Kuchera wins 9th WPIAL gold medal
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
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By the Observer-Reporter
Inclement weather halted Wednesday’s action in the WPIAL Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University, leaving 17 events to be completed Thursday.
Canon-McMillan’s Rose Kuchera didn’t disappoint on Day 2 in winning the girls Class 3A long jump (18-2) for her ninth WPIAL gold medal.
Kuchera, who won the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles Wednesday, has three golds in the triple jump, three in the 100 hurdles, two in the long jump and one in the 400-meter relay over the last three seasons.
Teammate Abby Tucker won the javelin (128-4) and Colton Dean topped the field in the 200 dash (21.71) for his second district gold in the event.
South Fayette’s Olivia Renk pulled away to win in the girls 200 in Class 3A with a time of 24.87. Renk won the 100 Wednesday.
Fort Cherry’s Tegan Henke won the boys 200 in Class 2A in 22.50.
Burgettstown’s Zack Schrockmann jumped a personal-best of 6-5 for victory in the boys high jump in Class 2A.
Trinity’s Zachary Noble set his personal record in the boys Class 3A pole vault at 14-3 for his first district title. Teammate Ella Samuel cleared 5-3 in the girls high jump to finish second and qualify for the state meet as a ninth grader.
Ringgold’s Ryan Pajak (2nd – 3,200) and South Fayette’s Tim Danziger (3rd – 800) automatically qualify for states in boys Class 3A. Charleroi freshman Braedin Lunger was fifth in the high jump in boys Class 2A to advance to states.
Fort Cherry’s girls 1,600-relay team of Ava Menzies, Raney Staub, Jazlyn Martino and Bella Bianchini finished third in Class 2A and advanced. Menzies was fifth in the 200 for a spot at states.
South Fayette’s girls 1,600 relay team qualified by placing second.
Burgettstown’s Peyton Mermon didn’t finish in the top six to automatically qualify for states in the Class 2A girls 200, but the junior Blue Devil met the state-qualifying-standard, crossing the finish line in 25.94.
Peters Township’s Grace Senneway was sixth in the girls 3,200-meter run in Class 3A at 10:55.98. South Fayette’s Alaa-Eddine Guetari was seventh in the 3,200 in boys Class 3A. Both met qualifying standards.
The state championships are May 24-25 at Shippensburg University.