Quarzo, Shriver, Spirnak win WPIAL gold
Brownsville’s Gionna Quarzo leads the field through the first lap of the 3,200 Thursday in the WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University. Quarzo won the gold medal in a record-breaking time of 10:34.35.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg Central’s Taylor Shriver clears her opening height of 10-9 on May 16, 2019 in the WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University. The sophomore won the gold medal with a record-breaking vault of 12-7 and went on to earn a PIAA bronze medal. Shriver was drawing attention from SEC schools following the 2019 season but those offers dissipated after her junior year was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Elizabeth Forward’s Bri Spirnak pulls the javelin back for a throw in the Class AAA finals in Thursday’s WPIAL Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University. Spirnak successfully defended her gold medal with a throw of 141-3.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Frazier’s Skye Eicher finished second in the the 100 in Thursday’s WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University. Her silver medal-winning time was 12.25 seconds.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Southmoreland’s Mercedes Smartnick clicks the bar in the finals of the high jump Thursday at the WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University. Smartnick cleared 4-10 to finish seventh.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg Central’s Bree Echegaray clears her opening height in the high jump in Thursday’s WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University. Echegaray cleared 4-10 to finish fifth and qualify for the PIAA Championships.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Makayla Boda placed sixth in the 100 high hurdles with a time of 16.74 seconds Thursday in the WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Belle Vernon’s Hannah Seitzinger (left) finishes second to Hampton’s Valerie Fischer in the 400 Thursday afternoon in the WPIAL Class AAA Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University. Fischer’s winning time was 57.51 seconds with Seitzinger second in 57.74.
SLIPPERY ROCK — Waynesburg Central’s Taylor Shriver, Brownsville’s Gionna Quarzo and Elizabeth Forward’s Bri Spirnak all had dominating performances in their gold medal-winning efforts Thursday at the WPIAL Class AAA/AA Track & Field Championships at Slippery Rock University.
Shriver won her gold medal in record-breaking style, breaking Waynesburg’s Marissa Kalsey’s mark of 12-6 set in 2012.
She easily cleared her opening height of 10-9, and only missed once as she climbed through 11-3, 12 feet and her winning vault of 12-7.
“I wanted 13 (feet), but I ran the 400 relay and my legs were tired by that point,” said Shriver. “I wanted consistency.
“I had to focus on me and myself. It’s hard to do with all the noise.”
Shriver added, “I owe so much to Coach (Butch) Brunell.”
Quarzo had control of the 3,200 just 300 meters into the 8-lap race, cruising to the district title in a record-breaking time of 10:34.35. The junior broke the mark of 10:45.54 set by Vincentian Academy’s Marianne Abdalah in 2014.
“I was surprised (she had such a big early lead), but that’s what I wanted. But, I wanted to go a little slower than that,” said Quarzo. “I was surprised I was lapping a couple girls on the fourth lap. I thought ‘I must be going fast.'”
Quarzo said finishing second in the 1,600, which she dropped for the state meet, helped with the 3,200.
“Running a race before loosens up my legs,” said Quarzo.
Spirnak was leading after the first prelim throws and cemented her second Class AAA javelin gold medal in as many years on her final attempt, 141-3. She posted a 135-7 in the prelims.
“There was kinda pressure,” said Spirnak of being the defending champion. “It was not as good as I wanted it to be, personally. But, there’s always another day to get better.”
Spirnak has another week to break the elusive school record.
“I was going for 162-9, the school record. That will be the goal for the end of the year. It’s crunch time now,” said Spirnak.
Belle Vernon’s Hannah Seitzinger had the fastest time entering the Class AAA 400, but Hampton’s Valerie Fischer slipped by the junior to win in 57.51 seconds. Seitzinger’s silver medal time was 57.74 seconds.
“I didn’t know until we had five meters left. It was too little, too late then,” said Seitzinger. “She used me in the last 50 meters. I couldn’t see her until the end.
“I wouldn’t change my race. I just go run my race and I did that today.”
Brownsville’s Aniya Tarpley didn’t wait to post a mark in the Class AA triple jump, clearing 35-9. Tarpley was first heading in the final three jumps, but Brentwood’s Quintasia Streeter hit 39-9¼ on her final attempt to slip by the junior for the gold medal.
“She beat me by ¼-inch,” said Tarpley. “I got my PR for the season.”
Tarpley will be making her first trip to the state meet.
“I’m focused. I want to hit 36 (feet). I’m there,” said Tarpley.
Frazier’s Skye Eicher wanted gold in the Class AA 100-meter dash, but wasn’t that displeased with the silver. Her finals time of 12.25 was just off her PR of 12.15 seconds.
