Shady Side’s Melissa Riggins among 9 WPIAL girls named PTFCA all-state

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, May 31, 2019 | 4:38 PM

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Shady Side Academy runner Melissa Riggins, who set a meet record at the PIAA Class AA track and field championships last week, earned first-team all-state honors from the Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association.

Riggins was the only WPIAL girls athlete to receive first-team honors. She was named first-team in the 800 meters and third-team in the 1,600. North Allegheny’s Zach Kinne was named first-team among the boys.

In all, seven WPIAL girls made the first, second or third team. The others were Mt. Lebanon’s Molly Mangan, Bethel Park’s Emily Carter, North Allegheny’s Casey Burton, Avonworth/Northgate’s Hayden Robinson, Oakland Catholic’s Jayla Ellis and Hempfield’s Mackenna Orie.

Brownsville’s Gionna Quarzo, South Park’s Maura Huwalt and Pine-Richland’s Danielle Bryant earned honorable mention recognition.

Riggins, Robinson and Orie were honored in two events.

The PTFCA all-state selections were announced Thursday by Milesplit.com.

Mifflin County’s Skylar Ciccolini was named the girls track athlete of the year, and Warwick’s Alex Daecher was named the girls coach of the year.

First team

100: Thelma Davies, Girard College

100 hurdles: Jane Livingston, Conestoga Valley

200: Thelma Davies, Girard College

300 hurdles: Jane Livingston, Conestoga Valley

400: Talitha Diggs, Saucon Valley

800: Melissa Riggins, Shady Side Academy

1600: Taryn Parks, Greencastle-Antrim

3200: Marlee Starliper, Northern

Shot put: Mallory Kauffman, Greenwood

Discus: Mallory Kauffman, Greenwood

Javelin: Skylar Ciccolini, Mifflin County

Pole vault: Sydney Horn, Manheim Township

High jump: Lydia Bottelier, Palisades

Long jump: Natalie Kwortnik, North Penn

Triple jump: Christina Warren, Perkiomen Valley

400 relay: Harry S. Truman

1600 relay: Neumann-Goretti

3200 relay: Neumann-Goretti

Second team

100: Moforehan Abinusawa, Germantown Academy

110 hurdles: Christina Warren, Perkiomen Valley

200: Talitha Diggs, Saucon Valley

300 hurdles: Molly Mangan, Mount Lebanon

400: Bria Barnes, Cheltenham

800: Grace Forbes, Strath Haven

1600: Marlee Starliper, Northern

3200: Emily Carter, Bethel Park

Shot put: Keeley Suzenski, Berks Catholic

Discus: Siniru Iheoma, Council Rock South

Javelin: Kristen Herr, Lampeter Strasburg

Pole vault: Trina Barcarola, Western Wayne

High jump: Amelia McCloy, Central Mountain

Long jump: Casey Burton, North Allegheny

Triple jump: Tesia Thomas, West York

400 relay: Warwick

1600 relay: Central Bucks West

3200 relay: Strath Haven

Third team

100: Hayden Robinson, Avonworth/Northgate

100 hurdles: Jayla Ellis, Oakland Catholic

200: Hayden Robinson, Avonworth/Northgate

300 hurdles: Elicia Moore, Penn Wood

400: Mykala Perry, Neumann-Goretti

800: Keara Seasholtz, Radnor

1600: Melissa Riggins, Shady Side Academy

3200: Reagan Underwood, Wilson

Shot put: Siniru Iheoma, Council Rock South

Discus: Mackenna Orie, Hempfield

Javelin: Maryann Ackerman, Slippery Rock; Taylor Ciccolini, Mifflin County; Skylar Sherry, Johnsonburg

Pole vault: Gabriella Recce, Central Dauphin

High jump: Taylor Newton, Elk County Catholic

Long jump: Gabriella Recce, Central Dauphin

Triple jump: Maddie Murphy, Bishop Carroll

400 relay: Coatesville

1600 relay: Penn Wood

3200 relay: Central Bucks West

Honorable mention

100: Lily Palacio-Lewis, Warwick

110 hurdles: Kayli Williams, Pennsbury

200: Leah Graybill, Warwick

300 hurdles: Danielle Bryant, Pine-Richland

400: Margaret Conteh, Girard College

800: Taryn Parks, Greencastle-Antrim

1600: Grace Forbes, Strath Haven

3200: Gionna Quarzo, Brownsville

Shot put: Mackenna Orie, Hempfield

Discus: Maura Huwalt, South Park

Javelin: none

Pole vault: Hailey Zurich, Loyalsock

High jump: Brianna Smith, Cheltenham

Long jump: Meredith Engle, Northern

Triple jump: Amanda Tony, Wilson

400 relay: Friends’ Central

1600 relay: Strath Haven

3200 relay: North Penn

2019 PTFCA boys all-state team

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Shady Side Academy