Quaker Valley junior Jonah Montagnese has steadily improved his time in the boys 3,200-meter run this season.
Montagnese normally finishes first in the 3,200 whenever he competes for the Quakers.
On March 18, Montagnese posted a time of 10:37.13 in the 3,200 in a sectional meet. Sewickley Academy, Nazareth Prep, Aquinas Academy and Sto-Rox participated.
Montagnese lowered his time in the 3,200 to 9:56.86 in a meet April 8 against Sewickley Academy, Eden Christian Academy and Shady Side Academy, the meet’s host.
The 61st Butler Invitational took place April 22 at Butler and QV’s standout distance competitor lowered his 3,200 time to 8:56.16.
“I was super excited about what I was able to accomplish at the Butler Invite,” Montagnese said. “Last year, I won this meet in the 3,200, so it felt great to come back and defend my title. I am especially happy that I was able to run a fast time while pushing myself in the front on my own.
“I knew I was running fast. My coach was letting me know that I was on pace to break the 3,200 meet record.”
On April 23-25, Montagnese participated in the 3,000-meter event at the 130th Penn Relays. The meet was held at Franklin Field in Philadelphia and was hosted by the University of Pennsylvania.
Montagnese finished with a time of 8:15.62.
So, the QV junior’s time in the 3,200 this year moved from 10:37.13 in mid-March to 9:56.86, 8:56.16 and 8:15.62 in April.
“My expectations for the rest of the season are to do my best in every race that I’m in,” Montagnese said, “and hope for the goal of adding a couple of state championships this May at states.”
The last two meets on the QV track and field schedule were the Pine-Richland Invitational (May 1) and the WPIAL Class 2A championships (May 13) at Slippery Rock University.
Dominant wins for QV
Quaker Valley’s baseball team defeated Beaver Falls convincingly on consecutive days, winning 15-0 on a no-hitter April 8 and 17-3 the next day.
Sophomore hurlers Holden Kirkham and Damien McClay held the Tigers hitless and gave up just one walk.
Todd Kagle, a senior shortstop, went 2 for 3 and belted a home run in the first win over the Tigers.
QV senior center fielder Henry Zupanc had three hits in four at-bats.
Kirkham had four hits in five plate appearances in the second victory.
Kagle and junior Kolton Johnson combined on a two-hitter on the mound.
The Quakers followed up that impressive showing with a 29-0 three-inning section win April 27 against Sto-Rox. QV pounded out 15 hits as 23 players saw game action for the home team, which improved to 4-5 in Section 1-3A and 6-6 overall.
Zupanc, catcher Jake Neff and Kirkham had two hits apiece and each scored two runs. Rafe Furfari scored three times. Brody Zyroll, a freshman outfielder, singled and drove in three runs.
Kagle, freshman P/UTIL Charlie Burns and sophomore C/P Ian Benson combined on a perfect game with nine strikeouts.
Home-track advantage
Did you know that Quaker Valley hosted a WPIAL track and field team semifinal meet April 28 for the first time in school history?
And that it was a smashing success for the Quakers?
QV’s girls team ran past Brownsville (117-33), Chartiers-Houston (111.33-33.67), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (122-28) and Neighborhood Academy (124-26).
Individual first-place finishes were achieved by QV’s Evie Rosselli (110 hurdles), Maddie Gatehouse (200), Rose Pocasangre (300 hurdles), Mia Gartley (800, 1,600), Mimi Thiero (long jump, triple jump), Alexis Kempton and Ciara McHenry, who tied for first in the pole vault event.
QV’s boys team soundly defeated Chartiers-Houston (117-33), Clairton (130-15), McGuffey (109-41) and South Side (118-32).
Winning performances were achieved by QV’s Xander Vescio (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump), Kieran Cain (100), Jayden Juliano (200), Montagnese (800), Ryan Kempton (1,600, 3,200), Tadhg Hamill (discus), Connor Dwyer (high jump), Nicholas Winnowski (javelin, shot put) and Aiden Dwyer (triple jump)
Both QV teams are the defending district champions in Class 2A.
The girls have won four WPIAL titles in a row and have captured 10 district championships in school history. The boys won back-to-back district titles in 2024 and 2025.
Qualified candidates
Did you also know that 29 Quaker Valley athletes advanced to the PIAA Class 2A track and field championships last year?
The qualifiers included Emily Bablak, Cain, River Capek, Hugo Castellini, Winston Clifford, Emma Currier, T.J. Debelak, Maggie Doz, Aiden Dwyer, Davin “Macky” Gartley, Mia Gartley, Corben Hopkins, James Irwin and Juliano.
Others to advance were Kwilai Karto, Ryan Kempton, Clark LaLomia, Sarah Minard, Cecilia Montagnese, Jonah Montagnese, Lucy Montagnese, Jay Olawaiye, Jackson Pethel, Vanessa Pickett, Pocasangre, Gio Ramella, Rosselli, Thiero and Vescio.
Numbers game
Blake Wilmot has competed in three sports — football, soccer and lacrosse — as a senior at Sewickley Academy.
And he’s worn the same uniform number — 26 — in all three sports for a special reason.
“I chose the number 26 because both of my grandpas wore that number in their respective sports,” Wilmot said.