C-M, South Fayette fall short of WPIAL gold
Bennett Pidro
Jonathan Guth/For the Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan’s Bennett Pidro is about to land in the sand pit during the long jump Tuesday afternoon at the WPIAL Class 3A Team Championships at West Mifflin. Pidro jumped a personal-best 18-5 1/2 to finish second behind teammate Rose Kuchera.
Jonathan Gurth/Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan’s Rose Kuchera soars in the long jump during Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 3A Team Championship meet at West Mifflin. Kuchera won the event in 19-1 1/4.
Jonathan Guth/Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan’s Rose Kuchera powers her way to the finish line to win the 100 hurdles in 15.40 during Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 3A Team Championships at West Mifflin.
WEST MIFFLIN – The depth of champion North Allegheny and runner-up Norwin was too much for Canon-McMillan and South Fayette to contend with during Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 3A Team Championship, but the Big Macs and Lions had their fair share of individual success on the track and in the field.
North Allegheny defeated the Knights (87-63), Canon-McMillan (87-63) and South Fayette (107-43) on their way to the title, while Norwin topped the Big Macs (78-72) and the Lions (103-47). Canon-McMillan defeated its section rival South Fayette, 96-54.
“Outside of the distance events, we won most of the events here today,” Canon-McMillan coach Mike Koots said. “Our girls had a good showing today. We are not quite as deep as some of these other teams.”
Lions coach Scott Litwinovich was proud of his team for reaching the finals, and said the extra meet provides them with an opportunity to gear up for the WPIAL individual finals, which are scheduled for May 17 at Slippery Rock University.
“I knew we were going to have a good team, but you just never know,” Litwinovich said. “We beat a really good Pine-Richland team last week, but it was nice to have our kids to compete at their home facility one last time. We don’t have quite the depth that some of these other teams here do. We have had three meets in six days, which is pretty tough on the kids.”
The Big Macs’ Rose Kuchera continued her streak of excellence as the junior won the 100 hurdles in 15.40 – a top-25 time in the state – the triple jump in 40-1 – top-50 in the nation – and the long jump in 19-1.25, a top-10 effort in the state. She also teamed up with Bennett Pidro, Bryce Dean and Abby Mitrik to win the 400 relay in 48.91.
“It is a really exciting feeling for our team to be doing this well,” Kuchera said. “For as long as I’ve been on the team, we’ve never made it this far, or even gotten close to this far. It has been a long time coming for our program.
“I am using this meet to get myself prepared for the WPIAL individual meet next year. It is not as bad doing so many events since I do the field events. They are not as draining as the track events.”
Pidro won the 100-meter dash in 12.58, was second in the long jump, but had a personal record of 18-5 ½. Pidro’s long jump is a top-10 mark in the state. She was second in the 200 to South Fayette’s Olivia Renk, who won in 26.13. Pidro crossed the finish line in 26.14.
“Me and Olivia from South Fayette are always back and forth, so we knew we were going to have tough competition with each other,” Pidro said. “Luckily, I pulled out a win in the 100, and it felt really great. I came in jumping 17-7 in the long jump, and I pulled an 18-5 ½ out of nowhere. I was just feeling good coming into the day.
“I’ll be doing my normal events next week at the WPIAL individual championships. I only qualified in the 4×100 for states last year, but I am looking to get through this year in my individual events.”
Both Kuchera and Pidro acknowledged the excitement of competing in the WPIAL finals. The Canon-McMillan girls program last reached the team finals in 2005.
“With the first few meets this year, we could all tell we were a high-qualifying team,” Pidro said. “Last year, we were pretty good, but we could just tell this year we were going to be a top team. We knew we were going to go far, but we didn’t know it was going to be this far.”
Renk was second to Pidro in the 100 with a time of 12.72, but was pleased with how she competed Tuesday, and is looking forward to the WPIAL individual finals.
“I had a good push out my first 100 meters in the 200, but I think I started to break down in the last 50,” Renk said. “I saw Bennett leaning over the line, and I wasn’t sure if I got it or not. I PR’d in the long jump, but I am kind of juggling whether I want to do that event at the WPIAL individual meet. I am looking to qualify for states next week.”
The Big Macs’ Maggie Clair won the shot put in 37-10. Her effort was a top-25 throw in the state.
The Lions’ Erica King topped the field in the discus with a toss of 105-5.
The Tigers swept the top three places in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs, and won the 800 as Wren Kucler broke the tape in 2:15.35. Kuchler won the 1,600 in 5:03.03 and Grace Rowley needed 11:12.71 to cross the finish line first in the 3,200.