Quaker Valley's Montagnese dominates at WPIAL track and field championships
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SLIPPERY ROCK — After the WPIAL high school track and field championships were postponed until Thursday, May 14, the cold and rainy weather at the William C. Lennox Track at Slippery Rock University didn’t stop Beaver Valley athletes from reaching for gold at the 2026 WPIAL track and field championships.
Coming into the day, a handful of runners had aspirations to reach the top of the podium, while others emerged from the woodwork and claimed gold.
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Here are the standout efforts from this year’s WPIAL meet and the athletes who will be moving on to the PIAA state track and field championships at Shippensburg University on May 23-24.
Golds O’Plenty for Quaker Valley’s Montagnese
Heading into the WPIAL track and field championships, Jonah Montagnese had solidified himself as the top distance runner in the WPIAL and one of the best in the state.
At the WPIAL meet, Montagnese further proved that, sweeping the WPIAL distance events with golds in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs and winning gold for the third consecutive season with Quaker Valley’s 4x800-meter relay team.
Montagnese’s day started with the relay and while his former relay partners Jackson Pethel and Clark Lalomia have graduated, it was next man up for the Quakers, with senior Ryan Kempton running the second leg and freshman Henry Howard taking the third.
Even though the four runners have not spent much time together, the results were the same.
“It’s always awesome to come out here, race and capture gold,” Montagnese said. “This was really our first time putting together our ‘A squad’ and going after it, so we were all really happy with what we were able to accomplish.”
Through the first few legs of the race, Winchester Thurston got off to a fast start and was off to an early lead.
But even though Winchester Thurston built up some distance, Quaker Valley’s strategy never wavered, knowing that if it just stuck to its plan, it would be able to take the lead in the final legs.
“We saw that they [Wichester Thurston] got off a little fast, so we just knew that we had to hold ourselves at a steady pace and catch up when they are tired,” Howard said.
Quaker Valley made its move in that third leg, with Howard creating distance and Montaganese finishing the race strong, helping the team run a season best 8:35.21.
Along with the relay gold, Montagnese ran the 800 at 1:56.77, the 1,600 in 4:17.15 and the 3,200 at 9:10.60.
Freedom Area Sophomore Jumps for Gold
Last season, Aurea Hickenboth captured silver in the girls 2A pole vault in her final WPIAL championship meet. One year later, Hickenboth’s younger brother, Augustin jumped a personal best in the long jump to capture gold in the boys 2A long jump.
“I gave it everything I could today because winning was not something that I was expecting to do,” Hickenboth said. “I just thank God for letting me come in first and put together the performance that I did today.”
The sophomore’s best jump of the day came on his second flight, jumping 22-01.25, which came after a foul.
After securing that jump, Hickenboth had a good feeling that it could stick and he could reach the top of the podium.
“After my first few jumps, I was starting to get a little excited because at that point, I thought I might make it onto the podium,” Hickenboth said. “But I just kept competing and let things play out in the end.”
The Freedom Area long jumper beat out Aliquippa junior Akiva Woods, who also jumped a personal best, finishing with a top jump of 21-08.25.
South Side Senior Claims Gold in Pole Vault
Hickenboth wasn’t the only Beaver Valley male athlete to capture gold in a field event, as South Side senior Carter Moore also found himself atop the podium, capturing gold in the Class 2A pole vault.
Despite the adverse weather conditions, Moore powered through, putting together an even 13-00.00 attempt.
“I never expected myself to be in this position,” Moore said. “As a freshman, I was jumping 9-00.00, which was pretty standard for someone my age, but to see my growth until now, I did not think that I would ever become a WPIAL champion.”While the senior thought that becoming a WPIAL champion in this year’s meet was going to be a tough challenge, he did think that he would reach the podium and bring home silver or bronze after a strong first two attempts.
Moore cleared the bar in his first two attempts, completing 12-06.00 before his best flight of the day in his second jump.
After realizing that he had one miss less than the other athletes, reality started to set in that Moore had a shot at gold.
“When we reached the last height and I had one miss less than everybody else, it was just an amazing feeling knowing that I had a chance to go for gold.”
Up next for Beaver Valley athletes, many will be making the trip to Shippensburg, Pa. to Seth Grove Stadium to take part in the 101st running of the PIAA track and field championships.
The top five athletes from each event in Class 2A boys and girls and the top four athletes in Class 3A boys and girls events receive an automatic qualification. Athletes who meet the state qualifying standard, regardless of placement will also qualify for the PIAA meet.
Here is a look at the athletes from The Times’ coverage area that will be competing.
