Norwin looking to clinch section titles

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, April 23, 2023 | 8:22 PM

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First place in WPIAL Section 1-3A track and field will be on the line Tuesday when Hempfield visits Norwin.

The Norwin boys and girls teams, under the direction of Tim Van Horn, are undefeated at 4-0. The Hempfield girls are 4-0, and the boys are 3-1. Ron Colland coaches the Spartans.

“This is a great rivalry,” Van Horn said during the Butler Invitational. “The meets are always tight. The programs respect each other.

“I know both teams have been gearing up for this one. I’ll be interested to see what type of moves Ron will make.”

The girls’ squads already have clinched a berth in the WPIAL playoffs. The Hempfield boys, which fell to Penn-Trafford, need a win to create a three-way tie. Norwin already has defeated Penn-Trafford.

Hempfield was missing three key point scorers in the meet against Penn-Trafford.

“Both squads have been working hard since Thanksgiving,” Van Horn said. “This group pushes each and pulls for one another.”

The girls are led by freshman distance runner Anna Czajkowski, senior sprinter Nataiah Robertson, senior sprinter and pole vaulter Hannah Shaw, senior jumper Ashley Laukus, senior thrower Savannah Schneck, senior hurdler Bella Brozeski, junior hurdler Casey Colcombe and distance runner Audra Fedor.

Laukus and Brozeski are returning PIAA qualifiers.

“The girls are a tight-knit group who push each other,” Van Horn said. “They want to compete, and they bring the best out of each other.”

Hempfield will counter with WPIAL and PIAA state champion Liz Tapper, shot put and discus, middle-distance runner Cydney Blahovec, hurdler Lindsay Simmons, jumper Alexa Gray and pole vaulter Grace Iwig.

The Norwin boys are a mirror image of the girls. They are hard workers and push each other, Van Horn said.

They are led by senior sprinter Trey Huha, junior sprinter Carter Tobin, junior sprinter Luke Denny, senior jumper Isaiah Kline, hurdler Ryan Schiller, freshman hurdler Jeremiah Francis, sophomore distance runner Enzo Jiancristoforo, senior distance runner Andy Breauchy, senior thrower Anthony Petrulo, sophomore pole vaulter Nic Puskar and sophomore sprinter Eli Nicolas.

“Both squads are deep,” Van Horn said. “There is competition every day at practice. An athlete can’t afford to miss a practice, or you might get passed up.”

The boys will face a desperate Hempfield team.

The Spartans are led by junior thrower Peyton Murray, who, along with Tapper, won the discus and shot put to earn MVP field honors at the Butler Invitational on Friday. Tapper broke two meet records.

Other key Spartans are distance runner Owen DeMatt, distance runner Luke Snyder, javelin thrower Tyson Gregory, jumper Dane Willis and sprinter Aiden Burkhardt.

“It’s going to be a tough week,” Van Horn said. “We have Hempfield and then the county meet on Thursday. I kind of wish the meet was Saturday.”

Mazzoni now No. 2

Derry Area sophomore Sophia Mazzoni will have to set a new goal.

After shattering the school record in the javelin with a throw of 138 feet, 1 inch on March 30, Mazzoni bested that mark Wednesday by throwing the spear 147 feet.

It’s the second best throw in the state. She has closed in on No. 1 Evelyn Bliss of Union-Allegheny Clarion. Her best throw is 149-3.

Mazzoni’s goal was to best her previous record throw. Now she has a new mark to aim for.

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: Derry Area, Hempfield, Norwin