Freeport distance runner Michael Braun locked in on gold during last trip to PIAA meet

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 6:04 PM

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As a freshman, Michael Braun placed 10th in the 3,200-meter run at the WPIAL Class 2A championships.

He didn’t reach his goal of qualifying for the PIAA meet, but he took note of the top performances in Shippensburg from area athletes, including the 1,600-meter state title by Deer Lakes senior Carson McCoy.

Braun came back determined as a sophomore and achieved his goal of making it to states, placing 10th in the 3,200 (9 minutes, 26.79 seconds) and witnessed teammate Isaac Wetzel earn a pair of medals in the 110 and 300 hurdles.

Braun took another step forward last year with two trips to the medals podium: third in the 3,200 (9:16.91) and seventh in the 1,600 (4:20.53).

Now, the distance stalwart and Penn State commit is set for one more shot at states Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg, and, this time, gold is what he is after.

Braun is the No. 2 seed (4:12.67) in Friday morning’s 1,600 among a group of three WPIAL runners at the top. On Saturday, he is seeded third in the 3,200 (9:23.52).

“Physically, I feel pretty good, just taking it easy the past two weeks,” Braun said. “I dialed it back with training. I feel healthy and not super tired. The stressful part of school is over. (Wednesday) was my last day, so I don’t have to deal with that. Mentally, I have been focused on building and getting to this meet. I’ve been pretty locked in since WPIALs.”

Braun said having his two races at states on different days — as it was last year — will help him run better than at WPIALs, when he competed in both separated by just a couple of hours and in warmer temperatures.

“Twenty-four hours of rest between my races is definitely a lot better than two hours,” he said.

Braun leads a healthy contingent of athletes from the Alle-Kiski Valley into the state meet.

He is one of several who knows what the PIAA meet is like from past trips to Shippensburg.

But for some, such as Burrell freshman Lily Liotta in the Class 2A girls long jump (12th seed, 17 feet, 6 1/4 inches), the experience is new.

“I was just so happy, excited and proud of myself to earn that trip to states,” said Liotta, who will compete at 12:30 p.m. Friday. “I have been working so hard, and it is great to see that hard work pay off.”

Liotta took seventh in the long jump at WPIALs, not an automatic berth to states, but her distance surpassed the state qualifying standard.

“I knew 16-11 was the standard, but as I was competing against all these Division I jumpers, I knew it was going to be tough,” she said. “I had to go out there and compete and give it my all in order to qualify.”

Four of the top six seeds in the Class 2A girls long jump are from the WPIAL, including Freeport sophomore Mackenzie Magness (sixth, 17-8 3/4).

“The WPIAL has so many amazing athletes, and it is really special to be a part of that,” she said. “I just want to thank all of my teammates and coaches for always supporting me to help me get to where I am.”

Magness will be busy with four events over the two days. The two-time WPIAL pole vault champion is the second seed at states (12-4) and is expected to battle top seed and fellow sophomore Aleah Morgante from Grove City (12-4 1/2).

Magness placed ninth in the pole vault at states last year.

Fox Chapel senior Claire Conti hopes to build on her WPIAL title in the discus and her third-place finish in the shot as she competes at states in two events for the first time.

She came close to a medal in the discus last year, placing ninth (115-9), just 11 inches away from eighth.

Conti goes into the discus as the No. 2 seed (137-0), 3 feet behind Sophia Rivera, a junior from Ephrata in District 3 (140-7).

She also is seeded 16th in the shot put (37-10 1/2).

Apollo-Ridge junior Jaden McCray, the WPIAL Class 2A boys javelin champion, also returns to states hoping for bigger things. Last year, he took 18th with a top throw of 143-4.

Now, he takes his 164-foot throw from WPIALs into competition as the 16th seed at 9 a.m. Friday. Right there with McCray is a PIAA newcomer in Riverview senior Matt Orbin, the WPIAL Class 2A boys runner-up and the No. 18 seed (160-10).

In all, there are 46 athletes from the A-K Valley scheduled to compete in more than two dozen Class 3A and Class 2A events Friday and Saturday. The Pennsylvania Cable Network will have live coverage both days.

Knoch senior and Marshall commit Karlee Buterbaugh hopes to be featured throughout the state on PCN as she returns to Shippensburg in the Class 3A girls javelin.

The WPIAL runner-up with a personal-best 148-9 last week will wait to compete until 12:30 p.m. Saturday. She is seeded fourth behind a trio that includes third seed and WPIAL champion Sophia Mazzoni from Derry (156-0).

Last year, Buterbaugh landed on the medals stand in sixth with a top throw of 125-4.

This year marks 10 years since Connellsville graduate Madison Wiltrout set the PIAA record in the Class 3A girls javelin with an all-time heave of 182-8. She also still owns the National Federation of High Schools record with a 185-8 from the 2015 season.

Plum senior and Pitt commit Gabrielle Layne, the WPIAL Class 3A girls runner-up in the 100 (12.35) and 200 dashes (25.14), is the No. 11 seed for both events. The 100 prelims are 10 a.m. Friday, with the 200 prelims set for 3 p.m. Friday.

Plum junior Owen Proskin will join Magness as the lone individuals from the A-K Valley to compete in three individual events at states. He is seeded 12th in the 110 hurdles (14.62), 13th in the 300 hurdles (38.99) and ninth in the high jump (6-5).

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.