WPIAL Championship Preview - By Oliver Hinson

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Boys Preview | Girls Preview

Girls Sprints

AAA Girls 100m Preview

Anyone coming to see this race, or anyone who's been paying attention to sprinting in the WPIAL, should know the name Dani Prunzik. The Upper Saint Clair senior and Penn State commit is undefeated in the 100 and 200 on the season, and she's picked up victories in the 100 at the 19th Annual South Hills Classic, the Butler Invitational, the Baldwin Invitational, and the TSTCA Outdoor Championship, the last of which saw her run an impressive 11.79, her PR and seed time coming into this meet. 

The only person even close to Prunzik is Franklin Regional's Monroe Law, who comes in with a seed time of just over 12 seconds. She also has an impressive resume, boasting wins from the Lady Spartan/Wildcat Invitational, the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Meet, and the Pine-Richland Invitational. Her only loss on the season? A 3rd place finish at the Butler Invitational, where she came in behind Hayzes Robinson (Avonworth/Northgate), who could take the AA girls 100, as well as, you guessed it, Prunzik.

Behind those two, a flurry of athletes in the low to mid-12s, including Olivia Renk (South Fayette), Bennett Pidro (Canon-McMillan), and several others, will try to pull off an upset. No one seems as ready as Prunzik, but keep in mind, anything could happen.

AA Girls 200m Preview

Laurel's Tory Atkins is the real deal. After winning last year's WPIAL Championship, Atkins went on to take 5th at the PIAA Championships, and this year, she appears even more dominant. With a blistering seed time of 25.17 seconds, she finds herself far ahead of the pack, and she also has an intriguing advantage: dating back to last season, she is undefeated at Slippery Rock - in any event. This includes wins in the 200 and 400 at the SRU High School Invite and the WPIAL Championships from her freshman year, as well as victories in the 200 and 400 from this year's SRU Invite. As long as she isn't too winded from the 100 and 400 - both of which she could win - she seems poised to take home gold in this event. 

If anyone is going to compete with her, though, it will likely be Hayzes Robinson (Avonworth/Northgate). Robinson has more commonly competed in the 100 during her high school career, but she has shown promise in limited appearances in the 200 this year. Throughout the season, her times have progressively dropped, culminating in a PR of 25.70 seconds at the Baldwin Invitational, which earned her 2nd place. After battling Atkins in the 100, an event where she narrowly holds the top seed, she will look to either get revenge or sweep both of her events.

Also, the meet record of 25.41 seconds could be on borrowed time - it lies nearly a quarter second behind Atkins' seed time, and a fast race between these two competitors could see it fall.

Other contenders include Lauryn Speicher (Hopewell), Deidra Cox (Beaver Falls), Simaya Ausby (Aliquippa), and Ava Menzies (Fort Cherry).

AAA Girls 400m Preview

North Allegheny's Isabella Costa is ready to go, to say the least. After starting her season with a 1:00.46 performance at a dual meet versus North Hills and Shaler, she has improved upon that mark in five consecutive meets, culminating in a 57.31 at last week's WPIAL AAA Team Championships. She boasts a win from the Lady Spartan/Wildcat Invitational and a 3rd place finish from the Butler Invitational, and she now has the top seed time coming into this meet. Behind her is Artemis Conaboy (Bethel Park), whose 57.71 mark from the TSTCA Outdoor Championship gives her the second seed. Conaboy was 6th at last year's WPIAL Championships, but she hasn't raced much this year. It's hard to say whether she will be able to replicate what she did in mid-April, but if she can, she could certainly challenge Costa for the gold.

Last year, this race only had 5 athletes under a minute, but on Wednesday, we could see a much faster race - 10 come in with seeds under 60 seconds. All of these top 10 are separated by less than 2.5 seconds, so it appears that this event will be pretty tight. Kate Schall (Penn Trafford) has the 6th seed right now, but she finished 3rd at last year's meet, and she could easily find herself in the top 3 again, as could a number of other contenders, including Angelina Massey (Ringgold), Maya Currie (North Allegheny), and Mylah Faulk (Penn Hills), among others.

AA Girls 4x100m Preview

No matter how you slice it, this is going to be a close race. The top six seeds, led by Carlynton and Quaker Valley, all lie within a second of each other, so a strong leg or two could make the difference. Carlynton has Jordynn Carter, seeded 4th in the 100 meter dash, leading them to the top overall seed, but she will either need a lead going into the home stretch or an impressive anchor leg to beat out the two stars of this race, Hayzes Robinson (Avonworth/Northgate) and Tori Atkins (Laurel). Robinson and Atkins are already facing off in the 100 and 200, and this will only add to the rivalry.

Girls Distance

AAA Girls 1600m Preview

This is a ridiculously fast 1600 race. Six - yes, six - athletes come in with sub-5 times, making this one of the marquee events of the day. Leading the pack is Mount Lebanon's Logan St. John Kletter, who has been impressive, if not otherworldly, this season. Her 4:50.77 season's best, which was actually run in the full mile at the Penn Relays, converts to a 4:49.08 mark in the 1600, which ranks 1st in Pennsylvania. She has only raced a handful of times this outdoor season, but her other performances - a 2:13 800 from the Baldwin Invitational and a 10:25 3200 from the Butler Invitational - have been just as impressive.

