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Like weather, athletes heat up in qualifier

By Rob Burchianti rburchianti@heraldstandard.Com 5 min read

GREENE TWP. — After a season of mostly cold and wet weather, a warm day proved to be to the liking of most area athletes at the WPIAL Class AA Individual Track and Field Qualifier at South Side Beaver High School on Thursday.

“It’s great to finally get a break in the weather,” said Waynesburg Central senior Cody Weimer, who cleared 10-6 in the pole vault and advanced to next week’s WPIAL championships at Baldwin High School. “It’s nice to finally get some good jumps in. If I put in a lot of work I think I can do fairly well in the finals.

“Hopefully, the weather holds out.”

Joining Weimer as Waynesburg athletes who advanced to the finals were double-qualifier Lindsee Zimmer (1,600, 3,200) along with Mitch Warman (shot put), Ben Bumgardner (1,600) and Sean Hilverding (3,200).

Sophomore Ashley McIntosh of California, who moved on in the triple jump with a 33-2 1/2 effort, was happy with the sunny day as well.

“I’m kind of liking today,” McIntosh said with a bright smile. “It’s easier to stay warmed up when it’s like this.

“I’m definitely excited. I was hoping I’d make it and I knew I had a good chance because I was in the second heat.

“I think the only reason I wanted to qualify was to get a T-shirt,” McIntosh added with a laugh.

The Lady Trojans’ Anna Gillispie (high jump) and Marissa Bitonti (javelin) and the Trojans’ James Campbell (300 hurdles) and Kat Taylor (high jump) also advanced.

While most athletes welcomed a day of temperatures in the 80s, West Greene senior Bray Jackson was indifferent.

“It’s a great environment other than the fact I’ll probably get sunburned,” said Jackson, who participated in the javelin. “To me, the weather doesn’t matter that much. I do just as well when it’s cold.”

Jackson, part of a large contingent of Pioneers on hand, didn’t qualify for the finals, but West Greene junior Mikhayla Post made it in the girls 400, with a P.R.

Brownsville qualified five individual athletes and one relay team for the WPIAL championships.

The Lady Falcons’ Maris Seto qualified in all three jumping events (high jump, triple jump, long jump), her sister Allie Seto made it in the high jump, Jenna Shumar advanced in the 100 high hurdles and Sara Vance moved on in the 1,600.

The Falcons’ Byron Mayers made it in both sprints (100, 200) and combined with John Pascoe, C.J. Hackett and Davante Stafford to advance in the 400 relay.

Ironically, one of the Lady Falcons’ qualifiers may have been hurt by the good weather, at least as far as strategy goes.

Allie Seto qualified in all three jumping events as a freshman last year, but advanced in just the high jump this year.

“I took my brace off and I think that was a bad idea,” Seto said. “I hurt my knee back in volleyball season and it’s been bothering me ever since. I’ve been wearing one, especially in the cold weather, but I thought since it was hot today I could get by without it. My knee sort of buckled on my last attempt (of the triple jump), though.”

Brownsville coach Jim Barak was happy with his team’s showing.

“Overall, these kids did absolutely wonderful,” Barak said. “It’s nice to see that we’re represented by all grade levels. The four-by-100 team, when I heard they made it I got slightly emotional, that’s how proud I was of them. Brownsville hasn’t had a four-by-100 team make the finals in at least 10 years.

“The girls have done a great job all year long. This is three years in a row that Maris had made it in all three jumping events and Jenna’s second year in a row in the hurdles.”

Frazier will be sending four athletes to Baldwin, including seniors Cassidy Guiser (400) and Matt Brown (javelin), who both will be making their third appearance in the finals, and Annya Kossol, who made it in the high jump and triple jump. Alena Blazczak (javelin) also qualified.

Brown had the longest throw in the javelin at 177-4.

Beth-Center junior Hannah Lacey looked impressive in qualifying for both sprints (100, 200) and she also combined with Lady Bulldogs’ Katie Hall, Brooke Lincoski and Hannah Lipniskis to advance in the 400 relay.

The Bulldogs’ 3,200 relay team of Cameron King, Kenneth Miller, Dominic Clutter and Mike Markovich also advanced.

Jefferson-Morgan had one qualifier in Aaron Mylan, who moved on in the 3,200.

While qualifying for the WPIAL finals is the ultimate goal at a qualifier, it isn’t the only one.

“I had two sprinters hit P.R.’s today,” J-M coach Dave Friend said, noting the performances of junior Nick Teegarden and freshman Madison Clayton. “They didn’t move on to next week, but they are making progress.

“Especially Madison. For a ninth-grader to make it to this point, with all the athletes from all the other schools that are here, to get a P.R. here is an accomplishment.”

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