Penn-Trafford junior aims high in javelin

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, April 28, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Talk about making a huge leap.

Penn-Trafford junior Logan Kerstetter wasn’t his team’s best javelin thrower coming into the season. That honor was held by senior Matt Sarnowski.

But things have changed dramatically, and Kerstetter has taken his game to another level.

Heading into May, he has the top throw in the WPIAL of 179 feet, 3 inches, which is ninth-best in the state.

His best throw heading into the season was 159-2 at the 2023 WPIAL championship, which placed him fifth.

He did not qualify for the PIAAs because he didn’t finish in the top four nor did he hit the qualifying distance of 178-feet.

“I’m not surprised by his success,” Penn-Trafford javelin coach Sarah Loughner said. “He’s a very hard worker and a good learner. His hard work is paying off.”

Chasing him from the WPIAL are Pine-Richland junior Ryan Bean (178-10), Canon-McMillan senior Louis Liberatore (177-5), Peters Township sophomore Reston Lehman (175-11) and Mt. Lebanon senior Kush Criswell (175-7). Beam, Liberatore and Criswell were PIAA qualifiers in 2023.

“Last season, I had my best mark at WPIALs,” Kerstetter said. “I needed to get a couple inches extra (seven more to overtake Criswell) and make it to states and I came up short.

“I’ve had a pretty good season so far. I put in a good bit of work in the offseason — lifting, repetition and foot work, fundamental stuff — and I practiced a lot.”

Kerstetter was a baseball player until his freshman year when he decided to give track and field a try.

He was going to become a thrower because it looked fun. It didn’t take him long to realize that he’d like throwing the javelin the most.

“I knew freshman year I wanted to be a thrower and I knew I like the javelin,” Kerstetter said. “Things didn’t work out in baseball, so track became an alternative. I joined and stuck with it.”

Kerstetter steadily improved throughout the season and finally hit his best throw at WPIALs.

His goal this season is to finish in the top four at WPIALs and make it to states.

“I need to get those couple inches extra and make it to states,” Kerstetter said. “Having the 179-3 mark is nice. Now my focus is on 191, the school record held by Bruce Biskup (2016). You have to set the bar high if you want to achieve something.

“I was going up early and then I hit a consistent level in the 170s. Now I need to start upward again. The work I put in during the offseason with by coach (Loughner) is showing.”

Kerstetter is also throwing the discus. His best throw so far is 134.

“He’s throwing great,” Loughner said. “It’s all coming together for him. When you put in the work, good things happen.”

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: Penn-Trafford