SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. — A girl long in talent with a last name long in letters continued her spectacular senior year Friday by capturing another state title.
And she did by running the 1,600-meter run faster than any girl in WPIAL history.
Mt. Lebanon’s Logan St. John Kletter used a dominant final lap to pull away from defending champion Olivia Cieslak of Haverford Township and claim a gold medal in the Class 3A 1,600 at the PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.
St. John Kletter’s winning time of 4 minutes, 38.54 seconds topped her previous personal record by more than 8 seconds and moved her to No. 1 on the WPIAL’s all-time list in the 1,600, according to track historian Jim Faiella. Moon grad Mia Cochran had owned the record (4:40.79) since 2022.
“That’s amazing,” St. John Kletter said of the all-time No. 1 spot. “There have been some incredible runners out of the WPIAL, so to get the No. 1 spot all time is pretty cool.”
A year earlier, St. John Kletter finished sixth in 4:53.88, while Cieslak ran a winning time of 4:49.01. Those two were neck and neck after three laps Friday, but St. John Kletter flexed her muscles on the final lap and pulled away with about 200 meters remaining. Her split on the final lap was 1:05.76, and Cieslak’s was 1:12.38. Cieslak finished second in a time of 4:45.35.
“I was just accelerating through the back stretch,” said St. John Kletter, a North Carolina recruit. “I didn’t know whether [Cieslak] was there or not, but honestly, I didn’t really care. I was just kicking as much as I could.”
It was the second PIAA track and field gold medal for St. John Kletter, who took first in the 3,200 her junior season. She’s the top seed in that event again this year and will try to repeat as champion Saturday. St. John Kletter could soar to a WPIAL all-time No. 1 in that event, too. Her top career time is 10:12.86. Shaler great Brianna Schwartz (10:10.03) has held the top spot for a decade.
St. John Kletter’s senior year previously had seen her win WPIAL and PIAA cross country titles, a state indoor title in the mile, and WPIAL track 1,600 and 3,200 titles.
“It’s just been absolutely amazing,” she said. “Everything I could ask for. I’m just super happy.”
Mazzoni a PIAA champ
Derry junior Sophia Mazzoni entered the PIAA Class 2A javelin competition with a qualifying mark of 159 feet, which was a whopping 25 feet farther than the next-best thrower. So when Mazzoni unleashed a PR throw of 161-10 on her first attempt, she had a feeling that might be good enough to win her the title.
“A big feeling,” she said, smiling. “I didn’t want to think too much in the future. I was just staying with it. I was talking to my coach. We were locking it in. I was just staying consistent. I was just keeping my mind right and just did what I needed to do.”
That throw of 161-10, which ranks fourth in WPIAL history, stood by a wide margin, making Mazzoni a PIAA champion for the first time after finishing as the runner-up a year ago when her top throw was 143-6. It was Mazzoni’s second PR in as many weeks. She had used that heave of 159 to repeat as WPIAL champion last week. Mazzoni’s second-best throw Friday was 153-1, which was still a good bit better than runner-up Marley Croyle of West Branch (139).
“It’s just a great feeling knowing I can do that,” Mazzoni said. “It’s such a big meet. It just gets my confidence up for next year. I’m pretty excited.”
Another top 3 for Kuchera
Rose Kuchera went 39-4½ on her second attempt and 39-4½ once again on her fourth attempt in the Class 3A triple jump, matching marks down to the half-inch that would be nearly impossible to replicate again if she had tried.
“I don’t think so, no,” Kuchera said, laughing.
A model of consistency, Kuchera, a Canon-McMillan senior, placed second in the event for the second year in a row. Her top jump of 39-4½ was bested only by Souderton’s Destini Smith, who registered a 40-4¼. It was the fourth career top-three finish at the PIAA championships for Kuchera, a runner-up in the 100 hurdles and third-place finisher in the triple jump in 2022.
One of only two WPIAL girls ever to hit 40 feet, Kuchera twice thought she hit the mark Friday for the first time since her sophomore season, only it wasn’t when she hit those matching jumps of 39-4½. Instead, it was on her final two attempts in which she traveled 37-6 and 37-1.
“After I hit the second phase, I had landed very hard and felt it,” said Kuchera, a Duquesne recruit. “It was just a bad transition out of the second phase. I think those would have been 40s, but it was just a bad landing.”
A nine-time WPIAL gold medalist, Kuchera will shoot for her elusive first PIAA gold medal Saturday when she competes in the long jump, when she is the No. 7 seed.
Thiero soars
Standing 6 feet 4, Quaker Valley sophomore Mimi Thiero is likely the tallest girl taking part in these championships. But Thiero stood out with her performance, as well, Friday, as one of the WPIAL’s top basketball prospects exited her first PIAA meet with a bronze medal.
Thiero soared to a third-place finish in the Class 2A high jump after a top jump of 5-5. Thiero, who was also third at the WPIAL championships, was one of three jumpers to go 5-5 Friday. That’s as high as she would get, though, with River Valley’s Sara McConnell finishing first (5-7) and Conemaugh Township’s Baylee Sleek third (5-6).
“I’m really happy with it,” said Thiero, who has been high jumping since eighth grade. “It was definitely a hot day to start jumping, but I’m fine with what I got.”
Mia Gartley, also a Quaker Valley sophomore, placed fourth (5-4).
It has been a busy time for Thiero, who in addition to track and field has been busy with AAU basketball. Playing for SLAAM, Thiero has drawn quite a few offers this spring, among them programs from the ACC and Big East. Thiero averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds per game on her way to Class 4A third-team all-state honors this past season.
“I go to track, and then I go home and get some homework done,” said Thiero, who has a 4.0 GPA. “Then right after I have to go straight to my basketball practice, and then finish the homework I have right after. It’s definitely busy, but I try to get as much done as I can.”
100-meter qualifiers
The 1,600 was the only track final of the day, with the other races being preliminaries to set the fields Saturday for the finals. WPIAL runners fared especially well in the Class 2A 100, as five of the eight finalists hail from the district. They include Winchester Thurston’s Monroe Law (12.10), Freedom’s Shaye Bailey (12.18), Avonworth/Northgate’s Hayzes Robinson (12.24), Greensburg Central Catholic’s Eva Denis (12.32) and Laurel’s Tori Atkins (12.35). Robinson, the WPIAL champion, finished third last year.
Speaking of WPIAL 100-meter champs, South Fayette’s Olivia Renk was the only WPIAL sprinter to advance to the Class 3A final. Spring Grove’s Laila Campbell is the favorite. She’s the three-time defending champion.
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.