WPIAL track notebook: Schumaker doubles up in the hurdles
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
By Joe Tuscano and Jerin Steele
jsteele@observer-reporter.com
Because it’s a difficult and dangerous event, most people shy away from either of the hurdles.
But Delaney Schumaker is not like most people. The junior from South Fayette put on a dazzling performance while winning both hurdles at then WPIAL Class AAA Track & Field Championships on a steamy Wednesday at Slippery Rock University.
Schumaker won the 100 hurdles in 14.45 and the 300 hurdles with a personal best 43.13.
“I was hoping, hoping I’d get first,” said Schumaker after the 100 hurdles. “You never know.”
Schumaker started out on the hurdles but doesn’t know why.
“I kind of just chose it,” she said. “I don’t know why.”
Beating expectations
A good day for Fort Cherry’s Emily Frankovich would have been a spot, any spot, on the medals stand after the Class AA 3,200-meter run.
Well, how does second place sound?
That was where Frankovich found herself after the race ended with a time of 11:29.48, 27 minutes behind Cecilia Montegnese of Quaker Valley.
“I’ve been in front of her last year,” said Frankovich. “But she’s been in front of me this year.”
At the state tournament, the goal will be the same.
“Last year I was ninth (in the 3,200), one shy of making the medal stand,” Frankovich said.
Vaulting to states
Waynesburg’s Mason Schroyer and Jackson Brunell knew that most of the competitors at the WPIAL Class 2A field were close, so their goal was to get on the podium.
They did more than that.
Schroyer placed third and Brunell was fourth, which qualified them for the state meet next weekend in Shippensburg.
Both are state bound for the first time.
“It feels great,” Schroyer said. “It’s really cool that we get to go to states.”
Shroyer, a junior, cleared 13-6, just shy of his personal best.
Brunell, a freshman, set a new personal best at 13-feet. He is the grandson of longtime Waynesburg pole vault coach Butch Brunell.
“With my grandpa being the coach, I started young and found a big interest in it,” Brunell said. “I played a bunch of other sports up until fifth grade, but I just really clicked with the pole vault.”
Fast learners
California’s Andrew Typovsky and Christian Ross are in each in their first year of throwing javelin, but seem to be quick studies.
Typovsky finished fourth and Ross was fifth in the WPIAL Class 2A javelin final, earning each of them a spot at the PIAA meet next week in Shippensburg.
“Since it’s my senior year I figured I’d try something new,” Ross said. “I have never done javelin before and I’ve found that I like it.”
Ross, who plans to run track at Washington & Jefferson, has come a long way in a short amount of time.
“The first time I didn’t have a run up at all,” Ross said. “I just kind of did a standing throw and then it progressed from there throughout the season.”
Typovsky, a sophomore, is also a member of the California baseball team, but decided he wanted to pull double duty this year and throw javelin as well.
“At first for me it was learning the technique, but since I throw a baseball, I kind of throw the javelin like that,” Typnovsky said.