GCC’s Brewer a triple winner at WCCA; Hempfield’s Norris sets shot put record
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Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 8:40 PM
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Corinn Brewer wins the girls pole vault during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Greensburg Salem’s Quintin Gatons win the boys 1,600-meter run during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Norwin’s Jordyn Turcovski wins the 100-meter dash followed by Burrell’s Ava Rusiewicz, Hempfield’s Capri DeCaro, Franklin Regional’s Rayna Todero and Hempfield’s Alexa Gray during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Hempfield’s Samuel Parker wins the boys high jump during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Hempfield’s Elizabeth Tapper took second in the girls shot put during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Tapper was named girls field MVP.
Norwin’s Natalie Shuster wins the girls 100-meter hurdles followed by Franklin Regional’s Alexandra Hartman and Hempfield’s Madison Hays during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Hempfield’s Tanner Barnhart wins the boys pole vault during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Norwin’s Ashley Laukus win the girls high jump during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Latrobe’s Brennan Campbell (right) clears the last hurdle clean as Hempfield’s Roberto Smith hits his, helping Campbell to win the boys 300-meter hurdles during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Campbell was the boys track MVP.
Hempfield’s Isabella Gera wins the girls shot put during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Corinn Brewer wins the girls pole vault at the WCCA track and field championships Saturdayat Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Brewer also won girls MVP honors.
Latrobe’s Ryan Sickenberger edges Norwin’s Tony Sacco in the boys 400-meter relay during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Sickenberger was boys combined MVP.
Hempfield’s Daniel Norris wins the boys shot put with a meet record throw of 62 feet, 4 inches during the WCCA Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Norris was the boys field MVP.
Greensburg Central Catholic junior Corinn Brewer has put together an impressive resume during her high school career.
She added MVP at the 2021 Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association meet Saturday at Latrobe’s Memorial Stadium after winning three events: pole vault, 800- and 1,600-meter runs. She also earned a sixth-place finish in the high jump.
Brewer is one of the top track and field athletes in the state. She ranks No. 1 in the steeplechase on PennTrack. Steeplechase isn’t an event in the PIAA.
“My goal was to win everything,” Brewer said. “I did the jump right after the 1,600, so I didn’t get my (personal record), but that’s OK. Winning my other events and doing pretty well for not having competed in the 1,600 and 800 all out this season. I was pleased with my times and my vault.”
Brewer got on a 14-foot pole in the pole vault for the first time this season. She cleared 11-8.
“My best is the pole vault is, 12-3 and I’m hoping if I keep progressing I can reach 13 feet,” Brewer said. “I know my times will get better in the 1,600 and 800 with tougher competition.”
Numerous athletes won two individual events: Hempfield senior Dan Norris (shot put and discus), Hempfield senior Isabella Gera (shot put and discus), Norwin senior Jordyn Turcovski (100 and 200), Latrobe senior Ryan Sickenberger (100 and long jump), Latrobe senior Brennan Campbell (110- and 300-meter hurdles) and Greensburg Central Catholic junior Joe Blahovec (200 and 400).
Norris was the field MVP for boys, Sickenberger the combined MVP and Campbell the track MVP. Turcovski was the girls track MVP, and Hempfield sophomore Elizabeth Tapper earned field MVP after finishing second in the pole vault, shot put and discus.
Norris set the only meet record in the shot put with a heave of 62 feet, 4 inches, which ranks him second in the state overall and first in Class AAA. He already has the best discus toss in the state of 190-2. He won the discus with a throw of 178.
“It was a result of a lot of hard work,” Norris said. “I’ve been consistently around 60 the past few meets. I’ve been putting things together. I had a 62-2 on Tuesday here and to beat that, even by a few inches, is progress. It was small progress.”
Norris said he knows he must continue to work hard and try to improve for the bigger meets later this month.
Sickenberger took home four gold medals. He was the anchor in the winning 400 and 1,600 relay teams.
“It feels great being a county champion,” said Sickenberger, who will attend Allegheny to play basketball. “All the hard work paid off throughout the year. I’ve been trying my best to stay in shape.”
Blahovec said he was disappointed he finished sixth in the 100 after entering the finals with the third-fastest time in the preliminary. But he made up for it in the 200 and the 400.
“I thought I did pretty well in the 100 at first, but I finished sixth,” Blahovec said. “It was a pretty good day.”
Blahovec said competing against runners from bigger schools was fun and helped him judge how he ranks against other top runners.
“I’d like to make it to states and place,” Blahovec said. “Track helps in football.”
Gera was able to win her events even though she had minor surgery on her back during the week.
“I’m happy that I’m still producing decent numbers even though I practiced one time this week,” Gera said. “Obviously, I’m looking for better numbers. I’m never satisfied.”
Her throw in the shot was 43-8.5 and in the discus was 150-6. She still has the top throw in the state in the discus of 161-1.
Turcovski dominated the sprints. She ran the anchor on the winning 400 relay team.
“It was really fun, and the relay was unexpected because we were behind early,” Turcovski said. “The relay team, we all ran well, but the handoffs were a little rough.”
Greensburg Salem’s Quintin Gatons (1,600) and Aaron Tressler (3,200) were the distance winners. The Golden Lions’ Charles Johnson finished second to Gatons.
Ligonier Valley junior Miles Higgins won the javelin with a throw of 180 feet, 1 inch, and Hempfield senior Tanner Barnhart won the pole vault with a jump of 14-3.
Hempfield (AAA) and Greensburg Central Catholic (AA) boys and girls were the team championships.
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.
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