Cross country champion Jaxon Schoedel of Mohawk adds PIAA title in 3,200 meters

SHIPPENSBURG — Mohawk’s Jaxon Schoedel was stuck in a slow heat for the 1,600 meters a day earlier, but the 3,200 meters had everybody in one big group Saturday.

That’s how he likes it.

“Yesterday was about racing the clock and today was about racing one of the best distance fields I’ve ever met,” Schoedel said. “Both are very different strategies.”

Shoulder to shoulder with the top Class 2A boys in the state, Schoedel outlasted the field and won the 3,200 meters Saturday with a strong finish at the PIAA track championships. The junior’s last four trips around Seth Grove Stadium got faster with each lap, reinforcing Schoedel’s status as one of the state’s top runners.

He also won a state cross country title in November.

“It definitely feels like I’ve got control of the distance now,” Schoedel said. “It’s very confidence-inspiring and makes me want to drive for more.”

Schoedel won in 9 minutes, 10.45 seconds. He ran his seventh lap four seconds faster than his sixth, and then dropped four more for his eighth, which he ran in 1:02.10.

“The first half of that race was really slow,” he said. “I wasn’t a fan of (that pace). We come through, I look at the clock and see 4:40 and I’m like, ‘Ah, dang,’ because I was really wanting to go for the sub-9 today.”

Coudersport senior Kevin Sherry placed second (9:16.40) and Freeport junior Michael Braun (9:19.91) was third.

WPIAL runners swept the 3,200-meter titles, with Butler’s Drew Griffith winning 3A boys, Mt. Lebanon Logan St. John Kletter winning 2A girls and Shady Side Academy’s Chelsea Hartman winning 2A girls.

The PIAA medal was Schoedel’s second of the weekend following a third-place finish in the 1,600 meters on Friday.

“I’m leaving here very happy,” he said. “I came with a great coach. I had a whole lot of people drive through the night last night to see me — great friends and family coming to watch and support me. It makes me super happy to be able to go out and show what I’ve got.”

On Friday, Schoedel and Braun were seeded in the second of three heats in the 1,600 meters because of a slower than usual race at the WPIAL championships. They still made the most of it, with Schoedel placing third and Braun seventh.

“Yesterday, I was definitely racing the clock, trying to get that podium spot back against what that seed time said,” Schoedel said. “Today was just kind of like, ‘Come out and show them what I’ve got.’ I knew I’m a good 3,200 runner. I wanted to head to the lead and run what I could, despite it being pretty hot.”

Schoedel took the lead on the fourth of eight laps and pulled away late. He didn’t break the nine-minute mark as he’d hoped, but remained optimistic he’ll do so later this summer.

“I got really close at the Butler Invite with a lot of help from some 3A guys,” he said. “But that’s still the goal when I head to New Balance (Nationals) this summer. I wanted to try to hit that today, but that first mile didn’t allow it.”

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