Riverview runners working toward more WPIAL success

By: Michael Love
Saturday, April 16, 2022 | 10:01 AM

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Parker Steele has high hopes the Riverview boys 3,200-meter relay can defend its WPIAL Class 2A title from a year ago.

With three of the four runners back — Steele, a senior, along with junior Amberson Bauer and senior Ty Laughlin — and a mix of veterans, including senior Lucas Wilton, and newcomers ready to take that vacant spot left by the graduated Mason Ochs, Steele said the relay is looking for more gold.

“I think that is what makes us work so hard and put in extra miles when we can,” said Steele, who also was part of last fall’s WPIAL Class A champion and state-qualifying boys cross country team with Laughlin, Bauer and Wilton, as well as freshmen Christopher Barnes and Holden Deasy, and sophomore Cohen Hoolahan.

“We are working to get the times we want to achieve because we have that competitiveness between all of us.”

Riverview athletes ran and jumped at the Bedford Invitational on April 9 and brought home nine top-six finishes. Steele won the 800 (2 minutes, 6.37 seconds), Bauer took second (4:38.82) and Laughlin fourth (4:57.22) in the 1,600, and Barnes placed third in the 3,200 (11:04.54).

A group of younger Raider runners garnered fifth place in the boys 3,200 relay (9:22.20).

“It’s a weird feeling for the (3,200 relay) to not have Mason there, but we have a really good squad of runners who are more than excited to help keep the relay at the top,” Laughlin said.

“It’s pretty neat to have the opportunity to defend the title. It’s also a little stressful at times to have that target on our backs, but we’re ready to take on the challenge.”

The Riverview boys took part in five events at WPIALs last year, and Steele medaled (sixth place) in the 3,200 run.

John Patsey, a junior, again is splitting his time between the track and the baseball diamond. He was 11th in the 300 hurdles at WPIALs last year, and hurdles coach Barbara Stewart says Patsey is eyeing improved times and place finishes this time around.

“John ran a 42.15 against East Allegheny (April 12), and he ran on his own. He was streaks ahead of everybody,” Stewart said. “There was nobody near him. I am taking him to the Butler Invitational next week, and I am hoping he will be able to get down into the 41s.”

The boys 1,600 relay of Patsey, Wilton, senior Micah Black and junior Jack Betler also is set to run at Butler. Hoolahan, who ran in the relay at WPIALs last year in place of Patsey and helped it place 10th, again is in the relay mix.

On the girls side, sophomore Audrey Myers was in the girls 3,200 relay mix last year, and Stewart said she’s expected to be the team’s top hurdler throughout the remainder of this season.

Myers also is a part of the girls 1,600 relay with sophomore Lola Abraham, junior Maci Orbin and freshman Katerina Tsambis. Abraham and Orbin helped the relay medal in eighth at WPIALs last year.

Abraham, also well known as a soccer standout for the Raiders and in the Riverhounds developmental program, finished seventh in the triple jump at WPIALs and said she has big plans for the triple and long jumps this year.

“I’ve had a pretty good start as (jumping) coach (Bob) Kariotis has helped me a lot,” said Abraham, who also lends her abilities in the open 400 and 100 dash. “Towards the end of last season, he really helped me prepare for WPIALs, and he got me back into good form since I hadn’t jumped since WPIALs. I started this season close to where I ended last season, so that was a good feeling. I can keep building.”

Juniors Olivia Wilton and Gwyn Fichte and sophomore Jonisha Carlino, Stewart said, are back in the 3,200 relay (16th at WPIALs in 2021), and they will be joined by freshman Lily Bauer.

Bauer made her invitational debut at Bedford and placed fourth in the 1,600 (6:01.83) and fifth in the 800 (2:42.84).

Also back looking for big things this season are 2021 WPIAL qualifiers in senior pole vaulter Maddie Entwistle (tied for 11th) and junior shot putter Alex Bibza (14th).

In addition to upcoming section meets with South Allegheny, Clairton, Shady Side Academy, Trinity Christian and Springdale, the Riverview boys and girls teams are slated to run at the Mars Invitational on April 29 and the Pine-Richland Invitational on May 6.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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