Riverside senior Calvin Wetzel overcomes back injury to win PIAA title

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, May 25, 2019 | 6:20 PM

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SHIPPENSBURG — A back injury almost kept Riverside senior Calvin Wetzel from competing in track and filed this spring.

Wetzel was hurt during the indoor track season and didn’t finish the campaign. He shut things down in January and didn’t return until May.

On Saturday, Wetzel won the Class AA 300-meter hurdles at the PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg’s Seth Grove Stadium.

“With what I went through, I’m pleased,” Wetzel said. “I was confident I could win here as long as I ran a clean race.”

Wetzel only competed three times prior to the state meet.

He had to stay away from competing and practicing while he rested his back.

“I guess I was kind of fresh,” Wetzel said. “It was tough shutting things down and watching. I’m glad I got a chance to come back.”

He edged Hill-Freedman junior Raar Corinaldi for the title. Wetzel finished in 38.27 seconds and Corinaldi clocked in at 38.74. Wetzel’s teammate, Brett Hart, finished fifth (39.60).

Wetzel finished fourth in the 300 in 2018.

He will run track at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

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: Riverside