Derry girls eyeing 1st WPIAL track and field championship

By: Paul Schofield
Monday, May 8, 2023 | 8:55 PM

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Whatever the outcome for the Derry girls track and field team at the WPIAL Class 2A championship Tuesday, it will be a historical moment for the program.

But as coach Mark Curcio sees it, Derry wants the gold trophy. The 11-year coach thinks it is attainable.

Derry reached the WPIAL finals for the first time in school history by defeating Waynesburg (105-45), Freedom (98-52) and perennial power South Park (75-75, first-place wins 9-8).

“It was a tense meet, and it came down to the final event,” Curcio said. “We finally got over the hump. We got the monkey off our back. I’m excited for the team. ”

The 1,600-meter relay team of sophomore Julia Omlor, freshman Julia Mucci, junior Charity Peterman and sophomore Jane Huss pulled out the win by 15 meters.

The other winners for the Trojans were senior Ashley Baker, who won the triple jump and pole vault, sophomore Regan Repak in the high jump, Huss in the 1,600, junior Tessa Hayes in the 3,200, senior Sarah Bungard in the shot put, senior Mara Lewis in the discus, sophomore Sophia Mazzoni in the javelin and the 400 relay team of freshman Kayla Ferri, freshman Kaylee Overly, junior Shyanne Hornback and junior Reigna Taylor.

“We have a great senior group and a strong group of underclassmen,” Curcio said. “The biggest thing we emphasis early in the season is team. The team has been getting closer to advancing, and now we have.”

And with a young team, the future looks even brighter for the Trojans.

Curcio said in planning for the WPIAL championships, the main focus is figuring out a way to defeat the top team and other things will follow.

Derry will face Winchester Thurston, Quaker Valley and Knoch at Peters Township. What Curcio knows is Knoch came down from Class 3A and is comparable to his team. Quaker Valley is strong, and Winchester Thurston is very good.

Derry (7-0) captured its ninth section title this season, fifth under Curcio. The Trojans are the first girls team in school history to reach the finals in a regular bracket.

“We’ve put a lot of work in this season,” Curcio said. “It’s been a process. We knew it would be a possibility to reach the finals. We’re hoping we can win the title.”

The boys 2A championship will be at the same site. Going for the boys title are Greensburg Central Catholic, Shenango, Quaker Valley and South Park.

The Class 3A championship will be at West Mifflin.

The girls teams are North Allegheny, Norwin, South Fayette and Canon-McMillan.

The boys participants are North Allegheny, Butler, Mt. Lebanon and Seneca Valley.

Action begins at 3 p.m.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

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