Excitement builds for Quaker Valley track season

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 16, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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One of the many talented athletes to watch at Quaker Valley during the outdoor track and field season is senior Thomas Debelak.

He finished third in the boys triple jump at the PTFCA indoor championships March 2 at Penn State, hitting a mark of 45 feet, 11 inches. Debelak holds the school record in the event.

“Thomas set a new personal best and went from being the 20th seed entering the competition to finishing third overall,” QV coach Jared Jones said. “Every single one of his jumps were personal and season bests. I am very excited to see what he is able to do in the outdoor season.”

Debelak, who has been training for the New Balance Indoor Nationals on March 13-16 in Boston, said he is expecting a championship 2025 season for the QV boys track and field team.

“I expect my amazing boys team to put in the extra effort, compete at a high level of talent and put up outstanding numbers in their performances,” Debelak said. “I truly believe we will win the WPIAL and state championships this year.

“For myself, I’m feeling a lot more confident in my jumping ability, and I expect to put up incredible performances. My dream is to hit 50-feet-plus in the triple jump.”

QV’s boys track and field team won its first WPIAL title in 25 years during the 2024 outdoor season. The QV girls are three-time defending WPIAL champions.

“The outdoor season is going to be a lot of fun,” Jones said. “There are high expectations, but I think we have the ability to live up to them. We lost a lot of irreplaceable talent (to graduation), but we’re hopeful and excited for the challenge.

“The senior girls are going for a career sweep of WPIAL championships. This year may be the toughest challenge they have faced with new competition after some reclassifications, but they are excited to welcome the competition. The boys also feel confident in their chances to repeat.”

QV had nine individuals and one relay team qualify for the indoor state championships. The Quakers brought home five medals.

“Our indoor season was an extremely positive experience,” Jones said. “We had a lot of athletes show growth in multiple areas.

“Prior to this year, Quaker Valley only had one athlete finish in the top eight at this meet in school history. That was Jay Olawaiye, a senior who medaled for a second time by taking fourth place in girls triple jump this year.”

Along with Olawaiye, who racked up a distance of 38-6 in the triple jump, and Debelak, the Quakers’ indoor medalists at the state meet were sophomore Jonah Montagnese, who placed seventh in the boys mile run in 4:16.19 and eighth in the 3,000-meter event in 8:42.99, and senior Cecilia Montagnese, the girls 3,000-meter runner-up with a 9:42.75 time.

“Cecilia’s performance was phenomenal,” Jones said. “She is a very smart runner and kept herself in a great position from start to finish. Her growth over the past several months has been tremendous and fun to watch. I am very excited for her outdoor season.

“Jonah was one of the few athletes to compete in both the mile and 3,000 at the state champions meet. He was also the only athlete in the field for the mile who wasn’t a junior or senior,” Jones said. “He was able to medal in the mile and follow that up a few hours later, medaling in the 3,000 as well. Walking away from a meet of that caliber with two medals is extremely rare and impressive.”

The Quaker Valley program was well-represented at the WPIAL outdoor championships last year. The Quakers had 29 athletes compete in 34 individual events and on six relay teams.

“Our coaching staff does such a great job in every discipline at helping find the right events for athletes and preparing them for the different aspects of the season,” Jones said. “We are very proud to have qualified all three boys and girls relay teams and in 13 out the 15 individual events.

“I think this is a testament to our coaching staff. They put in countless hours behind the scenes.”

QV maintained its elite status with five WPIAL championship performances and 26 medalists: 14 on the boys team and 12 on the girls team. All six relay squads were medalists.

The following relayers were listed on the WPIAL girls heat sheets: Montagnese, Emily Bablak, Kate Hines and Ellie Cain in the 3,200; Vanessa Pickett, Kwilai Karto, Olawaiye and Zora Washington in the 400; Pickett, Karto, Emma Currier and Cain in the 1,600.

Karto also advanced in the 100-meter hurdles and 100-meter dash. Montagnese qualified in the 800 and 1,600 as did Cain in the 800.

Rose Pocasangre competed in both hurdles. Maggie Doz qualified in the 3,200.

In the field, Olawaiye advanced in the long and triple jumps, along with Olivia Jordan (long jump) and Currier (triple jump). Mia Gartley and Oumou “Mimi” Thiero were qualifiers in the high jump. Sarah Minard and Evie Rosselli also qualified in the pole vault.

Turning to the boys, the following were listed on the WPIAL relay heat sheets: River Capek, Montagnese, Jackson Pethel and Clark LaLomia in the 3,200; Debelak, Winston Clifford, Davin “Macky” Gartley and Izzy Emerson in the 400; Gartley, James Irwin, Jayden Juliano and LaLomia in the 1,600.

Gartley qualified in both hurdles, and LaLomia advanced in the 800 and 1,600.

“My expectation for the boys team this year is to win the WPIAL, then for us to win the PIAA team championship,” Gartley said. “My goals are to win at WPIALs and at the PIAA (finals) in the 300-meter hurdles, 110-meter hurdles and the 4-by-400 relay.”

Other WPIAL qualifiers for the boys team were Montagnese (1,600, 3,200), Tyler Bell (1,600, 3,200), Emerson (200), Juliano (400), Irwin (400), Pethel (800) and Capek (800).

Aiden Dwyer (high jump, triple jump), Reese Fatur (discus), Clifford (high jump) and Debelak (triple jump) advanced in the field competition.

Quaker Valley was just the second school to win the WPIAL boys and girls team championships in Class 2A in the same season.

“We had so many impressive performances across the board,” Jones said. “A major highlight of the WPIAL (team) meet was a new school record in the 300 hurdles set by Macky Gartley with a time of 38.99.

“Macky was also the anchor of the 4-by-100 relay team with Ronnie Berry, Winston Clifford and Izzy Emerson. Their time of 43.58 is now second all-time in Quaker Valley school history.”

QV’s defending WPIAL champions for 2025 are Mia Gartley (high jump), Olawaiye (triple jump), Macky Gartley (110-meter hurdles), the boys 1,600 relay team (Gartley, Irwin, Juliano, LaLomia) and boys 3,200 relay (Capek, Montagnese, Pethel, LaLomia).

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