Apr 30, 2026 By Jerin Steele 4 min read

Canon-McMillan junior Marlee Solomon has been collecting gold medals in the WPIAL and state the last two years.

Now she’s dominating on a national level.

Solomon won a Under-17 national title two weeks ago at the USA Women’s National Championships in Spokane, Washington.

The win earned her a spot on the U-17 national team this summer.

Solomon was the champion at 53 kg. She defeated Reagan Mathers of Arizona twice in a best-of-three championship match.

She won the first bout with a pin in the second period and earned an 8-4 decision in the second match to become a national champion.

Solomon also entered the U-20 championship and made the finals before losing to Everest Leydecker in consecutive matches.

Leydecker is the defending U-20 world champion, winning last summer in Bulgaria.

Solomon went undefeated at 39-0 during the PIAA season and won her second state title with a 16-1 tech fall over Shippensburg’s Olivia Kearns in March.

Kent, Lunger dominate

Two local athletes won three events each Monday at the Mid Mon Valley Track Classic at Ringgold.

Belle Vernon’s Ryan Kent swept the throwing events and Charleroi’s Braedin Lunger won both hurdles events and the long jump.

Kent won the shot put with a throw of 54-6, more than 10 feet better than second place. In the discus he finished at 168-6, more than 38 feet better than second place California’s Carter Frank, who won first place at last Friday’s Washington-Greene Track and Field meet.

It was another dominant performance in the javelin, throwing 157-7, nearly 19 feet better than California’s Andrew Typovsky.

Kent, a Shippensburg recruit, also swept the throwing events at the Fayette County Coaches Association meet Friday at Uniontown.

Ringgold’s Demetri Lowe won the 200 and 400-meter dashes.

Other individual winners were: Beth-Center’s Deakyn DeHoet (100), California’s Carter Kent (800), Ringgold’s Dravin Everley (1,600), Beth-Center’s Brandon Remington (3,200), Ringgold’s Dennis Hawkins (high jump), Charleroi’s Joey Pontalo (triple jump) and California’s Quinn Barbero (pole vault).

Ringgold won all three relays.

On the girls side, Belle Vernon had four individual winners in five events, including sophomore Brooklyn Steeber, who claimed the 800 and 1,600.

Bella Tatar won the 400, Lilly Walsh took the 3,200 and Gia Dusi won pole vault.

Other local girls winners were Bentworth’s Megan Keturakis (300 hurdles), California’s Morgan Ross (long jump) and Ringgold’s Sophie Westfall (triple jump).

Like the boys, the Ringgold girls swept the relays.

Baseball playoff picture

The WPIAL will announce its baseball pairings next Friday and some local teams already know they are in the field in their respective classes.

Others have work left to do.

Let’s start with who’s clinched in baseball: Canon-McMillan (Class 6A), South Fayette (5A) Belle Vernon (4A), Charleroi (3A), Fort Cherry (2A), California (2A), Burgettstown (2A) and Avella (A).

Now for those with work to do.

Peters Township and Trinity are alive in Class 5A Section 2, but are on the wrong end of a three-way tie for fourth place and the final playoff spot with Upper St. Clair, because the Panthers swept both teams.

The final two-game series are Monday and Tuesday.

Peters Township plays second-place South Fayette, Trinity plays first-place Moon and Upper St. Clair plays last place Chartiers Valley.

At 5-5, Ringgold is in fourth place in Class 4A Section 2 and after sweeping fifth-place Uniontown. The Rams need a win over Laurel Highlands in their two-game series or a loss by Uniontown to clinch.

There are four teams vying for two spots in Class 3A Section 4. Keystone Oaks and Waynesburg are 5-5, while Washington and McGuffey are 4-6. Keystone Oaks plays Washington. Waynesburg faces second-place Charleroi and McGuffey takes on section leader Seton LaSalle.

In Class 2A Section 1, Chartiers-Houston needs one win over California to get in. If they lose both games and Frazier wins two against Beth-Center, then the Bucs will be on the outside looking in, because Frazier swept them.

Jefferson-Morgan needs one win to clinch a spot in Class A in their two-game set with Jeanette. Carmichaels is also vying for a spot. Jeannette and the Mikes are 5-5, one game behind the Rockets. Carmichaels plays West Greene.