Norwin’s Ryan Schiller wins thriller in WPIAL 110-meter final

By: Paul Schofield
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 | 9:54 PM

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Ryan Schiller is not afraid to put in extra work.

It sure paid off at the WPIAL track and field championships Wednesday at Slippery Rock University’s Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

Norwin’s Schiller (14.30 seconds) used a quick finish and a lean after the final hurdle to edge North Hills’ Gamaliel Mogire (14.32) in Class 3A 110-meter hurdles.

“It was a thrilling race,” Schiller said. “That’s what I’ve been doing all season. I am focused on the last hurdle. It is not a race to the first hurdle. My coaches always told me to trust the process, and I trusted my work ethic and it got me where I wanted to be.

“I practice a lot. We practice coming hard off that last hurdle. If there is not a hurdle in front of you, you tend to slow down. So that is what I did.”

Schiller said his goal was to be a WPIAL champion, and he achieved his goal. Now he’s focused on placing at states.

All eight finalists in the 110 hurdles qualified for the PIAA championships May 23-24 at Shippensburg University.

Also qualifying were Penn-Trafford senior Ekoulus Lett (fourth), Franklin Regional sophomore Sean Cartwright (sixth), Schiller’s teammate Jeramiah Francis (seventh) and Kiski Area sophomore Braden Miller (eighth).

Schiller said a bad start cost him in the 300 hurdles. He placed fourth. He also competed in the 400 and 1,600 relay teams.

Senior Brandi Brozeski had a busy day. She competed in four events and qualified for states in three. She placed second in the triple jump and 100 hurdles and eighth in the high jump.

“It was very competitive,” Brozeski said. “Yeah, I would have liked to won those two events.”

Junior Annie Czajkowski ran a personal-record of 4:57.92 and finished second in the 1,600 and the 3,200.

Other Norwin individuals headed to Shippensburg are Callum Turner, who finished fourth in the discus; Eliezer Nicolas Jr. was fourth in the 400; Luke Simpson was fifth in the 1,600; Alexander Irwin fourth in the pole vault; Francis in the long jump; Daniel Maddock (third in the 200); and Melani Schmidt, who was third in the 400 and third in the 200.

Garn’s revenge

Mt. Pleasant senior Jarret Garn has a fond memory of what happened in the Class 2A 200 final last year.

He lost by 100th of a second.

This time, Garn won the 200 going away.

He ran a 22.55.

“It was nice to come back and win it senior year,” Garn said. “Last time here, I was glad to reach that goal. Now, I am focused on states. I placed 13th last year. I want to run two more races.”

Others to qualify for states

Boys: Latrobe sophomore Preston Miller (third in the 3A 100), Penn-Trafford senior Jake McGhee (third in the 3A 1,600 and third in the 800), Greensburg Central Catholic senior Jonah Schneider (fourth in the 2A shot put), Mt. Pleasant freshman Bryson Bankosh (fourth in 2A long jump), Belle Vernon senior Ryan Kent (third in the discus), Derry junior Jeremiah Gess (seventh in pole vault), Hempfield Jonathan Stetchock (third in 3A 3,200), Franklin Regional sophomore Sean Cartwright (sixth in the 3A 110 hurdles), Penn-Trafford senior Ekoulus Lett (fourth in 3A 110 hurdles and second in 300 hurdles), Penn-Trafford senior Aidon Lett (sixth in 3A 300 hurdles), Kiski Area sophomore Braden Miller (eighth in 3A 110 hurdles), Ligonier Valley senior John Jablunovsky (second in 2A high jump), Mt. Pleasant freshman (fourth in the long jump), Belle Vernon Area senior Ryan Kent (third in 3A discus), Derry junior Jeremiah Gess (seventh in 3A pole vault) and Greensburg Salem junior Luke Rullo (third in 3A triple jump).

Girls: Hempfield junior Maddie Tulley (fourth in 3A discus), Latrobe freshman Avery Peipock (third in 3A pole vault), Greensburg Central Catholic senior Eva Denis (second in the 2A 100 and sixth in the 200), Greensburg Central Catholic senior Sasha Hoffman (second 2A 100 hurdles and third in the 300 hurdles), Hempfield sophomore Madison Altman (fourth in 3A 300 hurdles), Latrobe senior Brylee Bodnar (fifth in the 3A 300 hurdles), Latrobe Mia Klasnic (fourth in the long jump), Franklin Regional sophomore Jamie Kociela (sixth in the 3A high jump), Hempfield Chesnee Smith (second 3A 800), Greensburg Central Catholic Julia Stilley (seventh in the 2A 400), Greensburg Central Catholic Erica Rodriguez (third in 2A shot put, Penn-Trafford, Ligonier Valley Katia Gunter (third in 2A 800 and fourth in 400) and Southmoreland Megan Mehall (fourth in 2A 800),

Relay teams: Latrobe boys (3A) 400 relay (fifth), Hempfield boys (3A) 3,200 relay (sixth), Greensburg Central Catholic girls (2A) 400 relay (third) and Penn-Trafford boys (3A) 1,600 relay (third).

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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