Coming off of a “4-PEAT” in the WPIAL Championship and competing this past week at Slippery Rock University, a select few Riverside athletes are getting ready for the State Championship beginning this Friday May 28th.
The two day championship event is set to take place at Shippensburg University. Live streaming for the meet will begin at 10:15 a.m. on both days. PCN TV will be streaming the events on both cable or by stream.
Colby Belczyk and Ty Fluharty, who this year have set school records and were 1st and 2nd in the 800m at WPIAL Championships with times of 1:54 and 1:56 respectively, will be competing again the 800m at Shippensburg. The duo are currently ranked 1st and 2nd in the state. Belczyk, a Bucknell University recruit, and Fluharty will team up with Alden Wetzel and Brody Barton to prove they are the number one ranked 4×400 relay team in the state. The relay team currently has a best time of 3;27.
Graham Kralic will be competing in the very close field of 300-meter hurdlers. There is only one second separating the top 16 hurdlers.
Teddy Mchale and Trevor McNeil will compete in the pole vault. Mchale is currently ranked number four in the state while McNeil sits at 17th. There is only one foot that separates McNeil from the top three.
With this meet being the last one for the Panthers season, Coach Chuck Kotuby has decided to “pass the baton” to his assistant coach Chelsea Kordecki after over two decades of coaching. Kordecki came on this year and, with her experience, helped the team greatly according to Kotuby.
“I have been very blessed the past 25 years of coaching track to have had some amazing athletes,” said Kotuby. “Going 15 straight years undefeated in the section, setting WPIAL history this year with the most WPIAL AA Track and Field championships with seven and being the only AA school to win four straight WPIAL team championships has been a special way to end my coaching career.”
Kotuby praises some amazing coaches surrounding the program. Tom Godsen, throwing coach, and Dave Sullivan, pole vault have coached for 25 years.
Kotuby also has some family ties with the program.
“For the past five years, it has really been special having my son Clint, who ran for me and at Pitt, coming back to coach our distance runners and taking them to the next level and having one of the best distance programs in the WPIAL.” Kotuby concluded.
OF NOTE: Three Riverside girls qualified and will be also competing at Shippensburg. Sydney Hale in discuss, Jordan Chesko in high jump, and Aubriente Cleckley in 100 meter hurdles. [VIEW FULL SCHEDULE]
The @PIAASports Track and Field Championships are this Friday & Saturday! PCN’s coverage begins at 10:15 AM each day. Get ready to keep up with all of your favorite #trackandfield events on cable & streaming.
Details at ➡️ https://t.co/OzSb6rL1OV pic.twitter.com/FTWgJWVDfu— PCNTV (@pcntv) May 24, 2021
Congratulations and good luck to the Riverside boys. Three Riverside girls have also qualified and will be competing at Shippensburg. Sydney Hale in discuss, Jordan Chesko in high jump, and Aubriente Cleckley in 100 meter hurdles. Good luck to them as well.