Mohawk’s Jaxon Schoedel sets PIAA record while defending title in 3,200 meters
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Saturday, May 24, 2025 | 5:12 PM
Mohawk’s Jaxon Schoedel reacts after winning the 3,200-meter run in record time during the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships May, 24, 2025 at Shippensburg University.
Freeport’s Michael Braun finishes second behind Mohawk’s Jaxon Schoedel during the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships May, 24, 2025 at Shippensburg University.
Gateway’s Dino Nadarevic wins the discus during the PIAA Class 3A Track and Field Championships May, 24, 2025 at Shippensburg University.
Quaker Valley’s Davin Gartley finishes second behind Nativity BVM’s Noah Dolbin in the 110-meter hurdles during the PIAA Track and Field Championships May, 24, 2025 at Shippensburg University.
Mohawk’s Jaxon Schoedel wins the 3,200-meter run in record time during the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships May, 24, 2025 at Shippensburg University.
Mohawk’s Jaxon Schoedel reacts after winning the 3200-meter run in record time during the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships May, 24, 2025 at Shippensburg University.
North Allegheny’s Jack Bertram takes second behind Manheim Township’s Adam Kingston in the 3,200-meter run during the PIAA Class 3A Track and Field Championships May, 24, 2025 at Shippensburg University.
The Quaker Valley boys celebrate their Class 2A team title during the PIAA Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Shippensburg University.
Penn Hills’ Ronald Porter takes third in the Class 3A long jump during the PIAA Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Shippensburg University.
Quaker Valley’s Davin Gartley takes second in the 300 hurdles during the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Shippensburg University.
SHIPPENSBURG — Mohawk senior Jaxon Schoedel knew early on during the 3,200-meter Class 2A final Saturday that the race was his at the PIAA track and field championships.
All he was focused on was defending his title, but he got a lot more.
Schoedel finished in 8 minutes, 59.34 seconds and broke a 28-year record previously held by Southmoreland grad Chris Dugan (9:04.09 in 1997).
He broke away from Freeport senior and future Penn State teammate Michael Braun in lap seven. Braun ended up earning a silver medal in 9:05.82 to go with his bronze medal from the 1,600 on Friday.
On Friday, Schoedel finished second in the 1,600 to Quaker Valley sophomore Jonah Montagnese, who finished fourth in the 3,200 with a 9:10.57.
“I could tell after the second lap that I was going to win,” Schoedel said. “When I stepped onto the track for the last time, I teared up.
“This is incredible to be able to repeat that title and get a state record is a bonus of running fast. I’ve known I was in shape for the race. My plan was not to have a plan. I did not have any expectations coming into the race. I just wanted to win and defend that title.”
Schoedel said his fitness is the reason he was able to defend his title.
He also enjoys competing against Braun and Montagnese.
“This is going to be Jonah’s race next year,” Schoedel said.
The 3,200 was not the only event with several WPIAL runners bunched up near the top of the medal stand. The 2A boys 3,200 relay was even more crowded, as Quaker Valley took the top step, right next to second-place Winchester Thurston. The Quakers won the gold medal in 7:56.89. Montagnese, River Capek, Jackson Pethel and Clark LaLomia ran for Quaker Valley. Winchester Thurston’s time was 8:00.11, turned in by Peter Heintzleman, Michael Miller, Charlie Routledge and Eli DeSimone.
That was one of two gold medals picked up by the Quakers on Saturday, which led their way to the Class 2A boys team title with 75 points. Quaker Valley’s other win was another relay, the 1,600 by James Irwin, LaLomia, Davin Gartley and Pethel. Pethel held off the anchor runners from Pottsville Nativity and Central Columbia for the winning final time of 3:21.69.
Jerry Davis of Greensburg Central Catholic mined some gold of his own by winning the Class 2A boys 400 with a 48.50, and he added a seventh-place 22.8 in the 200 later in the day. Irwin of Quaker Valley took the bronze in the 400 with a 49.17.