North Allegheny's Wren and Robin Kucler are also in the mix for this race, and these twins are dangerous in any race. Wren has the 2nd best seed time in this race with a mark of 4:55.18, and she is undefeated on the season. She won the Butler Invitational, and she also took gold at the Lady Spartan/Wildcat Invitational in the 3200. Of course, Robin is not undefeated, as she most often races in the same events as Wren, but she still has some impressive performances nonetheless, including a 3rd place finish at the Butler Invitational and a 2nd place finish, right behind her sister, in the 3200 at the Lady Spartan/Wildcat Invitational.

The other sub-5 runners in this race include Natalie McLean (Pine-Richland), Harley Kletz (Montour), and Eliza Miller (Kiski Area), all household names in WPIAL distance running. McLean, a Georgetown commit, won the PIAA XC State Championships in the fall, and she was 11th in the 3000 meter run at the Penn Relays. Kletz was 2nd in the 1600 at the Butler Invitational, and Miller won this event at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Meet. This race will almost certainly go out at a blistering pace, and it will probably be a tight one. Kletter could certainly surge ahead early, leaving everyone in the dust, but she isn't invincible. If the North Allegheny teammates, McLean, Kletz, or Miller can hold on, they just might have a shot at the gold.

AA Girls 1600m Preview

The 1600 will feature a battle between old and new. Brownsville senior and NC State commit Jolena Quarzo is nothing if not established; coming in as a 6-time WPIAL champion, a 4-time PIAA champion, and a silver medalist in the 5,000m at this year's New Balance Indoor Nationals, she takes "impressive resume" to a new level. Her outdoor season's best lies at 5:10.55, but don't take her seed time at face value - she ran 4:54 last outdoor season and 4:51 this indoor season, and she will likely carry this race under 5 minutes. 

The "new" face in this battle is sophomore Hope Haring (Eden Christian Academy). Haring enjoyed great success in the 800 last year, finishing 8th at the PIAA Championships, but she is relatively new on the 1600 scene. This year, she boasts a 6th place finish at the South Fayette Invitational and an 8th place finish in a stacked McKinney Mile at the Baldwin Invitational. Her PR, converted from her mile time, is 5:10.37, which is a fair bit behind Quarzo's best mark, but that doesn't mean she's out of the race by any means. She could easily earn an upset victory and establish herself as a household name in WPIAL distance running.

Other contenders include Chelsea Hartman (Shady Side Academy), Ella Andrew (Beaver Area), Kadi Bauer (Burrell), Rhyley Bendel (Shady Side Academy), and Lexi Fluharty (Riverside).

AAA 4x800m Preview

This relay is nothing if not deep. Up front, we have a battle between two Westmoreland County teams, Hempfield Area and Norwin. They both ran fast times, 9:34.38 and 9:42.32, respectively, at their dual meet against each other, and Hempfield also won their rematch at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Meet. The Spartans are led by senior Cydney Blahovec, who also holds the 5th seed in the 800 for this meet, while Norwin features a deep, balanced squad with all four classes represented.

Of course, both teams have to be thankful that North Allegheny's 4x800 team will not be taking part; the Tigers have the best time in the WPIAL this year at 9:33. Without them, the door is wide open, not only for Hempfield Area and Norwin, but for many others. Hampton, South Fayette, and Pine-Richland are all seeded close behind Norwin at 9:44, so they could easily find themselves in the lead. Peters Township and Mount Lebanon aren't far behind, either. After Hempfield Area, seeds 2-8 are separated by 8 seconds, so the race could play out a number of different ways.

Girls Hurdles

AAA Girls 300m Hurdles Preview

The 100 hurdles should be easily won by Rose Kuchera of Canon-McMillan - no one is even relatively close to her. That isn't the tale in the intermediate hurdles, though: it is likely to be a close race, with a number of talented contenders. Delaney Schumaker (South Fayette) comes in with the top seed, a 45.80 mark which earned her a gold medal at the Baldwin Invitational. Right behind her in that race was Hempfield Area's Lindsay Simmons, who comes in with the 4th fastest seed time, and taking home bronze was Elisabeth Franczyk (Canon-McMillan), who holds the 3rd fastest seed time. The 2nd seed belongs to Megan Cain (Mount Lebanon), who placed 4th at the Butler Invitational and 2nd at the South Fayette Invitational in addition to a win at the Mount Lebanon Invitational.

Seeds 1-9 in this race are separated by less than a second, so it could certainly be a toss-up. Other contenders include Bryce Dean (Canon-McMillan), Bella Brozeski (Norwin), Brylee Bodnar (Greater Latrobe), Evabella Cox (South Fayette), and Sadie Orie (Bethel Park).

