4-PEAT! Riverside Boys Track Takes Home WPIAL Championship

The Panthers set WPIAL history Wednesday becoming the first Class 2A track team to win four consecutive titles.

The championship also makes Riverside the only Class 2A track team to win 7 WPIAL Championships.

Riverside defeated Greensburg Central Catholic (84-64), South Park (95-55) and Shenango (77-73) to capture its 2021 championship. [VIEW BRACKET] Shenango had upset Riverside early this season, snapping the Panther’s section streak of 116 consecutive wins in the process.  The victory was sweet revenge for Riverside

“First, it was a total team effort,” says head coach Chuck Kotuby. “I can’t say enough about our distance team as they fought off a very strong Shenango distance team.”

The Panther distance team is coached by Kotuby’s son, Clint.

According to Kotuby, it all started with the 4×800 relay team of Ty Fluharty, Noah Zelch, Sam Klein, and Colby Belczyk, who collected the event victory for the Panthers. The foursome posted a 8:18 which is number 1 in the WPIAL and third in the state.

“Belczyk is one of the best runners we ever had at Riverside,” said Kotuby.

Belczyk set school records in the 1600m, running 4:22.17 that broke a 43 yr.old record, and the 800m, running a 1:54.99 that broke Fluharty’s record set only a few weeks ago. Belczyk is also part of the school record 4×800 team set in 2018 and the 4×400 team set in 2019.

Belczyk also teamed up with Alden Wetzel, and hurdlers Graham Kralic and Brody Barton to anchor the relay with :49 sec split to seal the team win for the Panthers. The 4X400 relay team is currently #1 in the state.

Ty Fluharty excelled winning the 3200m and placed second in the 1600m and 800m.

Senior Kralic, who is number 1 in the WPIAL won the 110 and 300 hurdles, followed by junior Brody Barton who sealed the hurdles finishing second.

“All the first and second [finishes] we got helped with the big win,” added Kotuby.  “Senior Gage Zappie, who just came out this year, had a huge 2nd place finish in the high jump getting a big three points.”

Junior Teddy McHale had a big day with a personal best jump in the triple jump of 40′ 5 ” and teamed up with Trevor McNeil to place first and second in the pole vault.  McHale is #1 in the WPIAL Trevor 3rd and number 2 and 5 in the State.

Alden Wetzel had a big day winning the 400m, placing second in the 200m and running first leg on the 4×400 relay team.

Congratulations to Riverside boys’ Track team for winning the boys’ WPIAL AA track Championship today at Peters Twp High School. Thank you to @PetersTwpSports for hosting the WPIAL AA Team Track Championships! pic.twitter.com/pOcjtU16Tu

— WPIAL7 (@wpial7) May 12, 2021

The 2021 AA PIAA Track and Field Championships are scheduled for Friday, May 28 and the 2021 AAA PIAA Track and Field Championships are scheduled for Saturday, May 29, 2021, in Seth Grove Stadium on the campus of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. A detailed schedule of events is located on the 2021 PIAA Track and Field Championships website at www.piaa.org. [VIEW MEMO]