On May 19-20, the Susquenita Track and Field teams sent a record number of athletes to the 2023 PIAA District III Track and Field Championships, held at Shippensburg University.
Boys qualifying in individual events were Colton Albright, pole vault; Roman Brenny, 110H and 300H; Eric Carmo, 400m and javelin; Earnie Crist, shot put; Logan Freyermuth, 400m; Louie Frisenda, pole vault; Andy Herrera, pole vault; Joshua Kauffman, 800m; Wyatt Jumper, shot put; Kamar Lewis, discus; Brett Milliken, 100m and 200m; Blake Polcha, javelin; and Athan Robinson, 200m. All three relays—4x100m (Brenny, Freyermuth, Milliken, Robinson), 4x400m (Brenny, Carmo, Freyermuth, Kauffman), and 4x800m (Jonah Buck, Ryan Keefe, Carmo, Kauffman)—all qualified for district competition as well.
The top eight places in each event medaled. These Blackhawk boys stood on the podium in the individual events: Roman Brenny, 110H, 8th place, 16.33, and 300H, 6th place, 41.95; Joshua Kauffman, 800m, 7th place, 2:05.21; Kamar Lewis, discus, 4th place, 131-7; Blake Polcha, javelin, 7th place, 140-11; Earnie Crist, shot put, 6th place, 45-4; and Wyatt Jumper, shot put, 7th place, 45-4. Logan Freyermuth will be traveling to states next week, after taking 2nd in the 400m with a time of 51.78.
In addition, all three boys relays medaled. The 4x100m team of Roman Brenny, Logan Freyermuth, Brett Milliken, and Athan Robinson placed 3rd with a time of 44.88, a season best. The 4x800m relay team of Jonah Buck, Eric Carmo, Joshua Kauffman, and Ryan Keefe also ran a season best of 8:37.22, securing 8th place. However, for the boys, it was the 4x400m relay team of Roman Brenny, Eric Carmo, Logan Freyermuth, and Joshua Kauffman who secured the highest place, grabbing silver with a time of 3:31.22 and advancing to states. Coach Bell shared: “The boys peaked at the right time. The 4x100m was seeded fifth but finished third. They worked hard all season, and it paid off. The boys 4x800m ran a ten-second season best, and the boys 4x400m is going back to states. Each member of each relay team knew exactly what they needed to do. It was a job well done.”
Like the boys, several girls qualified for district competition in individual events: Ashlyn Albright, 800m; Leah Allewelt, discus and shot put; Riley Egresits, 400m and triple jump; Ember Foster, pole vault; Addison Graupensperger, 1600m; Alize Reyes, high jump and pole vault; Aubrey Richards, 800m; Rachel Singley, 1600m and 3200m; Claire Wechsler, 100H and 300H; Samantha Wechsler, 100H, long jump, and triple jump; and Brye Wojcik, 400m. All three relays—4x100m (Foster, C. Wechsler, S. Wechsler, Wojcik), 4x400m (Albright, Egresits, Richards, Wojcik), and 4x800m (Albright, Graupensperger, Richards, Singley)—also qualified for the district meet.
The Susquenita girls truly excelled at districts this year, claiming second overall in the team competition. Coach Amanda Bell said: “This was the best placing Susquenita girls track and field team in school history, and I could not be prouder of every girl who competed.”
In throws, Leah Allewelt earned third in discus, 102-11, and 4th in shot put, 32-2. In the 800m, Ashlyn Albright took 3rd with a time of 2:24.67, while Aubrey Richards secured 7th, running 2:29.05. In the 400m, Brye Wojcik placed 5th with a time of 1:02.46. Alize Reyes took 7th in pole vault, 8-6, and 2nd in high jump, 5-0, earning a spot at states. Joining Alize at states is Claire Wechsler, who earned gold in the 300H with a time of 48.30; she also got 7th in 100H, with a time of 17.34.
The 4x100m relay team (Ember Foster, Claire Wechsler, Samantha Wechsler, Brye Wojcik) placed 4th with a time of 51.56, which is a new school record. The 4x800m relay team (Ashlyn Albright, Addison Graupensperger, Aubrey Richards, Rachel Singley) took 3rd with a season-best time of 10:05.68. And the 4x400m relay team (Ashlyn Albright, Riley Egresits, Aubrey Richards, Brye Wojcik) captured silver and will be going to states with a time of 4:11.65. Coach Bell said: “The girls’ relays peaked at the right time this season. A new school record in the 4x100m, a season best for the 4x800m, and the 4x400m is going to states!”
However, the top performer for the Susquenita teams was Samantha Wechsler. Coach Bell noted that “Sam did as she has done all season, her entire career.” She dominated the field, earning gold in three events: 100H, with a time of 15.49, breaking her own school record; long jump, with leap of 17-7, tying her school record; and triple jump, with a distance of 36-9.25. This is the first time in Susquenita history that a track and field athlete, male or female, has won three individual events at the same district meet.
All told, the Susquenita boys and girls earned 43 medals total and will be sending 11 athletes to the PIAA State Track and Championships, to be held May 26-27 at Shippensburg University.
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