Quaker Valley girls track team completes 4-year WPIAL team title sweep

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, May 18, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Since the spring of 2022, only one team has won the girls championship at the WPIAL Class 2A team track and field finals.

The Quaker Valley girls defeated North Catholic (101-49), Carlynton (97-53) and Laurel (97-53) in the championship meet May 6 at Peters Township Middle School, giving the Quakers their fourth district title in a row.

“I am so proud of the senior girls who have won four WPIAL championships. That is an amazing accomplishment,” QV coach Jared Jones said.

And only a handful of senior athletes have competed for the Quakers all four years: Emily Bablak, Kwilai Karto, Sarah Minard, Cecilia Montagnese, Jay Olawaiye and Vanessa Pickett.

All six made their presence felt at this year’s finals, led by Montagnese’s individual victories in the 800-, 1,600 and 3,200-meter events.

“I’m so grateful to have been able to be a part of such a talented team for the past four years,” Montagnese said. “It’s so nice to be able to return to that same track year after year. I think we all have so many memories there.”

Karto (400 relay), Olawaiye (triple jump), Pickett (long jump) and Minard (pole vault) all were victorious. Olawaiye also captured sixth in the long jump and eighth in the 200.

“I am ecstatic to have won four WPIAL team titles in my time here at Quaker Valley,” Olawaiye said. “This has never happened in the history of the WPIAL, so I feel like I have been part of something truly great.

“Track has many ups and downs. Throughout this season, athletes got injured, athletes got sick, and athletes have gone through slumps as well. The fact the girls track team was able to pull through despite the factors working against it is truly amazing. Every girl is valuable to the team, and I’m so glad to have a team that is kind, supportive, strong and committed.”

Mimi Thiero and junior Mia Gartley tied for first in the high jump, Karto finished second in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and fifth in the 400, and Bablak placed ninth in the 400.

“I’m really excited that we won WPIALs this year and every previous year,” Bablak said. “I think it’s great to leave such a strong impact on both Quaker Valley track and also the WPIAL. I’m so proud of all our girls, and I’m excited to see them succeed even after I graduate.

“We’ve had a lot of girls try out new events and become super successful in them, which has been helpful for the depth of our team. I’m also so proud of the distance girls. We have a small group to begin with, and when we lost two of our seniors this year, all of our girls really stepped up and were able to perform phenomenally.”

The QV 400 relay team, consisting of two seniors, Karto and Pickett, and sophomores Evie Rosselli and Rose Pocasangre, also turned in a winning performance at the WPIAL team meet. Pickett also corralled eighth place in the 100.

“It’s amazing to be able to experience winning the WPIAL title four years in a row,” Pickett said. “Winning is always fun, but it is even better that our teammates are really good people, and we always support one another.”

Other leading contributors for the Quakers at the WPIAL meet included Rosselli (hurdles, pole vault), Pocasangre (hurdles), freshmen Madelyn Main (hurdles, high jump) and Lucy Montagnese (1,600, 3,200), sophomores Maggie Doz (800), Rose Cline (400), Kate Steinfurth (3,200) and Maura Calhoun (discus, javelin, shot put), juniors Clara Herman (discus, javelin, shot put) and Emma Currier (triple jump), freshman Keira Watson (triple jump), and seniors Lea Mauer (discus, javelin) and Olivia Jordan (pole vault, long jump).

Tags: Quaker Valley