12 Somerset County competitors win gold at District 5-2A Track and Field Championships

LOYSBURG — Twelve Somerset County athletes and two relay teams are headed to Shippensburg University and the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships.

Conemaugh Township senior Ethan Black and Somerset senior Sydney Rush headlined the state qualifiers at the District 5 Class 2A championships Wednesday at Northern Bedford County High School.

Black repeated as champion in the 100- and 200-meter dash. He set a District 5 record in the 100 with a time of 10.48 seconds and ran a 22.05 in the 200. Black anchored the 4x100 relay that set a D5 record with a time of 43.21. Black was joined by Garrett Tunstall, Cameron Dunn and Jon Updyke.

Black, who is the defending state champion in the 100 and 200, was pleased with his day and excited to be peaking ahead of states.

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"I'm just excited our four-by-one got to states," Black said. "We have all new guys this year. This is a great experience for them."

Black is preparing to play football at Penn State while trying to finish his high school track and field career in style. It's not an easy task, but Black is finding the right balance along the way.

"I want to go back-to-back and set state records," he said of the immediate goal. "A lot of this goes out to my Uncle Chris (Tresnicky). He's getting me lifting and training for football and helping me with my speed. He gets me ready for these meets and I am very thankful that he's been able to coach me and get me to this point."

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Meanwhile, Rush dominated the 100 in a time 12.02 seconds, breaking a District 5 record that was set in 1995 by Jessica Haynes (12.30). She also broke the school record. Rush won the long jump in convincing fashion with a leap of 17 feet 1½ inches.

She was also a member of the District 5 record-setting 4x100 relay along with Josie Smith, Kamryn Ross and Abby Urban. The Golden Eagles dusted the field in a time of 50.15, breaking the mark set by Shade in 2019.

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"This is really exciting. I am really proud of myself in the 100," said Rush, a Saint Francis University commit. "I got a really big PR. In the long jump, I wanted to do a little better, but hopefully that will get me into a good flight at states and push me to do better.

"Our relay has three girls that were all in the finals in the 100. That pushes us all to do better in the four-by-one. I think we are seeded first in the state right now, so that is very exciting."

Gold rush

Blake Klosky brought home gold in both the shot put and discus. The Windber senior set a D5 and school record in the shot put with a throw of 54-7½. He won the discus with a throw of 137-7.

"It was a long road this year," said Klosky, who will play football at Slippery Rock. "I started off good, plateaued and then started to not throw well for a while. It's good to get it back heading into Shippensburg next week. I want to place top five in both events, for sure."

Fellow Rambler Joe McKelvey won probably the wildest race of the day. The Windber junior lost his shoe on Lap 5 of the 3,200 meters. He finished the race with one shoe, only to fall twice before the finish line then crawl across to earn the title in 10 minutes 19.16 seconds.

"Going into the race, I was struggling a little bit, mentally," said McKelvey. "The Lord was very gracious and helped me through it. I tried to do the best I could. I lost my shoe. I knew it was coming undone, but I was going to get through it and gut it out."

Surprisingly, this isn't the first time McKelvey has had to finish a race with one shoe on.

"I don't know if I've had to do it that long, but I've definitely had to do it before," he said. "It's a common experience for me for something like that to happen."

Somerset senior Quintin Robison continued his dominant season, clearing 12 feet to win the pole vault. The top seed continues to live up to expectations after missing the 2022 season.

"The wind made me nervous at first, but I knew I just had to do what I've been doing all season, regardless of the weather," said the Indiana University of Pennsylvania commit. "It's a lot of pressure coming in as the No. 1 seed, for sure. I took that pressure and turned it into motivation and did my best.

"I am hoping to PR at states and finish my high school career on a high note."

Robison's teammate, Logan Seslow pulled out a narrow victory in the 400 meters with a time of 51.47. The junior entered as the No. 2 seed but found a late kick to edge Meyersdale's Levi Hersh by .20 seconds.

"This is what we worked for all year," Seslow said. "Our coaches pushed us to be great this year, and we are showing that. I just tried to keep from tripping or passing out during the race. It worked out today. It is a big deal to go to states and I am excited for that."

Meyersdale junior Bryson Hetz has been nothing short of exceptional in the javelin this season. He earned District 5 gold with a launch of 161-5.

"A lot of hard work and support from my family has gone into this," Hetz said. "Over the winter I attended a couple javelin camps, and I think that really helped me a lot."

Hetz's teammate Tristin Ohler finished second in the 200 meters and third in the 100 and advanced with a state qualifying time in both events.

Jackson Sotosky earned his first trip to states with a victory in the long jump. The Conemaugh Township sophomore jumped 21 feet 4 inches to claim gold.

"My day was very busy," said Sotosky, who took second in the high jump and third in the triple jump. "I didn't think I was going to do well in the high jump. I was so tired. Somehow, I pulled it out. I am excited for states. I am going to try my hardest and hope for the best. It would be wonderful to get top 10, but setting a PR would be great."

Bedford won the boys' team title with 93 points. Conemaugh Township (73) finished third behind Chestnut Ridge (80).

On the girls' side, Conemaugh Township sophomore Izzy Slezak repeated as a district champ in the 200. She also finished second in the 100 behind Rush.

Two straight D5 golds means a lot for Slezak, who continues to find her stride on the big stage.

"I'm always looking forward to running this event at districts," Slezak said of the 200. "It's really fun. I am really glad I was able to pull through again this year.

"I want to run well at states, but I also want to work harder in the offseason. I am excited for the competition there because it was crazy last year. I want to come in with a good mindset, not be nervous and place close to where I'm seeded and PR."

Fellow sophomore Deborah Bozovich won her second straight District 5 title in the 400. Bozovich, who attends Shanksville-Stonycreek and runs in a co-op with Shade, rolled to a win in 1:01.10.

"This feels amazing to be able to say that I won the 400 twice," Bozovich said. "I put in the work and I am really happy with the outcome. I wish I got a PR, but everything turned out well."

Bozovich missed two weeks of the season because of illness. She has battled back and made her presence felt.

"If I had the chance to run in all the meets that were scheduled, I probably would have done better, having more experience in the 400," she said. "I hope to finish higher than 14th this year at states. That's where I finished last year, and I want to beat that."

Windber junior Riley Brubaker saved her best for last in the triple jump. Brubaker, who won the event as a freshman, captured gold in similar fashion Wednesday. She was tied for the lead heading into her final jump. Brubaker, like she did as a freshman, delivered a gold medal mark of 34-8 on her final jump to punch a ticket to Shippensburg.

"As a sophomore I didn't win it, but I got it back this year," said Brubaker. "I am so excited to go back to states and hopefully break my PR.

"During the day, I always write A2, meaning audience of two. My grandpa passed away. I am doing it for my grandpa and for God. I knew I needed a good jump to win. This was so much fun. It was like deja vu."

Berlin Brothersvalley senior Lana Fairman won the pole vault but did not meet the state qualifying mark.

Bedford earned 127 points to top Somerset (103½) and Chestnut Ridge (80).

The PIAA Track and Field Championships will be contested at Shippensburg University on May 26-27. Somerset County will be well represented on Pennsylvania high school track and field's grandest stage.

Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on Twitter @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County track and field athletes shine at D5 championships