PIAA Boys’ Track: Blue Mountain’s Guers claims 3A 100-meter gold

Blue Mountain's Chase Guers stands atop the podium after winning the Class 3A boys' 100 meters Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

SHIPPENSBURG — Chase Guers’ coaches told him midway through the season that he had the talent and ability to be the state champion in the 100 meters.

Guers turned that belief into reality Saturday morning at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.

The lanky Blue Mountain junior overcame cold, rainy conditions to capture the 100-meter gold in 10.61 seconds, using a strong surge through the middle of the race to pull out the victory.

Seeded third, Guers won Friday’s prelims with a time of 10.52. He maintained that status in Saturday’s finals.

Garnet Valley’s Jonathan Wert was second in 10.66 seconds, followed by Owen J. Roberts’ Matthew Gregory (10.67), Wilson West Lawn’s Damian Greer (10.68), Parkland’s Radnor Rowlands (10.77), Wilkes-Barre Area’s Timothy Leonard (10.78), Bishop Shanahan’s 10.84 and Bensalem’s Frank Bediako (10.85).

Watch Guers’ race here:

Other results of Schuylkill League athletes during Saturday’s morning session:

** Blue Mountain’s William Shaner was 16th in the 3A boys’ javelin with a top throw of 168 feet, 2 inches. Octorara’s Mason Prokay took gold in 206-5.

** Nativity’s Shane Meyer placed 29th in the AA boys’ 3200 with a time of 10:08.60. Jonah Montagnese of Quaker Valley won the event in 9:11.23.

** Marian’s Jacob Tom was 23rd in the AA boys’ triple jump with a best attempt of 40-7.5. Javon Johnston of Shady Side Academy grabbed gold in 45-9.

** The Minersville girls 4×800 relay of Jenna Cullen, Anna Cook, Ava Bosack and Marley Zimmerman placed 21st in 10:26.45. Hughesville took top honors at 9:23.39.

** Pine Grove’s Rieleigh Purcell (31-6.25) and Minersville’s Avery Miller (30-4.75) were 22nd and 23rd, respectively in the AA girls’ shot put. Alexis Geiwitz of Laurel was the gold medalist at 41-6.25.

** Minersville and Nativity both competed in the AA boys’ 4×800 relay. The Green Wave quartet of Nash Stehr, Kyle McCormick, Wyatt Hylka and Shane Meyer was 22nd in 8:37.09, while the Miners foursome of Johnny Burgess, MacKaiden Sinko, Chase Zimerofsky and Grady McGovern took 30th in 9:15.13. Hughesville won the race in 8:00.38.