Brentwood sophomore Daysaun Spencer won the Class 2A triple jump with a leap of 45 feet, 5 ¾ inches. He had a season best mark in winning WPIAL gold.
He came into the finals seeded No. 1, but it was not until his fifth jump that he took the lead.
“It feels good to win it after placing eighth last year,” Spencer said. “I wanted it. I was hungry, so I feel great.
“I just want to stay hungry and come back next year for another one. I learned a lot from this experience.”
Gateway’s Dino Nadarevic stayed hungry after winning the 3A boys shot put Friday and came back Saturday to win the discus. He earned his second gold medal in two days by throwing a 180-2 on his first throw of the afternoon.
“I wanted a safety throw, and it turned out to be my best throw,” said Nadarevic, who will be throwing at Duquesne next year. “It was a relief that I was over 180 and everyone had to chase me.”
Silver and bronze
A silver medal was the prize for North Allegheny’s Jack Bertram, who was second in the Class 3A boys 3,200. He ran an 8:52.28, second only to Adam Kingston of Manheim Township, who posted an 8:51.25.
WPIAL hurdlers came away with four silver medals.
In the Class 3A 110 hurdles, Ryan Schiller of Norwin finished second with a 14.36. Winning the race turned out to be a challenge, as Palmyra’s Tyler Burgess set a meet record with a 13.63.
In the Class 2A 110 hurdles, Gartley was second with a 14.28. Noah Dolbin of Pottsville Nativity won the gold with a 14.10.
The silver medal trend continued into the 300 hurdles. Gartley again placed second with a 37.58, stumbling across the finish line .02 seconds behind Blake Cook of Corry Area.
In the 3A 300 hurdles, Burgess again denied a local runner a gold medal with a 36.99, as Aaron Taylor of Canon- McMillian settled for second with a 37.43.
LaLomia placed second in the 2A boys 800 with a 1:56.36.
Beaver picked up a silver medal after a 42.67 in the 2A boys 400 relay. Alex Mastoris, Brady Mayo, Jacob Crossland and Amari Jackson turned in that time.
Ronald Porter of Penn Hills took home a bronze medal after a leap of 23-6 ½ in the 3A boys long jump.
Other Saturday medalists
In addition to Schiller, two more WPIAL hurdlers earned medals in the 3A boys 110 hurdles. Owen Proskin of Plum was fourth with a 14.45 and Gamaliel Morgire of North Hills was seventh with 14.68.
In the 800, Kayden Lightner of North Hills was fourth with a 1:52.63.
In the 3A boys 100 dash, Kaevon Gardner of New Castle was seventh with a 10.78.
Butler’s 42.53 was good for a sixth-place medal in the 400 relay. Logan Ekas, Kevin Shriver, Grayden Brown and Christopher Rubcic ran for Butler.
Butler capped off the day with another sixth-place medal in the 1,600 relay. Regan Peth, Aaron Stebick, Jace Gratzmiller and Carter Ekas posted a 3:20.23.
In Class 2A, Da’Karri Williams of Beaver Falls was fourth in the 400 with a 49.68, while Brady Mayo of Beaver was sixth with a 49.71.
Pethel added to the Quakers’ medal count with a fourth-place 1:57.11 in the 800. Montagnese was fifth with a 1:57.82.
Deakyn DeHoet of Beth-Center earned a fifth-place medal in the 100 with an 11.17. DeJuan Crombles-Booker of Neighborhood Academy was seventh with an 11.20.
Charlie Routledge of Winchester Thurston was fifth in the 3,200 with a 9:14.72.
In the 3,200 relay, Beaver posted a 8:07.88. Brayden Cosky, Isaac Burtt, Ryan Groff and Tyler Biss combined for that sixth-place time.
Jackson, with a relay silver already in hand, got a sixth-place medal in the 200 with a 22.79.
Quaker Valley was seventh in the 400 relay with a 43.39. Gartley, Irwin, Kieran Cain and Winston Clifford ran for the Quakers.
Micah Ivy of Riverview was eighth in the 2A boys 800 with a 1:58.33.
Staff writer Paul Schofield contributed.
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