“Halfway thought I could catch up to her (South Park’s Maddie Raymond),” said Eicher.
Eicher also qualified in the 200 after placing fifth in 26.53 seconds.
Belle Vernon’s Casey Weightman was not only in her first WPIAL final, but did so in her first year of track. She had a pretty good first experience by placing second in the Class AAA javelin with a throw of 129-3.
“This is my first year of throwing. I don’t know what I’m doing,” Weightman said with a laugh, adding, “I’m always nervous. You can see I’m jittery. I don’t let the competition get in my head.”
Mount Pleasant’s Mya Klejka accepted her Class AA javelin bronze medal in tears after she received news of her ailing grandmother. The senior maintained her composure to throw a personal-best 110-1 to finish in third place.
“I’m surprised. This is my first and last year,” said Klejka. “I played softball all my life. I decided for a change. I knew Alex Kadylak (who finished seventh in the javelin), he’s a thrower, too. I said, ‘Why not?’
“I was third entering the finals, but I was still nervous.”
Klejka looked to her first state meet, saying, “It’s a blessing. I’m shooting for the stars. I don’t know if I can reach it, but at least I have a chance to dream.”
Southmoreland sophomore Makayla Slack lived in Rockwood last year, so she was running in her first district meet. Slack placed fourth in the Class AA 100 in 12.60 seconds.
“I got my PR,” said an excited Slack. “I was really scared, but I told myself I can do it. I can do it. And, today I did it!”
Slack continued, saying, “I thought I’d place and not go to states. I’m very glad I made it.”
California’s Makayla Boda picked the right race to run a personal best, finishing fourth in the Class AA 300 intermediate hurdles with a PR of 46.98 seconds, the first time she broke the 47-second barrier.
“We’ve been working on my sprinting from the start. I just knew I wanted to make states so bad,” said Boda, who just missed qualifying for states last year in sixth place. “I was in the second lane. They were all in front of me. I knew I had to speed it up to get to states.”
Boda appreciates the opportunity to run in the state meet.
“I feel privileged. It’s an honor. I’m so proud of myself and I’m going to states again,” said Boda.
Boda also medaled in the 100 high hurdles, placing sixth.
“I love that clink sound,” said a smiling Boda said of her two WPIAL medals.
Waynesburg Central’s Bree Echegaray fell short of the height she had hoped to clear, but safely got over the bar at 4-10 to finish fifth in the Class AA high jump and advance to the state meet.
“I didn’t clear 5 feet at all. It was not my best. I wanted to get at least 5-2,” said Echegaray. “But, I’m just happy I qualified (for states) now. “
Echegaray was injured her first two seasons, so she’ll be making her first trip to Shippensburg.
Teammate Juliana Fowler will also be attending her first PIAA final after finishing fourth in the Class AA long jump with a top distance of 16-5½. Fowler was tied for third heading into the finals, but slipped a couple places down in the final three jumps.
“I was trying to qualify for states. I’m beyond excited. It’s awesome,” said a smiling Fowler. “I always want to win, but it’s a big accomplishment to get there.
“I want to do the best I can.”
Elizabeth Forward senior Hannah Hughes earned a return to the Class AAA state meet after placing fifth in the shot put with a throw of 38-4.
“It’s my PR of the season,” said Hughes, who was 10th last year. “(Hitting the state distance) in the prelims took a lot of pressure off, but I strove to get better.”
“I had a different mental frame. We got a new coach this year and it put a lot of stress on me. Plus, I have a job,” explained Hughes. “I was nervous. I didn’t think I’d get a state distance.
“My goal is to place in states.”
Teammate Dejuanna Gile was sixth in the high jump, clearing 5-3, meeting the state qualifying standard to advance to the state meet.
Waynesburg Central’s Madison Brooks closed her career with an eighth-place finish in the Class AA discus with a throw of 112-4.
West Greene freshman Brooke Barner finished sixth in the Class AA 400 with a time of 1:00.75 and California’s Bre Trusler was close behind in eighth place in 1:02.04.
Connellsville senior Rachael Grimm placed eighth in the Class AAA 400 with a time of 1:00.75.
Elizabeth Forward’s 3,200 relay just missed qualifying for the state meet in Class AAA with Hannah Hebda, Sophia Lee-Hauser, Bailey McLaughlin and Corrine Lee-Hauser placing fifth in 10:22.29.
Beth-Center’s Sydney Urbine finished seventh in the Class AA 800 in 2:22.34. Brownsville’s Jamilah Copeland finished sixth in the Class AA 200 in 26.57 seconds.