Holy Redeemer’s team of (from left) Zach Perta, Justice Shoats, Dylan Cassetori and John Kuderka brought home state silver medals in the 400 relay on Saturday at the PIAA Class 2A track and field championships.
Tom Robinson | For Times Leader
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Holy Redeemer multi-sport standout Justice Shoats added three more state medals to his case this weekend, winning silver in the long jump and 400 relay to go with a fourth-place finish in the high jump.
Holy Redeemer Athletics
SHIPPENSBURG — Zach Perta had a knack for getting the ball to Holy Redeemer basketball teammate Justice Shoats in the right spots on the court for the all-stater to show his skills.
Saturday, Perta passed the baton to Shoats and watched him go to work.
Shoats passed two opponents during his anchor leg to polish off a second-place, 400-meter relay finish by the Royals, helping them to a tie for fifth place in the final Class 2A boys team standings at the PIAA Track and Field Championships.
Dylan Cassetori and John Kuderka contributed the first two legs of the relay for the only second-day points scored by Holy Redeemer, the leader after Friday’s competition.
Shoats provided the remaining Holy Redeemer points. He finished the meet with two silver medals and a fourth-place medal.
The Holy Redeemer relay was one of two top-eight finishes by Wyoming Valley Conference boys Saturday.
Lake-Lehman’s Nick Hockenbury had the day’s only medal by a WVC boy when he finished seventh in the 3200-meter run.
Holy Redeemer appeared to need two swipes to complete the first handoff, but the Royals never broke stride. Perta took it from there, then passed to Shoats, who closed out a standout, three-sport career at the school with one last sprint.
“I think we held our own and did great,” Perta said of the second-place finish behind Bartram Motivation from Philadelphia, which finished in 42.62 seconds. “We pushed them to their limits; they pushed us to our limits; it was a great day overall.”
The 43.16 relay finish was also another example of Holy Redeemer’s ability to blend talented athletes into the track and field team as newcomers.
Last year, Shoats won a state long jump title in his first season of track and field.
Perta and Kuderka joined the team for the first time this year. The relay combination was not formed until after the WVC season was underway.
“It really feels great to do several sports, going from football with Justice, doing great together, then basketball going far together,” said Perta, who joined Shoats as wide receivers on an explosive, improved team in football and as starting guards on a state semifinal basketball team. “Making states once again with Justice I think was a great experience for both of us.
“We’re great teammates together, and I loved doing everything I do with him in sports.”
Shoats won four District 2 gold medals, including one with his relay teammates, but scratched from the 100-meter dash for the state meet to concentrate on two jumps and a relay. That kept him fresh for the relay finals.
“I’m really proud we made it this far,”
Hockenbury entered the 3200 as just the 15th seed out of 26 after fighting off a push from Dunmore’s Joseph Cardillo to win the District 2 title by less than four-tenths of a second.
In the season finale, Hockenbury, also a state medalist in cross country, came up with a clutch performance. He beat his district time by more than 30 seconds and his all-time best by almost 15 seconds on the way to the medal in 9:23.55.
Hockenbury was 18th after 800 meters, but made a strong move into medal position by the midway point in the race.
Hall of Fame
During a break in the track action former Meyers star Raghib “Rocket” Ismail was inducted into the Pennsylvania Track and Field Hall of Fame, joining his brother Qadry Ismail, who had been inducted previously.
The Ismails teamed to lead Meyers to state titles in 1987 and 1988. Rocket was a three-time state long jump champion who won three events (100, long jump, 400 relay) and finished second in the 1600 relay as a senior.
PIAA TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Wyoming Valley Conference entries)
SATURDAY’S FIELD FINALS
Class 3A boys
High jump: Matthew Cusatis, Hazleton Area, 14th of 24, 6-0.
Class 2A boys
Shot put: Drew Mruk, Wyoming Area, 15th of 25, 45-5.
Triple jump: Ryan Walton, Holy Redeemer, 16th of 24, 40-4.
Pole vault: Nicholas Scalzo, Wyoming Area, T17th of 21, no height.
Triple jump: Rocco Pizano, Wyoming Area, 20th of 24, 39-10.
Class 3A girls
Javelin: Allie Melchiorre, Berwick, 4th of 25, 132-4.
Discus: Allie Melchiorre, Berwick, 21st of 25, 99-9.
SATURDAY’S TRACK FINALS
Class 2A boys
400 relay: Holy Redeemer (Dylan Cassetori, John Kuderka, Zach Perta, Justice Shoats), 2nd of 8 finalists, 26 total, 43.31.
3200: Nick Hockenbury, Lake-Lehman, 7th of 26, 9:23.95.
100: Aaron Crossley, Wyoming Area, 8th of 8 finalists, 31 total, 11.29.
Class 3A girls
3200: Molly DeMarzo, Crestwood, 24th of 31, 11:19.55.
Class 2A girls
3200: Madelyn Keating, Wyoming Area, 3rd of 26, 10:58.11.
3200: Wyoming Area (Madelyn Keating, Samara Campenni, Nina Angeli, Ella McKernan), 9th of 24, 9:55.12.