Quaker Valley track team collects medals at indoor state championships

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 9, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Quaker Valley wrapped up a successful indoor track season at the PTFCA state championships March 2 at Penn State.

Cecilia Montagnese led the way with a second-place finish in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9 minutes, 42.25 seconds.

“Cecilia’s place was the highest ever (indoors) by a Quaker Valley athlete while crushing the school record,” QV assistant John Doucette said.

Montagnese, a senior, has been a WPIAL qualifier in cross country four times in her high school career and has made it to states three times.

She captured the WPIAL Class 2A championship in 2024 with a time of 17:56.2 at White Oak Park in McKeesport.

“It kind of surpassed all the goals I had for the season,” Montagnese said after the race, “and it went a lot better than I could’ve predicted. I’m really excited to get the team back together for indoor and outdoor track.”

Montagnese plans to compete at the next level for Villanova, where she will run for the women’s cross country and track teams.

“Which I’m really excited about,” she said. “I’m hoping to have some success this outdoor season both individually and with our team. The girls track team is hoping to defend our WPIAL title. If we win it again this year, it’ll be our fourth year in a row, so, hopefully, we can achieve that.

“I’m also just excited to enjoy my last outdoor season with the team.”

Senior Jay Olawaiye placed fourth in the girls triple jump at the PTFCA indoor meet and, in the process, shattered another school record with her jump of 38 feet, 6 inches.

Vanessa Pickett, also a senior, finished 15th in the long jump, and sophomore Evie Roselli placed 20th in the pole vault.

For the boys team, sophomore sensation Jonah Montagnese became the first QV athlete to walk away with two medals at the indoor state championships.

Montagnese zeroed in on the seventh spot in the mile run in 4:16.98 and eighth place in the 3,000 meters in 8:42.99.

“It was definitely a new and exciting experience competing on that high of a level,” he said. “I think I put up a good fight in both of my races. I’m proud that I was able to qualify and perform at the highest level since there were no other sophomores in that race. It was an accomplishment to be there.

“Going into both races, I knew I should be in contention to win and that it would be a very good race against a really high level of competition. Though I didn’t come away with a win, being in the front of the race at any point was not something that I thought I would achieve this season. The goal for the outdoor season is see how far I can go and, hopefully, win a state championship.”

Montagnese has qualified for the New Balance Indoor Track Nationals to be held March 13-16 in Boston.

“I will be competing in the 4-by-800, 5,000-meter, distance medley relay and the one-mile run,” he said. “I’m very excited to have qualified and excited to compete at the national level.”

QV senior Clark LaLomia also competed in two events at State College, placing 13th in the mile and 15th in the 800.

The top finish for the boys team was secured was by senior Thomas Debelak at third place in the triple jump with a mark of 45-11.

“His third in the triple jump was not only the highest place by a boy in QV history, it also crushed the school record,” Doucette said.

Sophomore James Irwin placed 12th in the same event with a 43-8 distance.

Rounding out the QV results, senior Davin “Macky’” Gartley ran in what was a highly competitive 60-meter hurdles race and ended up in 11th place.

The QV athletes now are preparing for the WPIAL outdoor track and field season.

Tags: Quaker Valley