Area athletes medal at states
Troy Apke, who won the WPIAL championship, finished fifth in the 100-meter dash during the PIAA championships. The Mt. Lebanon High School senior will use his speed on the gridiron next year at Penn State University.
Claire Dougherty toughs out the final lap in the 800-meter run during the WPIAL championships. The Mt. Lebanon sophomore finished ninth in the event during the PIAA finals held this past weekend at Shippensburg University.
Patrick Kimball clears the hurdles during the WPIAL championships. While the sophomore qualified for the PIAA championships, he did not advanced to the finals.
All that glitters is not always gold. Just ask the area athletes, who garnered medals at the PIAA track and field championships over the weekend in Shippensburg. Their earnings shimmered almost as brightly.
Addy Knetzer secured silver in the shot put with a toss of 42-4 ¾. The Chartiers-Houston senior trailed only Kailyn Clancy. The California senior, who will throw at Iowa State next year, won with a throw of 45 feet, 6.75 inches. It was Clancy’s second straight state title.
For Knetzer there was no shame in second. Since her freshman year, when she threw only 30 feet, Clancy has been an inspiration.
“She is so good and to have her in the WPIAL with me, she is not necessarily pushing me, but I’m trying to catch up to her,” said Knetzer.
“It’s tough that I couldn’t beat her, but I’m happy to be here. She has made me better. If it weren’t for her, I may not be as good as I am now.”
Knetzer was good enough for 10th in the discus. That was four slots behind Clancy.
Bronze was the color that hung around the necks of Dejalynn Peterson from Chartiers Valley, Kelsey Potts of Mt. Lebanon and Alec Rideout from Canon-McMillan.
While Peterson took third in the 400-meter dash in 56.33, Potts claimed that spot in the 1,600-meter race won by Brianna Schwartz from Shaler. A junior, Schwartz won the race in 4:46.95. A sophomore, Potts posted a 4:50.13 time, good enough for a spot on the NFHS’s honor roll.
Rideout took third in the discus with a throw of 181-3. Hempfield’s Max Adams won the event with a toss of 198-3.
A senior, who will throw at Marietta College while pursuing an engineering degree, Rideout also finished fifth in the shot put.
Fifth was another favored finish by three other area standouts.
Mitch Walko of South Fayette finished fifth in the high hurdles with a 14.67 time. That was .65 off the pace the junior set in the semifinals when he beat Montae Nicholson. A Michigan State football recruit and Gateway senior, Nicholson won the race in a time (14.02) good enough for the NFHS’s honor roll.
“I wrecked all of the hurdles,” Valko said. “I almost kissed the ground on the third one and had to make up from there.”
Troy Apke and Jillian Hunsberger also provided strong showings for Lebo. Both are seniors bound for Penn State.
While Hunsberger took fifth in the 3,200 run with a 10:53.36 time, Apke placed fifth in the 100-meter dash in 10.85. Though Apke lowered his semifinal time by .08, Demetrius Lanier from East Stroudsburg South won the race in 10.64.
Lebo’s showing at states capped a successful spring for the Blue Devils. While the ladies finished third in the district team standings, the boys took runner-up honors as a team in the WPIAL.
There were several other standout efforts additionally for Lebo throughout the season, including that of Jon Heagy. The senior scored a personal record when he cleared 6 feet, 3 inches and clinched second place in the high jump at the WPIAL championships. He placed 14th at the PIAA championships with a leap of 6-2.
While medals were awarded to the top eight finishers at states, Lebo’s Claire Dougherty and Jillian Linkowski managed solid showings in their premier events. A sophomore, who also excels in cross-country, Dougherty clocked a 2:17.05 time for ninth in the 800 run. Linkowski was 15th in the long jump, which was won by Hempfield’s Maddie Holmberg.
Also notching ninth-place finishes for Lebo were Audrey Gordon in the 1,600 with a 5:05.40 mark and Joe Ferari in the pole vault at 13-06. The 4-by-800 relay scored ninth as well with a 9:21.25 time.
Bethel Park had a pair of medalists.
Alexandra Stevenson placed seventh in the discus with a toss of 130. The junior added 11th in the shot put. Bill Ruschel, a senior, secured seventh in the triple jump.
Other noteworthy showings in Class AA included:
• Caroline DeFrank from Bishop Canevin; 11th in the 3,200.
• Natalie Hilton from South Fayette; ninth in the 1600 run with a 5:13.75 time.
• Kasey Buchholz of Keystone Oaks, 19th in the triple jump.