Quaker Valley's Montagnese dominates at WPIAL track and field championships

Yahoo Sports1h ago22 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Jonah Montagnese from Quaker Valley excelled at the WPIAL track and field championships, dominating the distance events despite challenging weather conditions. He is set to compete at the PIAA state championships later this month.

Key points

Jonah Montagnese dominated the WPIAL championships
Championships held at Slippery Rock University
Cold and rainy weather conditions
Montagnese is a top distance runner in the state
Athletes will compete at the PIAA state championships

Mentioned in this story

Shippensburg UniversitySlippery Rock University

Jonah MontagneseWPIAL track and field championshipsPIAA state track and field championships

SLIPPERY ROCK — After the WPIAL high school track and field championships were postponed until Thursday, May 14, the cold and rainy weather at the William C. Lennox Track at Slippery Rock University didn’t stop Beaver Valley athletes from reaching for gold at the 2026 WPIAL track and field championships.

Coming into the day, a handful of runners had aspirations to reach the top of the podium, while others emerged from the woodwork and claimed gold.

Here are the standout efforts from this year’s WPIAL meet and the athletes who will be moving on to the PIAA state track and field championships at Shippensburg University on May 23-24.

Golds O’Plenty for Quaker Valley’s Montagnese

Heading into the WPIAL track and field championships, Jonah Montagnese had solidified himself as the top distance runner in the WPIAL and one of the best in the state.

At the WPIAL meet, Montagnese further proved that, sweeping the WPIAL distance events with golds in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs and winning gold for the third consecutive season with Quaker Valley’s 4x800-meter relay team.

Riverside's Allie Barzen runs in the 100-meter dash preliminary heat at the 2026 WPIAL track and field championships, Thursday, May 14, 2026 at the William C. Lennox Track in Slippery Rock, Pa.

Sewickley Academy's Herlynn Niepa runs in the 100-meter dash preliminary heat at the 2026 WPIAL track and field championships, Thursday, May 14, 2026 at the William C. Lennox Track in Slippery Rock, Pa.

Riverside's Allie Barzen looks to finish strong in the Class 2A 100-meter dash preliminary heat at the 2026 WPIAL track and field championships, Thursday, May 14, 2026 at the William C. Lennox Track in Slippery Rock, Pa.

Q&A

Who is Jonah Montagnese and what did he achieve at the WPIAL championships?

Jonah Montagnese is a distance runner from Quaker Valley who dominated the WPIAL track and field championships, solidifying his status as the top distance runner in the region.

When and where are the PIAA state track and field championships taking place?

The PIAA state track and field championships are scheduled for May 23-24 at Shippensburg University.

What were the weather conditions like during the WPIAL track and field championships?

The WPIAL track and field championships were held in cold and rainy weather at the William C. Lennox Track at Slippery Rock University.

How did the postponement of the WPIAL championships affect the athletes?

The WPIAL championships were postponed until May 14, but this did not deter Beaver Valley athletes from performing well and aiming for gold.