Norwin track teams looking to continue banner season at WPIAL meet

By: Paul Schofield
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | 9:26 PM

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It has been quite a spring so far for the Norwin track and field program, and the Knights are not done yet.

The WPIAL Class 3A track and field championship begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Slippery Rock University’s Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, and numerous Norwin athletes are looking to bring home gold and/or qualify for a trip to Shippensburg University for the PIAA championships May 23-24.

Norwin coach Tim Van Horn said there were enough athletes — more than 40 — to take a boys and girls bus.

“We have been working hard,” Van Horn said. “We have individual goals. I expect all of them to do well. Winning medals is important.

“You want to be first, but you also want to come home with a medal. A lot will be going after personal bests. The medal is just the icing on top.”

Senior 100/110-meter hurdlers Brandi Brozeski and Ryan Schiller enter this week’s championship seeded No. 1 among some talented hurdlers in the WPIAL.

“There is definitely good competition out there,” Brozeski said. “It will be a good race. I am trying to just run my race and not worry about the pressure.”

Brozeski will also compete in the high jump, long jump and triple jump.

The Duquesne University recruit said qualifying for states is her goal.

“Winning a WPIAL title would be very nice, but I am more focused about going to states because last year I unfortunately was not able to go,” Brozeski said. “During my race, a girl fell into my lane and I stopped. I was so close last year.

“By winning the WPIAL (team) title, we set the standard high. I feel we’ll do well.”

Schiller will be competing in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles and one of the relays.

“I would like to win a WPIAL title,” Schiller said. “My goal is to medal at states.”

Schiller, junior Jeremiah Francis and sophomore Tyler Beck each have a shot at qualifying for states in the hurdles.

Senior Melani Schmidt will be competing in the 200- and 400-meter runs. She will also compete in the 1,600-meter relay.

“I’d like to go to states in all my events,” Schmidt said. “I would say my best event is the 400.”

Senior sprinter Daniel Maddock has also had a good season.

“My goal is to make it to states in the 200,” Maddock said. “I’d also like to break my PR. I feel I can do it.”

Junior Annie Czajkowski has her sights on the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs.

“Hopefully I will win the 1,600,” Czajkowski said. “If I don’t, that will be OK because states are more important. I am still waiting for the big 1,600 PR. My goal is to medal at states.”

Others capable of earning medals include Luke Simpson (distance), Nick Puskar (pole vault), Alexander Irwin (pole vault), Thomas Gaydos (distance), Tanner Callum (discus) and Karina Karadus (hurdles).

Meanwhile, Derry senior Sophia Mazzoni, Penn-Trafford senior Logan Kerstetter and Greensburg Central Catholic junior Jerry Davis are the only Westmoreland County athletes looking to repeat as WPIAL champs.

Mazzoni, who will be competing in Class 3A, was a two-time Class 2A javelin champion. Kerstetter won the Class 3A javelin, and Davis is the returning Class 2A 400-meter winner.

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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