Herald-Standard All-Area Track & Field Boys Team
Trojans’ Qualk soars to earn athlete of the year honors
It was now or never for California’s Lee Qualk.
The senior was down to his last attempt in the long jump on May 23 during the PIAA Individual Track & Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium on the campus of Shippensburg University.
Despite a pouring rain that left him drenched from head-to-toe, Qualk soared 22-10.50 to win the Class 2A state title.
Qualk’s championship made him an easy choice for the Herald-Standard Track & Field Boys Athlete of the Year. He is the first boy in program history to win a state championship. Kailyn Clancy won a state title in the Class 2A girls shot put in 2014.
Qualk won his second straight WPIAL championship in the long jump.
“It was just a great experience,” said Qualk after receiving his gold medal and standing atop the podium in Shippensburg. “When I saw that number of 22-10, I just jumped in the air and started celebrating because that was exactly what I was looking for. It means everything to me to be the first boy at California to win a state title.”
Qualk entered the finals of the event in fourth place, and as the rain continued to come down, he knew he had to come through with something big.
“I couldn’t have been happier to have my last jump be my best,” Qualk said. “The rain started pouring down going into the finals, and I was soaked. It was tough jumping in the rain. My second jump in the finals was my worst jump of the day.
“In my final jump, it cleared up a little bit, even though it was still raining. I felt like I had a little bit more wind behind me, and I also just felt like I was ready to jump my best jump of the day.”
Qualk would like to compete in track & field at the collegiate level. He hasn’t committed to a school yet, but hopes winning a state championship will help his stock rise.
Other all-area performers in the Herald-Standard coverage are:
3,200-meter relay: Uniontown (Cooper Gilleland, Ethan Syner, Donte Rugola, Logan Davis)
110-meter hurdles: Derek Routzahn, Connellsville
100-meter dash: Deakyn DeHoet, Beth-Center/Jefferson-Morgan
1,600-meter run: Matt Schwertfeger, Laurel Highlands
400-meter relay: Brownsville (Maxime Dieudonne, Cameron Phillips, Camden Wellington, Levi Grogan)
400-meter dash: Stephen Chapley, Calvary Chapel Christian
300-meter hurdles: Zach Andrews, Waynesburg Central
800-meter run: Matt Schwertfeger, Laurel Highlands
200-meter dash: Jarett Garn, Mount Pleasant
3,200-meter run: Matt Schwertfeger, Laurel Highlands
1,600-meter relay: Mount Pleasant (Bryson Bankosh, Jarett Garn, Aidan Johnson, Damien Ohler)
Shot put: Ryan Kent, Belle Vernon
Discus: Ryan Kent, Belle Vernon
Javelin: Grant Brambley, Laurel Highlands
High jump: Bryson Bankosh, Mount Pleasant
Pole vault: Grant Brambley, Laurel Highlands
Long jump: Lee Qualk, California
Triple jump: Christian Ross, California