AA Girls 300m Preview

The story is as simple as this: Quaker Valley's Nora Johns has never lost a race in the 300 meter hurdles. Naturally, that means she is a two-time WPIAL and PIAA champion, and she is the top seed coming into this race. Her PR is currently 44.78 seconds, which she achieved at last year's PIAA Championships, and it places her nearly three seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Behind Johns, we will see Cyd Kennard (Winchester Thurston), Emma Larkin (Geibel Catholic), and Kayla Brose (Chartiers Houston) battle for what will likely be second place. Kennard boasts a 3rd place finish from the South Fayette Invitational, while Larkin won this event at the Fayette County Coaches Association Championships. Brose, meanwhile, won the SRU High School Invite, earning gold on the same track she'll be competing on at this meet. If she could do the impossible and catch Johns, maybe we'll see a bit of deja vu.

Girls Jumps

AAA Girls High Jump Preview

Grace Howard (South Fayette) and Anna Troutman (Fox Chapel Area) have the top seeds, both at 5-5, in this packed event. Howard, a Coastal Carolina commit and the defending champion from last year's WPIAL Championships, has an impressive resume this season, featuring a win from the Mount Lebanon Invitational, a 2nd place finish from the South Fayette Invitational, and a 9th place finish from the Baldwin Invitational. Troutman, meanwhile, took 2nd at the Butler Invitational and 3rd at the Pine-Richland Invitational.

Seeded close behind at 5-4 are Katie Craig (Seneca Valley), Grace Nichols (Butler), and Sonja Stugart (Pine-Richland). Seeds 6-10 are all seeded at 5-3, and any of these competitors could make their way onto the podium. Notably, Ashley Laukus (Norwin) took home a silver medal at the PTFCA Indoor Track and Field Championships, so she could certainly be dangerous at this event. Last year, Howard's jump of 5-3 earned gold, but that mark will almost surely be higher on Wednesday.

AA Girls High Jump Preview

There are no favorites in the high jump. Sure, we have a top seed - Ava Koski of Neshannock earned that with a jump of 5-3.5 (and a gold medal) at the Keystone Invitational on April 21. Right behind her, though, is Oumou Thiero (Quaker Valley), who cleared 5-3 at the Northern Area Last Chance Meet last Thursday. The next five have seeds of 5-2, too, giving this event an "up for grabs" label. Look for Koski, Thiero, Ella Neil (California Area), Delaney Sturgeon (Ellwood City), Emily Mahle (Waynesburg Central), Mia Gartley (Quaker Valley), or Elliot Oliphant (South Park) to win this stacked event.

AAA Girls Long Jump Preview

No WPIAL preview would be complete without mentioning the name Rose Kuchera. The multi-event star for Canon-McMillan is ranked 2nd in the state for the long jump, and she comes in with a seed of 19-6.25, over a foot better than anyone else. She is undefeated on the season, and her long jump wins include victories at the Morgantown Invitational, the Washington-Greene County Championship, the Baldwin Invitational, and the WPIAL AAA Team Championships. Last year, she didn't have her best day at this meet, as she finished 5th and did not compete at the PIAA Championships (although she did compete in the triple jump and the 100 meter hurdles). This year, she is poised to change that tune.

Behind Kuchera is her teammate, Bennett Pidro, seeded at 18-5.5. Pidro is also a multi-event star - she will compete in the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash at these WPIAL Championships. She was 2nd at the Washington-Greene County Championship, the Baldwin Invitational, and the WPIAL AAA Team Championships, just behind Kuchera, of course.

Other contenders include Nataiah Robertson-Dutrielle (Norwin), who is seeded just half a second behind Pidro, as well as Isabella Costa (North Allegheny). If anyone were to upset Kuchera, it would be a major occurrence - however, she would still have opportunities to win the 100 meter hurdles and triple jump.

Girls Throws

AA Girls Shot Put Preview

This event is sure to be a close one. Knoch's Madison Hunt holds the top seed with a throw of 39-4, while Mikayla Anderson (Beaver Falls) is close behind at 38-11. Hunt has been impressive this season, picking up a 3rd place finish at the Pine Richland Invitational and a 10th place finish at the Butler Invitational, while Anderson has 1st place finishes from the SRU High School Invite and the South Fayette Invitational. Other contenders include Eris Pil (Winchester Thurston), Liz Dlugos (Greensburg Central Catholic), and Maria Bryant (Shenango), all of whom are seeded less than a foot behind Hunt and have some impressive throws on their resume. Pil won the TSTCA Outdoor Championship, while Bryant was 2nd, and Dlugos was 3rd at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Meet.

AAA Girls Discus Preview

Liz Tapper is one of the best throwers in the country, and certainly the best discus thrower in the WPIAL. Her season's best, a phenomenal 159-9, gives her the best mark in Pennsylvania, and the next highest seed in this meet belongs to Marlo Cyanovich (Montour) at 136-7. The question in this event is certainly not who the winner will be; rather, most attention will be focused on whether Tapper can break the meet record, which currently stands at 157-2 and was set in 2009 by Freedom Area's Ashley Adams. While her seed is only a few feet higher, her PR, set last season, is 163-9, and on this big a stage, she could easily return to over 160 feet.

Another question could be: who will claim the rest of the podium spots? Behind Cyanovich, Mia Pierce (Laurel Highlands) is seeded at 131-10, the only other athlete seeded above 130 feet. Pierce and Cyanovich will have a tough battle for silver - barring a miracle.