Riverview track teams quick off the starting blocks this season

By: John Phillips
Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Riverview boys and girls track coach Dave Ilnicki has seen quite a bit of running, throwing and jumping over the decades. Ilnicki, a teacher in the district, is in his 33rd year of guiding kids in the track program. It’s his 29th season in charge.

“I was hired in 1992 to coach the football and baseball programs,” Ilnicki said. “Then AD Jake Cappa mentioned there was an opening for track. I went to the library, got some microfiche files and started to learn. By 1997, I was in charge of the program and have been having fun with it ever since.”

So far, in Class 2A competition this season, the Raiders boys are 4-0 and the girls 2-0. They held a tri-meet April 2 against Deer Lakes and Leechburg, registering very favorable results that pleased Ilnicki.

“I like the makeup and progression of both the boys and girls teams,” he said. “It’s been a fantastic start. Both programs have WPIAL championship athletes. I don’t want to sound silly; the attitude and effort is good. All the kids work hard, show up. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

One of the keys for Riverview is its team balance — from distance to sprinting to throwing and other events, according to Ilnicki.

On the girls side for throwing events, sophomore Penny Stotler is performing well in both discus and shot put. Launa Lynch is a junior who is also providing the Raiders with depth in both events. Junior Morgan Sink is making waves in the javelin.

“She’s starting to pick up some of the jumping events for us,” said Ilnicki. “She took first place in the tri-meet in the javelin as well.”

On the boys side, junior Jack Reynolds took first in the tri-meet in the discus. He also throws javelin. Addison Pascal is a junior who finished second in discus. Senior Matt Orbin was personally recruited by Ilnicki to throw javelin.

“He’s doing great for a first-year kid,” Ilnicki said. ‘By him throwing 142 feet, he’s probably going to qualify for the WPIAL finals at Slippery Rock in May. No matter what your throw during the season, if that throw sticks, he’s going to qualify in his first season of competition.”

Senior jumper Elise Barnes has returned from a season-ending knee injury in 2024 that required surgery. She missed volleyball, but her rehab schedule has brought her back to the team.

“She just added the long and triple jump this season,” Ilnicki said. “She’s progressing at a very nice pace.”

For the boys, sophomore Kaden Levy is participating in the long jump, hitting a mark of just over 19 feet. He also won the triple jump. Junior Rio Stotts has picked up jumping for the first time, taking third in both the long and triple jumps.

In the distance events, the Riverview girls will be powered by sophomore Hannah Hudack and sophomore Kate Hoolahan.

Raiders assistant distance coach Barbara Stuart, who is originally from South Africa and moved to Oakmont in 1999, had good things to say about a pair of seniors, Lilly and Cailey Trosch. Both stand out to Stuart in the distance events.

“Lilly is dominating the 800 and 1,600 events,” Stuart said. “She ran 2:36.79 in the 800 event from Wednesday against Deer Lakes and Leechburg. As for Cailey, she is absolutely doing a great job. She is running at a great pace and has done well so far, clocking the fastest time recorded at Riverview in the 400 since 1996. She also won the 200 and finished second in the 100 in the same meet.”

Both Trosch and Bauer are members of the 1,600-meter relay team.

Sophomore Blake Huffman is making strides in the 100, 200, 400 and 1,600 relay events for the Riverview boys. Senior Kat Tsambis adds depth to the Raiders girls roster in the aforementioned events.

Senior Micah Ivy ran the 1,600 relay as anchor for the Raiders in the meet. He won the 800, finished second in the 1,600 and also participated in the 3,200 relay.

Both boys and girls swept the 200-meter races in the tri-meet as well.

Some of the top sprinters returning for the Riverview boys are sophomore Max Krat, juniors Prince Govin and Trentin Johnson, and senior captain Levi Roupas.

Tags: Riverview