South Park freshman is getting plenty of cheers
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Up until this month, South Park’s Maddie Raymond had never competed in a high school track meet.
Now, almost overnight, this unassuming freshman can call herself one of the top sprinters in the history of her school and a WPIAL championship contender.
Raymond is a competitive cheerleader, a talented one at that.
“She could do flips all the way down that track right now,” South Park track coach Jeff Hufnagel said Saturday, pointing at the blue track at West Mifflin High School.
But Raymond has dropped the pom-poms and laced up her running shoes this spring. The results have been exceptional. In her first big invitational, Raymond won the 100-meter dash by running the second-fastest time in school history and set a school record in the 200 at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association championships. To put her times into even better perspective, her 12.52 in the 100 and 25.89 in the 200 would have both been good enough for second place at last year’s WPIAL Class 2A championships.
Did Raymond expect to have such a big coming-out party?
“No. I was just looking for good competition,” said the shy Raymond.
Track success may be new to Raymond, but not her family. Excelling in the sport is in her genes. Three of her siblings — Marissa, Cassie and Gary — competed at South Park and all of them qualified for the PIAA championships during their careers. Cassie was a WPIAL triple jump champion in 2010. Gary, who graduated last year, was the WPIAL runner-up in the 110meter hurdles his junior season.
“She has a ton of natural ability, like all the Raymonds. They’re all gifted athletes,” said Hufnagel, who has coached all four of them.
Raymond will also run the 400 this spring, and is currently giving the pole vault a shot, too. In just her second time competing in the event, Raymond placed sixth at the TSTCA championships.
New to track
With her long red hair and immense talent, it’s difficult to miss Amani Johnson when she’s on the basketball court. Johnson has also excelled in soccer, volleyball and softball during her four years at East Allegheny. Johnson recently added track and field to the mix as well.
Johnson, who scored 2,354 career points in basketball, competed in the 800, high jump and 400 relay at the TSTCA championships. Her best finish came in the high jump, where she placed 15th.
“I’m doing it to get in shape for college basketball,” said Johnson, who will play at Kennesaw State. “They told me to make sure I come in shape. I knew I wasn’t going to do it on my own as well as I will with the team.”
Two other star athletes from other sports are giving track and field a try for the first time this spring. Aliquippa’s Kwantel Raines, a West Virginia football recruit, did the triple jump, long jump, 400, and 400 relay at the TSTCA championships. He said he hopes to make it to WPIAL’s and PIAA’s in the 400 relay and triple jump.
“My defensive coordinator said I should probably run track to work on my speed,” Raines said.
Central Valley’s Josh Kline is headed to Indiana Tech to play basketball. But before then, he’s giving the javelin a try. You won’t miss Kline at a meet. After all, he’s 6 feet 8. Kline placed 11th at the TSTCA meet.
“I just wanted something else to do,” said Kline. “I wanted something to do to socialize. Just do with my friends. I’m hoping it will be a good time.”
Butler Invitational
More than 50 teams will converge on Butler’s Art Bernardi Stadium Friday for the 54th annual Butler Invitational. The event is usually a good gauge for which competitors will contend for WPIAL and PIAA titles. The meet, which had a record 65 teams a year ago, is scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m.
Among the marquee performers again this year will be North Allegheny’s Ayden Owens and Avonworth’s Hunter Robinson. Each won three titles at the meet last year — Owens the 200, and 110 and 300 hurdles, and Robinson the 100, 200 and 400.