Bold denotes gold medalist
PIAA State Track and Field Beaver Valley Qualifers
- Girls 2A 4x800-Meter Relay (2): Quaker Valley, OLSH;
- Boys 2A 4x800-Meter Relay (3): Quaker Valley, Beaver Area, Ellwood City;
- Girls 2A 100-Meter Hurdles (2):Evie Rosselli, Quaker Valley, Claire Karsman, Sewickley Academy;
- Girls 3A 100-Meter Hurdles (1): Jaidalyn Williams, West Allegheny;
- Boys 2A 110-Meter Hurdles (1): Xander Vescio, Quaker Valley;
- Boys 2A 100-Meter Dash (4): Kieran Cain, Quaker Valley; Jalen Harvey, Aliquippa; Kaden Bailey, Freedom Area; Jacob Crossland, Beaver Area;
- Girls 2A 1,600-Meter Run (2): Mia Gartley, Quaker Valley; Lucy Montagnese, Quaker Valley;
- Boys 2A 1,600-Meter Run (3): Jonah Montagnese, Quaker Valley; Lucas Bleakney, Ellwood City; Ryan Kempton, Quaker Valley;
- Girls 2A 4x100-Meter Relay (1): Quaker Valley, Hopewell;
- Boys 2A 4x100-Meter Relay (1): Sewickley Academy;
- Girls 3A 400-Meter Dash (1): Rachael Stepp, Moon Area;
- Boys 2A 400-Meter Dash (1): Bruce Sutter, Beaver Area;
- Boys 3A 400-Meter Dash (1): Jonathan Newton, West Allegheny;
- Girls 2A 300-Meter Hurdles (3): Rose Pocasangre, Quaker Valley, Claire Karsman, Sewickley Academy; Ver’Kelle Raines, Beaver Falls;
- Girls 3A 300-Meter Hurdles (1): Alena Taylor, Moon Area;
- Boys 2A 300-Meter Hurdles (2): Xander Vescio, Quaker Valley; Hugo Castellini, Quaker Valley;
- Boys 3A 300-Meter Hurdles (1): Jared Moyer, Moon Area;
- Girls 2A 800-Meter Run (1): Mia Gartley, Quaker Valley;
- Girls 3A 800-Meter Run (1): Sonya Taylor, Moon Area;
- Boys 2A 800-Meter Run (3): Jonah Montagnese, Quaker Valley; River Capek, Quaker Valley; Brayden Cosky, Beaver Area;
- Boys 3A 800-Meter Run (1): Samuel Herrera, Moon Area;
- Girls 3A 200-Meter Dash (1): Rachael Stepp, Moon Area;
- Boys 2A 200-Meter Dash (2): Kieran Cain, Quaker Valley; Kaden Bailey, Freedom Area;
- Boys 3A 200-Meter Dash (2): Matthew Kukoyi, West Allegheny;
- Girls 2A 3,200-Meter Run (2): Lucy Montagnese, Quaker Valley; Maggie Doz, Quaker Valley;
- Boys 2A 3,200-Meter Run (3): Jonah Montagnese, Quaker Valley; Lucas Bleakney, Ellwood City; Zachary Sharara, Sewickley Academy;
- Girls 2A 4x400-Meter Relay (1): Quaker Valley;
- Girls 3A 4x400-Meter Relay (1): Moon Area;
- Boys 2A 4x400-Meter Relay (2): Sewickley Academy, Quaker Valley;
- Boys 3A 4x400-Meter Relay (1): Moon Area;
- Boys 2A Discus (1): Trey Moses, Quaker Valley;
- Boys 2A Javelin (3): Owen Wasko, OLSH; Karter Brown, Freedom Area; Trey Moses, OLSH;
- Girls 2A High Jump (2): Mimi Thiero, Quaker Valley; Herlynn Niepa, Sewickley Academy;
- Boys 2A High Jump (3): Anthony Ingram, Aliquippa; Mason Maybray, Beaver Area; Aiden Dywer, Quaker Valley;
- Girls 2A Pole Vault (1): Evie Rosselli, Quaker Valley;
- Boys 2A Pole Vault (1): Carter Moore, South Side;
- Boys 2A Long Jump (2): Augustin Hickenboth, Freedom Area; Akiva Woods, Aliquippa;
- Girls 2A Triple Jump (1): Mimi Thiero, Quaker Valley;
- Girls 3A Triple Jump (1): Janiah Hudson, West Allegheny;
- Boys 2A Triple Jump (3): Silas Reichart, Riverside; QaLil Goode, Aliquippa; Akiva Woods, Aliquippa;
Ethan Morrison is the sports reporter for the Beaver County Times. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him at EthanMorrison26 on X.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Beaver Valley athletes capture gold at WPIAL track and field championships
