Jumping for gold: Trojans无毛视频� Qualk wins WPIAL title in long jump
SLIPPERY ROCK 无毛视频� California无毛视频檚 Lee Qualk had an eventful day at the WPIAL Class AA Individual Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University on Wednesday, and one of those accomplishments happened before he entered the stadium.
Qualk won the gold medal in the long jump and earned a state berth in the 100 after making the state-qualifying time with his seventh-place finish.
Plus, he and some of his teammates used their muscle to help a stranded motorist who ran out of gas within yards of a Sheetz station entering the borough.
无毛视频淭hat was our warmup. We saw the car and got out of the bus, and pushed her up to the Sheetz,无毛视频� explained Qualk, adding, 无毛视频淭he funny thing was the light turned red, so we had to wait until the light changed.无毛视频�
Qualk and Charleroi无毛视频檚 Braedin Lunger parried back and forth with Lunger taking the lead and Qualk answering in the final round.
Qualk had the final answer with his winning jump of 22-2陆.
无毛视频淚 hit it on the very last jump. I was second (to Lunger) going into the last jump,无毛视频� said Qualk.
Qualk accomplished more than he expected.
无毛视频淚 expected to jump at least 21-8. That was my goal, and I got over that,无毛视频� said Qualk. 无毛视频淲hen I hit my 21-10 and my 22-2陆, I knew it was pretty far out there.无毛视频�
Qualk secured a second berth into next week无毛视频檚 PIAA Championship by the slimmest of margins after finishing seventh in the 100 with a time of 11.24 seconds. He was edged at the finish line by Mount Pleasant无毛视频檚 Jarett Garn by .02 seconds.
无毛视频淚 was really hoping to go in the 100, but it wasn无毛视频檛 my goal. Everyone wants to go to states. My goal was the long jump. That was it,无毛视频� said Qualk.
Qualk无毛视频檚 district meet is over just yet because of thunderstorms that interrupted the meet throughout the afternoon and evening, leading to the eventual postponement. The remaining events on the track, including the 1,600 relay, plus a couple of field events, will resume Thursday at 4 p.m.
无毛视频淥ur 1,600 relay, it无毛视频檚 all very, very close. I feel great. I无毛视频檓 ready to go,无毛视频� said Qualk before the postponement.
Charleroi freshman Braedin Lunger also finished fourth in the 110 high hurdles in 15.32 seconds and is situated for a medal and state meet berth with the completion of the high jump.
无毛视频淚 just wanted to get medals and I came here to compete,无毛视频� said Lunger. 无毛视频淭he (weather) delay helped because I got to rest.无毛视频�
As for qualifying for his first state meet, Lunger added, 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 another big meet. I无毛视频檓 just happy to be there.无毛视频�
Connellsville senior Nicholas Rohal had a disappointing performance in the javelin, but erased that shortcoming with a bronze medal in the Class AAA discus with a top throw of 158-3.
He hit the throw with his second attempt in the final round.
Rohal said he was nervous competing in his first WPIAL final round, but left with the feeling he wanted to do more.
无毛视频淚 just wanted to get higher up. I wanted to get in 170s,无毛视频� said Rohal. 无毛视频淚 was very upset after the javelin. I无毛视频檝e never been able to throw here.无毛视频�
Rohal will now compete in his first state meet.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 happy I无毛视频檓 going. I don无毛视频檛 see myself placing, honestly. But, it无毛视频檚 an honor to be there,无毛视频� said Rohal.
Rohal also helped Belle Vernon sophomore Ryan Kent celebrate after Kent broke the school record with his fourth-place throw of 155 feet.
无毛视频淚 was not nervous. I无毛视频檝e been through two state championships in football. This is my zone,无毛视频� said Kent. 无毛视频淚 came in as the 10th seed and was eighth heading into finals.
无毛视频淚 went up five feet every throw. It was the environment and the guys around me. They just really pump you up.
无毛视频淭hese guys are always there for me. The support around that throw was the most support I无毛视频檝e ever received.无毛视频�
Mount Pleasant无毛视频檚 Garrett Eicher won the Class AA bronze medal in the pole vault after he cleared 13 feet on his last attempt. He earned his second PIAA berth.
无毛视频淢ake this or else,无毛视频� Eicher told himself as he prepared for his final attempt at 13 feet. 无毛视频淚 wanted to get that PR at 13-6. I was close.无毛视频�
Teammate Gage Sowers finished sixth after he cleared 12-6.
无毛视频淚 was a little nervous,无毛视频� said the freshman, adding, 无毛视频淚 was close at 13 feet.无毛视频�
Ringgold无毛视频檚 Ryan Pajak won the silver medal in the Class AAA 1,600 after finishing second to Butler无毛视频檚 Drew Griffiths. Griffiths finished first in 4:03.22 with Pajak second in 4:07.06.
Elizabeth Forward无毛视频檚 Patrick Burgos placed seventh in the race with a time of 4:19.29.
Brownsville无毛视频檚 400 relay was seventh in the Class AA 400 relay with a time of 44.31 seconds.
Southmoreland无毛视频檚 Adam Halinka qualified for the Class AA state meet after he placed fifth in the 300 intermediate hurdles in 40.8 seconds.
Elizabeth Forward无毛视频檚 Chris Climes was seventh in the Class AAA shot put with a throw of 51-9陆.
Waynesburg Central无毛视频檚 Dalton Taylor was sixth (141-3) and Beth-Center无毛视频檚 Ryan Minerd placed seventh (139-11) in the Class AA javelin.
Connellsville senior Bryson Edwards finished sixth in the triple jump with a top effort of 43-陆 feet. He fell 5陆 inches short of a top-four finish and an automatic berth into the state meet.
无毛视频淚 won my flight,无毛视频� said Edwards. 无毛视频淚 got a PR. That无毛视频檚 the most important thing.
无毛视频淚t was the last jump of my life. That无毛视频檚 a good one to end the season on.无毛视频