Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Week
Name: Katie Demi
School: McGuffey
Sport: Track (javelin)
Year: Senior
Demi’s week: After failing to qualify for the PIAA Championships by one position the past two seasons, Demi assured she made it this year by winning the WPIAL Class AA title in the javelin last week at Baldwin High School.
Demi’s throw of 133-0 bettered her personal record of 132-7, and was 11-4 past the second-place throw of Alena Blazczak of Frazier. There was some satisfaction in the victory as Blazczak had bested Demi the previous week in the Southern Qualifier at South Side Beaver High School.
“I threw 132 in a home match early in the year, then I threw 129 at (the Chartiers-Houston Invitational),” said Demi. “I wasn’t too concerned. I knew I had a good one out there.”
Demi’s 133-0 was the best throw in Class AA this season, nearly four feet better than Zoe Pawlak of Freeport. Demi’s mark is second in the WPIAL (both classifications) behind Madison Wiltrout of Connellsville, who is back from an injury and hit 158-0.
Must be the shoes: One of the keys for Demi is whether the javelin runway is grass or synthetic turf. She prefers the former because she feels it’s harder for her to get good traction on a synthetic turf runway.
“I love the grass because I can wear my soccer spikes,” she said. “I was looking forward to grass again. I get more speed and my feet are a lot better than on the track.”
Moving on: Demi will play soccer and compete in track at West Virginia Wesleyan next fall and McGuffey head coach Justin Crothers believes there are high numbers in her future.
“She’s done basketball, soccer and is a multi-sport star who has done all that before,” he said. “So I think she was ready for it this year. We’ve been working for this meet all year. When she got (to the WPIAL finals) the last two seasons, she threw really bad from her PR. This year, she hit her PR. I don’t know why that is. Maybe nerves in the past.”
One reason for the good showing might be concentrating on quality rather than quantity.
“She hasn’t thrown as much this whole year,” he said. “We’ve limited her throwing during the week. And this is a change from her previous years.”
Compiled by Joe Tuscano