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Bentworth's Prosser finishes first, then second
jtuscano@observer-reporter.com
HOOKSTOWN - For about an hour, Emily Prosser was the winner of the triple jump at Tuesday's WPIAL Class AA Southern Track Qualifier.
Even though she didn't really believe it.
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Prosser, a senior, graciously answered questions during a media interview though she felt a mistake had occurred. An hour later, she was proved right. Bemis' jump of 36-21/2 was marked as 26-21/2 on the scorecard, leaving Bemis in 21st place.
Not only was Bemis' jump 10 feet better than marked, but it also was a school record. The error was finally caught and Prosser was put back into second place and the other finishers moved down a spot.
But there was one more problem.
Bemis' new mark was bad news for Katie Moldovan, who dropped from eighth to ninth after the correction. WPIAL officials had to apologize to New Brighton Dan Macuga because Moldovan would not advance to the championships. Only the top eight in each event advance.
Still, Prosser's day was interesting, considering she triple-jumped a personal-best 34-03/4 without the benefit of practice last week. That's because she bruised her right foot after slipping at home.
"There was a chance that I would not jump," said Prosser, who will attend W&J next fall. "I hit it (34-01/2 ) on my second jump, then I had to run in the 3,200 relay. Then, I came back and finished my jumps."
Prosser was not the only athlete who had an unusual experience. The girls 400-meter relay team from Washington had to run a second time because its time in the finals tied Brentwood for the eighth and final qualifying spot. The Prexies edged Brentwood and will run in Tuesday's finals.
The area produced seven first-place finishes: two in the boys qualifier and five in the girls.
Jeff Paletta of Beth-Center captured the discus with a throw of 131-9 and the Bentworth 3,200-relay team of Chad Hubbell, Chase Hubbell, Colton Loos and Anthony Zigerelli finished in 8:46.40.
"This was only the second or third time they ran together," said Bentworth coach Jerome Nixon. "Zigerelli normally doesn't run it because he's so versatile we use him in other events for the team. We knew with him running (the final leg), we could qualify."
Bentworth sprinter Dock Harris set school records in the 100 (11.1) and 200 (23.4), finishing seventh and third, respectively.
Waynesburg Maria Shepas captured the 1,600 in 5:34.20. She needed to pass Quaker Valley's Lacy Hall on the final turn and hold her off down the stretch for the win.
"I was just trying to place," Shepas said. "It's different today. Next week is when it counts. You are just looking for a decent time and get placed here. I felt real relaxed."
Kristina Kendrick of Chartiers-Houston took the 400 dash in 1:00.9; Washington's Morgan Ross won the pole vault (9-6); and the Chartiers-Houston 1,600 relay team of Kendrick, Samantha Simile, Stephanie Kelly and Autumn Kita crossed the finish line first in 4:11.5; and Simile dominated the 300 hurdles in 45.6.
McGuffey's Kylie Czulewicz hit her personal-best throw of 115-6 on her third attempt and that earned her a second place in the javelin. This is just her second season in track for the junior but her technique is that of a veteran.
"It just kind of clicked for me," said Czulewicz, who is slim but powerful. "So many people feel you have to be big to do this. But you have to have good technique."
Czulewicz (pronounced Che-lev-ich) has hit 120 in practice, which is a foot above the state qualifying mark.
"I felt good," she said. "I just put everything together today."
Avella's Lee Thieroff finished second in the shot put (47-8 1/2) and discus (120-0).
"Shot put is my better event because my technique is better," said Thierof, a 6-4, 285-pound senior who will attend Geneva next fall. "I fouled on (a shot put attempt) that was over 50 feet."
Simile was her normal dominating self, passing Brownsville's America Cardine down the stretch.
"When I saw that she was in front of me, I wanted to win it," Simile said. "I knew where she was and I knew I was gaining on her."
Fort Cherry had a good day, qualifying Andrew Lucarini in the 3,200 run, the girls 3,200, 1,600 and 400 relay teams, Kiersten Schilinski (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Mia Sember (200), Sarah Weber (long jump) and Kaitlyn Mayowski (discus).
