Redeemer Lutheran track team shows program’s growth at national meet

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, June 5, 2021 | 11:35 AM

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The National Christian School Athletic Association track and field meet May 22 at Geneva College provided good perspective for Redeemer Lutheran junior runner Christian Loewe.

Competing against schools from multiple states, athletes from the Rams’ young track program got an idea of what kind of progress they’ve made.

Loewe, who placed second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.42 seconds, was happy the Rams, who have to train in innovative ways due to facilities available, finished fifth out of 13 teams in the varsity meet. The girls team finished 10th.

Redeemer Lutheran’s middle school team was also successful, with the girls team placing fourth and the boys team finishing fifth.

“Our track is a field,” Loewe said. “We use the things we have to in order to get where we need to be.”

Nathan Lowe, who is Christian’s dad and the Rams’ athletic director, said Christian finding success in track wasn’t planned. When Christian was 9, they entered him in a race when they were living in Texas.

“We stuck him in the 50, and I wasn’t watching the race,” Nathan Loewe said. “Next thing I heard is, ‘First place, Christian Lowe.’ My wife and I looked at each other and said, ‘I guess he’s fast.’ He didn’t really have a choice. He was going to do track.”

Loewe, who played baseball in college but didn’t run track, helped start the track program at Redeemer Luthern four years ago. After competing in only one meet during their inaugural season, the Rams were able to participate in 10 events between individuals and triangulars.

While not a part of a section in the WPIAL, Rams athletes are able to qualify for the WPIAL Class AA championships if they hit the qualifying standard.

Redeemer Lutheran had 10 varsity track athletes — eight boys and two girls — out of the 33 total students the school has at the high school level.

Nathan Loewe was ecstatic with all of the extra work his kids were able to get in this season. They competed against Penn Hills, East Allegheny, Riverview and Springdale in the regular season. Those meets helped prepare them for the NCSAA meet.

“That meet had teams from Oklahoma, Maryland and West Virginia,” Loewe said. “It was good competition.”

Senior Charis Carroll, who placed third in the 800 (2:43.37) and 3,200 meters (14:36.63) and fourth in the 1,600 (6:05.71), came out for track for the first time after running for the cross country team in the fall.

Adjusting to running on the track was a transition she enjoyed.

“I think with track, it was easier to attack it because I was able to work on hitting certain splits,” Carroll said. “With cross country, it’s a matter of survival. I enjoy training for it more because I was able to see my progress more. Adjusting was more of a positive than a negative.”

Freshman Jesse Van Wyk has grown into one of the Rams’ most versatile athletes. Van Wyk, whose sister, Christen, throws the javelin at Slippery Rock, competes in the 400, 800, 1,600, long jump and javelin.

Van Wyk finished third in the 800 at the NCSAA meet with a time of 2:18.03. Pushing for better times has been helped by having a team to support him.

“I feel like I work better in a group, especially if the group is faster than me and can help push me,” Van Wyk said. “If it’s just myself, I’m going to slow down because I’m tired.”

Freshmen Ale Pappa and Emenet Richardson, sophomores Demetrius Broadnax and Nathan Susek and junior Nate Jackson also participated for Redeemer Lutheran.

All the athletes appreciated having a chance to grow together as a team.

“I think doing cross country for most years, I knew running was something I was interested in and somewhat competitive in,” Carroll said. “It was a change of scenery. It interested me in my senior year to have something else to participate in.”