WPIAL track qualifier
Lady Raiders, Fillies, Mustangs advance individual athletes WEST MIFFLIN – With the team season over for Laurel Highlands and Uniontown, the attention of the track and field athletes turned to individual performances Tuesday at the WPIAL Class AAA southern regional qualifier held at West Mifflin Stadium.
The Laurel Highlands boys and girls will be well represented along with several Lady Red Raiders advanced through the qualifier to next Thursday’s WPIAL Class AAA Individual Track and Field Championships to be held at Baldwin High School. Unfortunately, the Uniontown boys and Belle Vernon did not have anyone place in the top six qualifying spots.
The meet opened with gray, rainy, miserable weather, but turned sunny and pleasant in the early evening when the finals of most of the track events were held.
Uniontown’s Michelle DeShields was a busy person. DeShields was the only local athlete to compete in four events and the only one to qualify in three. She tied for first in the high jump, was second in the long jump and ran the anchor of the final team to qualify in the 400 relay. Though subject to further review, DeShields plans to compete in all three events.
“I was ready to jump out of one event, but I’m out of the 100,” explained DeShields. “I had a good jump in the long jump and everybody at 5-feet in the high jump advanced.
The Lady Red Raiders’ 400 relay team of Shequita Thomas, Teya Minor, Jocelyn Chandler and DeShields persevered through some faulty baton exchanges to qualify in the sixth and final berth.
Scarlett Graham continued her resurgence in the 2002 track season by qualifying in both the 1,600 and 3,200. The junior finished fourth in the 1,600, using a late kick in final 200 meters to secure the berth.
“I went out a little faster than I wanted to,” Graham said after the 1,600. “I was looking at the girls ahead of me (in the final stretch). I really wanted to go to the WPIAL finals. I wanted to give it anything I had.”
Meagan Coneybeer had no problem in her heat of the 100 high hurdles, then used the momentum to finish second with a time of 15.8 seconds in her semifinal heat for a qualifying spot.
“My time in the heat was bad for me. It was slow, but I knew it was all I had to do to make the finals,” Coneybeer said. “I went all out in the semifinals. I go 1-2-3, hurdle, 1-2-3, hurdle. That’s all that registers from the time of the gun until I finish.”
Satisfied with her hurdle technique, Coneybeer will use the week to work on her sprint speed in between hurdles, fine tuning her form for the WPIAL finals.
The Laurel Highlands girls had only two girls advance, but both girls qualified in two events. Diane Gmiter finished first in the shot put and third in the javelin while Mikie Monaghan was third in both the 800 and 1,600.
Gmiter’s disappointment in the shot put was tempered by her effort in the javelin. She fell short of 38-feet in the shot, but established a personal best in the javelin of 117 feet, 10 inches.
“Every time I compete I want a better mark,” said Gmiter, tempering initial remark by adding with a smile, “All-in-all, it wasn’t a bad day. It’s always nice to go through (advance to the WPIAL finals) with style.”
Monaghan had a personal best in the 800 of 2:21.5, running a consistent race throughout by deciding not to race out with the rabbit start.
“All I wanted to do is qualify in the 800. I’m really excited, actually. It’s the most steady I’ve run,” Monaghan said.
The junior won’t mind the extra work in the 1,600 in addition to running the 1,600 relay with Danielle LaPresta, Jessi Evans and Deena Blanc.
“I work better under pressure. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I was in one event.”
The Mustangs had a strong showing all around the track and field, including a surprise berth in the discus. Jerry Powell was expected to advance, as he did, but teammate Danny Partyka finished sixth with a throw of 123-8 to give Laurel Highlands boys coach Bob Costello a smile.
“I never had touched a discus until two months ago,” the first-year senior said. “My friend Jerry Powell talked me into going out. I didn’t even know how to hold a discus now I’ve qualified for the WPIAL finals. All I wanted was a PR. It was two feet less than what I wanted, but it’s still good enough to qualify.”
The boys discus was during the early rain, causing some problems for Powell in the throwing circle.
“There were puddles in the circle. You can only do so much,” Powell said. “There are a lot of things I can work on (by next week). This is the time to peak.”
Brandon Mahoney was expected to advance in the pole vault, and only needed three vaults to do so. He has already hit the state qualifying mark of 13-9 so it’s just a matter of doing the right vault at the right time. Hopefully his confidence booster, pole vault coach Joe Jupina, will make an appearance as he did Tuesday.
“What helped me the most was my coach, Joe Jupina, showing up at the last moment. It boosted my confidence,” said Mahoney, who is still battling a leg injury sustained in last week’s team tournament.
Nathan Forse bolted out of the blocks, then had to use all he had in the final 100 meters to hold on for the final berth in the 400.
“I was trying to run as hard as I could. You know you’re getting passed. You have to kick in a little harder.”
Tony Patitucci brought another pleasant surprise to Costello by qualifying with the sixth spot in the long jump. The boys 400 relay team of Bryan Florkevich, Garret Brain, Corey Nesser and Jack Rose finished second in a time of 44 seconds.
Rounding out the local qualifiers was the Mustangs’ Adam Shinsky. The senior ran a sound race in the 800, going out in the first 400 in around 60 seconds and finishing the second 400 in 61 seconds to finish sixth in the fast heat.
“I knew I was sixth and was hearing footsteps. I had a lot left at the end,” Shinsky said. “The most important thing was to make the finals. It was harder this year than last year. Last year sixth place was 2:06.”
In Class AA action at South Side Beaver, Beth-Center qualified three athletes for next Tuesday’s final, to be held at the same venue.
Distance runner Aaron Beck finished third in the 1,600 with a time of 4:53, and fifth in the 3,200 in 10:57 to reach the final in both events.
George Hilverding gave the Bulldogs a second qualifier with a second-place performance in the 800, crossing the finish line in 2:05.03.
Danielle Hutchinson gave the Lady Bulldogs a representative with a third-place showing in the shot put, thanks to a heave of 111 feet, six inches.