Get to the point
Uniontown’s Syner to continue academic, running careers at Point Park University
Ethan Syner will be putting in the miles this summer.
The recent graduate of Uniontown Area High School has selected Point Park University to continue his academic and running careers as a member of the Pioneers’ cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field teams.
Syner’s road to Point Park began as an eighth grader in the middle school cross country program at Uniontown, which wasn’t the best for last year’s Fayette County Coaches Association (FCCA) cross country champion, but he steadily progressed over the years, and it all came together as a senior with Syner finishing 19th in the PIAA Class 2A Boys Cross Country Championship on Nov. 1 at the Parkview Cross Country Course in Hershey.
Syner, who swam for the Red Raiders in the winter, didn’t have similar results in track & field, but he was the MVP on the track in the FCCA meet as a senior. Syner, like many of the runners in the area, had solid times but the depth of track & field in Class 3A hindered him from qualifying for the WPIAL championship meet.
He will also benefit from collegiate track & field competing in longer races, as high school track & field only goes as far as the 3,200-meter run (near two miles). Point Park also offers indoor track & field, which will keep Syner engaged the whole year.
“I did cross country more for fun in eighth grade,” Syner said. “I was one of the worst runners on the team. We had a really good team my freshman year, so I didn’t make the top seven for the postseason races, but I started to improve and was able to qualify for the state meet as a junior. We also qualified as a team, but I ran well enough that I would have made it as an individual. That’s when I started to realize I could do well if I kept working.”
When Point Park came calling, Syner wasn’t sure how to take it, but he is pleased with the opportunity to compete at the next level while pursuing his degree in mechanical engineering as part of the school’s honors program.
“It is hard to put it into words, but I am proud of myself for having a college offer me a scholarship,” Syner said. “I know it is going to be tough, and the coach sent me a workout schedule for the summer, which pushes my mileage, but I will be running longer races.”
High school cross country races are 5K (3.1 miles), but collegiate races range from 8K (5 miles) to 10 K (6.2 miles). Syner hasn’t competed in a race longer than a 5K, but he is suited to run longer distances, as his strength is to push the pace early, as opposed to waiting back and using his kick to finish.
The Pioneers are coached by Tim Creamer in cross country and track & field. Josef DiPietrantonio is the assistant cross country coach and works with the distance runners in track & field.
Brownsville graduate Gionna Quarzo is also on staff as a graduate assistant for cross country. She will also be working with the distance runners in track & field, but primarily with the women’s team.
“I remember her sister JoJo, but she had already graduated by the time I started running,” Syner said. “She won’t be the coach I report to, but it is still pretty neat to have someone from our area on staff. I will take any pointers she provides.”
In addition to training this summer, Syner will be working full-time for Samco Enterprises, Inc., in Mount Braddock. The job focuses on what he intends to study in college.
While he will miss the camaraderie of running with his alma mater, Syner has formed friendships with his new teammates, and the squad communicates through a group chat in regards to workouts. Syner will need to do most of his training in the evening, but he is prepared for the challenge.
“My teammates and I went on a long run last Sunday,” Syner said. “With my job, it will be tough to run in the mornings, unless I get going at like five, so I will most likely have to do it in the afternoon, which is really hot, but that’s just something I have to prepare for. It was nice to get to know some of the guys I will be running with.”
One teammate Syner already knows is Ringgold graduate Dravin Everley. The two battled this season in section, WPIAL and state meets. Despite the rivalry on the cross country course, the pair developed a friendship, and will work through being student-athletes together.
“I put in a request to be Dravin’s roommate, and I found out he did as well, so we will probably be roommates,” Syner said. “We had that rivalry in cross country, but it was like competing against another teammate, he just happened to be running for Ringgold.
“We always encouraged each other, even when we were sprinting towards the finish line. I hope we can continue that in college.”