Franklin Regional’s Todero wins WPIAL triple jump

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, May 29, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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When Franklin Regional senior Rayna Todero was a sophomore, she came into the WPIAL track and field championships seeded No. 1 in the triple jump.

But New Castle freshman Maria Owens came out of nowhere and won the event.

There were no surprises this season. Todero protected her No. 1 seed and won the Class AAA triple jump last month with a leap of 37 feet, 10½ inches. Hempfield’s Capri DeCaro finished second with a leap of 37-3.

Todero’s best jump this season was 38-1 when she won the Butler Invitational. She nearly won the Lady Spartan Invitational.

Todero has big goals after her 2020 season was canceled because of the coronavirus. She placed second in the WPIAL in 2019 and eighth in the state with a jump of 37-8, her then-personal record.

She qualified for indoor states in 2020 and was looking forward to a big outdoor season before it was canceled.

“It was exciting to break my PR so early in the season,” Todero said. “I usually do my best at the end of the season. Doing it in the middle of the season is a lot better. I’m shooting for 39 feet. I think I can do it with the right steps and perfect board.”

She was the only member of the Franklin Regional track team to qualify for the state meet. She was seeded fifth.

“I got it done this time,” Todero said. “No one was beating me this time. Now I’m looking forward to better my personal best jumps at states.”

Her sister, Sierra, finished eighth with a leap of 35-4. Sierra Todero, a sophomore, didn’t qualify for the state meet.

Others to compete were: Aly Kindelberger (high jump), Alexandra Hartman (100-meter hurdles), Mauriana Dorsch (300 hurdles). Bridget Yaniga (400-meter dash), Blake Cooper (100 and 200), Anderson Petrazzi (400), Jeff Downs (high jump), Jalen Russell (high jump), Aronne Gonzalez (long jump), Jerraine Turner (long jump) and Bryan McShea (triple jump).

Russell, Downs and Kindelberger just missed earning a medal by tying for ninth.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional