Plum track team looks to carry momentum from memorable WPIAL meet into states
May 20—The Plum boys track and field team enjoyed one of the most successful days in program history at the WPIAL Class 3A championships last week. Mustangs athletes earned eight PIAA qualifications, led by four gold and two silver medalists. Now, they will lead the Alle-Kiski Valley contingent — which includes those from Kiski Area and Fox Chapel — to states Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium.
"All year, we had it in our sights that we could send a good number to states," Plum coach Matt Proskin said Tuesday afternoon as he oversaw the jumpers, runners and hurdlers fine-tuning their efforts in advance of this weekend's meet. "About midway through the season, we went to the Shippensburg Invitational, and we kind of treated it as a state preview meet. We took a group we felt had a chance to get to states if they put it all together.
We wanted to use it as a chance to motivate them and give them experience at the venue. " That day, junior Kent Holmes finished runner-up in the 400-meter dash, senior Owen Proskin took silver in both the 110 and 300 hurdles and the boys 1,600 relay placed fifth. "It's pretty exciting to have the two relays and individuals going," said coach Proskin, who watched school records bettered in four events at WPIALs.
"This is great for the program. It really shows the progress we made. It showed when we won the section, something we hadn't done since 1999.
It was a year-long process with goals that has led us to where we will be pretty busy this weekend. " Owen Proskin joins Freeport junior Mackenzie Magness as the only A-K Valley athletes to qualify for states in four events. He won gold in the 110 hurdles, long jump and 1,600 relay and took silver in the high jump at WPIALs.
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