PIAA TRACK AND FIELD: Holy Redeemer’s Miller wins gold in para shot put

SHIPPENSBURG Kacy Miller hopped up onto the top step with his gold medal around his neck with a broad smile.

He reached his goal.

The Holy Redeemer senior won the boys Para Athletics Division shot put at the PIAA Track and Field Championships on Friday afternoon at Shippensburg University.

I am so happy that I can be a part of something; even though I may not be the best, I get to compete in my division and show people that people like me can come here and still do our best, said Miller, 18, who has Agenesis of the corpus callosum, a rare brain malformation where the band of tissue connecting the two hemispheres of the brain fails to develop completely.

Miller, a multi-sport athlete who also plays football and swims at Holy Redeemer, competed for the first time in the Para Athletics Division for track and field, which is for athletes with disabilities, encompassing a wide range of running, jumping, throwing, and combined events.

Athletes compete individually or in relay teams, with classifications based on the type and severity of their impairment.

His award-winning effort brought tears to his mom, Heidi, and dad, Gary, after the medal ceremony.

I have been practicing and getting ready for this all season, Miller said.

It feels amazing to get a gold medal.

Hurdlers advance Dallas sophomore Julia Natitus reached Saturdays final of the girls Class 3A 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.47 seconds that was sixth of 28 runners.

Damira Allen, a junior from Chester, had the fastest qualifying time of 14.02.

Mid Valley junior Natalie Talluto ran a time of 15.33 seconds in the girls Class 2A 100-meter hurdles during a steady rain to win her heat.

She advanced to Saturdays final with a fourth-best time among the 26 athletes who raced.

West Catholic senior Amarah Crabbe had the fastest qualifying time of 14.83.

Leonard reaches final Wilkes-Barre Area junior Timothy Leonard qualified for the final in the boys Class 3A 100 with a time of 10.80 seconds.

Leonard, the District 2 record holder, entered the state meet with the fastest seed time of 10.60.

State College senior Jesse Myers had the top time in the preliminary heats with a 10.65 clocking.

Tewksbury medals Gianna Tewksbury started her track and field journey with a canceled season and ended her high school career on the medal stand at the biggest meet of her career.

Just as the Elk Lake senior stepped onto the platform, a steady rain started to fall, but it couldnt dampen her spirits when the official draped a medal around her neck.

Tewksbury launched the discus 123 feet, five inches to finish fourth in the girls Class 2A competition.

Lancaster Catholic senior Margaret Bila won with a throw of 137-3.

This feels great, Tewksbury said.

I feel like all of my hard work really paid off.

When I threw, I just kept thinking to myself, whatever happens, happens.

If I fouled or made it to finals or not, I got here, and I was proud of everything I achieved.

This season, she finished second at the Kirby Classic Relays with a throw of 103-1, second at the Don Wilhour Selinsgrove Classic with a distance of 114-9 and second at the Walter Godek Twilight Invitational with a throw of 116-9, which at the time was her career best.

Then, Tewksbury won at the Wyalusing Lasagna Invitational with a distance of 116-0, had her best distance all-time of 124-5 when she finished second at the Robert Spagna Championships, and she entered the state meet with a distance of 124-1 to win the gold at the District 2 Championships.

I put in a lot of work in the offseason, and in-season, Tewksbury said.

I have great coaches and unbelievable support from my family and teammates.

That is what got me here..

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