third in 48.50 seconds.
Elizabeth Forward (boys) 84, Belle Vernon 66 — The Warriors handed visiting Belle Vernon its first Section 2-AAA loss of the season behind a strong effort on the track.
Connor Stokes (100, 11.18; 200, 22.59), Dominic Cavalier (400, 53.89), Patrick Burgos (800, 2:02; 1,600, 4:42.87), Hunter Thomas (3,200, 10:33.74), 1,600 relay (3:45.22), 3,200 relay (8:14.74), Chris Climes (shot put, 44-8), Riley Albert (pole vault, 8-0), and Jakub McKelvey (triple jump, 36-5½) finished first for Elizabeth Forward.
Ryan White (110 high hurdles, 17.51; 300 intermediate hurdles, 43.99), 400 relay (46.67), Ryan Kent (discus, 124-6; javelin, 146-10), Eli Zahuranic (high jump, 5-4), and Chase Mertz (long jump, 18-5½) had first-place finishes for the Leopards.
The Warriors defeated Clairton, 120-30, and Belle Vernon downed Clairton, 111-30, in non-section action.
California (boys) 88, Brownsville 33 — The Trojans cruised to a season-ending Section 6-AA victory over the visiting Falcons.
Lee Qualk (100, 11.39; 400, 54.82; long jump, 21-7), Niamh McClaflin (800, 2:16.94), Carter Kent (1,600, 4:54.78; 3,200, 12:01.77), Noah Neil (110 high hurdles, 18.32; 300 intermediate hurdles, 47.77), 3,200 relay (10:24.68), Christian Ross (triple jump, 37-8½; pole vault, 9-0), Landon Abercrombie (javelin, 143-1), and Frederick Sherman (shot put, 36-7) all had first-place finishes for California.
Camden Wellington (200, 23.83), Maxime Dieudonne (high jump, 5-9), and Elijah Booker (discus, 108-6) finished first for Brownsville.
Beth-Center 83, Monessen 11 — The Bulldogs breezed to Section 6-AA victory over the Greyhounds at California.
Teagan Veatch (100, 11.89), Joseph Rodriguez (200, 24.66), Reiner King (400, 58.48), Ryder Roule (800, 2:15.21; 1,600, 4:59.42), 400 relay (47.26), 3,200 relay (9:49.02), Parker Amos (long jump, 15-10), and Ryan Minerd (javelin, 127-1) all finished first for Beth-Center.
Cameron Diggs had Monessen’s first-place finishes in the discus (93-11) and shot put (34-5).
Belle Vernon (girls) 95, Elizabeth Forward 55 — The Lady Leopards had solid performances throughout the lineup for a Section 2-AAA victory at Elizabeth Forward.
Tayshia Harvey (100, 13.56), Brooklyn Baldensperger (200, 29.03), Lizzy Tatar (400, 1:08.62), Tessa Rodriguez (800, 2:29.23; 1,600, 5:24.32; 3,200, 13:11.85), Courtney Martin (100 high hurdles, 17.19), Bella Tatar (300 intermediate hurdles, 52.0), 400 relay (54.45), 3,200 relay (12:11.48), Alexis Baker (discus, 88-9), Lily Shahan (javelin, 113-7), Marissa Naylor (high jump, 4-6) Sienna Steeber (pole vault, 10-3), and Eternal Johnson (triple jump, 29-11) all had first-place finishes for Belle Vernon.
McKenna Bittner (shot put, 29-7), 1,600 relay (4:50.27), and Mia Smith (long jump, 13-9½) finished first for the Lady Warriors.
Elizabeth Forward breezed to a 110-31 victory over Clairton and the Lady Leopard defeated Clairton, 132-13, in non-section action.
Brownsville (girls) 76, California 61 — The Brownsville girls concluded Section 6-AA action with a road victory against the Lady Trojans.
A’zyia Dade (100, 13.12; 200, 26.96), Zhariah Reed (100 high hurdles, 16.90; 300 intermediate hurdles, 50.97), 400 relay (52.53), 1,600 relay (4:53.58), and Alexa Lewandowsky (discus, 70-7; shot put, 27-6) all had first-place finishes for Brownsville.
Gianna Smith (400, 1:09.80; 800, 2:52.36), Lucia Meiss (1,600, 6:52.39; 3,200, 15:06.81), 3,200 relay (14:05.02), Raegan Gillen (high jump, 4-11; long jump, 15-5), Ella Neil (triple jump, 33-5), and Kera Urick (javelin, 75-10) finished first for California.
Beth-Center (girls) 64, Monessen 17 — The Lady Bulldogs rolled to a Section 6-AA victory over Monessen at California.
Madison Chisler (400, 1:14.14), Jaslyn Debnar (800, 2:47.43; 1,600, 6:35.81), Natalie Wise (100 high hurdles, 21.53), Emma Shashura (high jump, 4-7), Meda Ables (discus, 56-10), and MaKenza Spangler (javelin, 60-5; shot put, 27-6) had first-place finishes for Beth-Center.
The Lady Greyhounds’ Hailey Johnson won the 200 (29.86) and long jump (14-6½), and Erriol Washington finished first in the 100 (14.06).