NTL TRACK & FIELD: PIPER HOPRICH BRINGS HOME STATE SILVER, BRONZE MEDALS FOR WELLSBORO (2025-05-24)
By Chris ManningNorthern Tier WEST Sports ReportSHIPPENSBURG — Wellsboro’s Piper Hoprich finished the final day of the PIAA Track and Field Championships with two top three finishes, taking second in the girls’ 100 and third in the girls’ 200 in the Class AA competition.
In the 100 she ran 11.99 to bring home silver, behind only Pine Grove’s Viktorya Luckenbach and her 11.81.
“I was shooting to go under 12 again to get a higher ranking, and that’s what I ended up getting,” said Hoprich. “I’m super excited.”
Hoprich knew going up against Luckenbach was going to be a tall order.
“It’s intimidating, but it pushes you so that you run faster,” she said. “I felt good. I felt like I know that my strongest part of the race is the end, and I felt that fifth gear kick in - that was great.”
Hoprich hopes this sets her up for the top of the podium come next season.
“The girl that won was a senior, so I have good confidence going into next year,” she remarked.
In the 200 Hoprich ran 24.96, edging out Central Columbia’s Kendra Stout by .04 seconds to bring home the bronze.
“I’m happy with it,” she said. “I did what I wanted to do, I wanted to get top three for the one and two.”
Hoprich ran out in the lane six, a little further out than she was used to.
“I was in a further lane last year, so I knew how it felt,” she said. “I just tried to push as hard as I could out of the blocks.”
Coming around the turn she was even with eventual champion, Luckenbach, who ran a 24.57.
“I was happy with how I did that,” said Hoprich. “I felt really strong coming out.”
She was the only underclassman in the 200 finals, so she has plenty of motivation to comeback and try for gold in that, too.
“I’m going to train more in the off season,” Hoprich remarked. “I’m going to do sled work, and just with strength training.”
Still, she’s excited with how her she capped off her sophomore season.
“This was a good year,” said Hoprich. “I’m happy with how I performed. I performed better than I did last year, and that’s what I was shooting to do.”
PHOTOS: Chris Manning
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