Freeport’s Skiba joins group of contenders for WPIAL discus title

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, May 18, 2022 | 12:58 AM

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Reese Skiba offered encouragement, instruction and tips to perfect technique as Freeport middle school students launched a discus high into the air.

She broke down the intricacies of the footwork, spin, release point and launch angle during a practice session when the young athletes worked with the varsity team members.

The movements and motions have become second nature to the Freeport junior, who has developed into one of the WPIAL’s best in the event.

She hopes to turn her practice and dedication into a medal at the WPIAL Class 3A championship meet May 18 at Slippery Rock University.

Skiba has the resume to be included among the favorites this season. She won the discus event at the Mars Invitational on April 29, registering a mark of 109 feet. She also took third in the shot put (33-3.5).

“That felt amazing,” Skiba said of her personal record throws. “Taking first at a big invitational like that is something I’ve always dreamed about. I worked really hard in the offseason just to get to this place. It felt really good.”

The week before at the Butler Invitational, she was fourth in discus (104-0) and 15th in shot put (29-4.75).

“She just keeps escalating and getting better, better and better,” throwing coach Mike Brestensky said.

Skiba has witnessed the intensity of the WPIAL championship meet — she finished 15th last season in the shot put — and hopes that experience benefits her this season.

“Last year going to not only WPIALs but the other invitationals really helped me mentally learn and feel the aspect of those kind of meets,” she said. “Last year I was nervous. I didn’t know how they worked. It was a lot harder last year than this year.

“It’s definitely a lot more pressure because you want to win. You want to beat out all these girls who are there who are talented and want it just as bad as you. There’s a lot more competition mentally and physically.”

Skiba’s rise to contender status didn’t happen by accident. Last summer with the help of her father, Apollo-Ridge football coach John Skiba, she began strength training and specialized workouts to improve her spin and technique in the throwing circle.

The result of those efforts has been noticeable in both discus and shot put.

“Reese has really improved from last year to this year,” coach John Gaillot said. “She’s just focused on getting better. Really happy for her and all the success she’s been having.”

With the WPIAL meet fast approaching and possibly a trip to the PIAA championships after, Skiba hasn’t put a lot of focus on what lies ahead. But she has aspirations of throwing in college and chasing down the school discus record next spring — 123-0 set by Beth Shearer in 1984.

“It’s definitely on my radar,” she said.

Skiba will have some teammates joining her at the WPIAL championships, notably junior Isaac Wetzel, who is one of the WPIAL’s top hurdlers.

“I have a lot of confidence in what he’s going to be able to do (at WPIALs),” hurdles coach Linsey Schnur said.

He finished first in the 110-meter hurdles (15.38) and second in the 300 hurdles (40.88) at the Mars Invitational. He finished 11th in the WPIAL last season in the 300.

“We just want them to do their best,” Gaillot said. “That’s all we ask every day: just better yourself. Get an inch further, take a tenth off your time. Just compete. If you do that, everything else will fall into place.”

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Freeport