A-K Valley high school notebook: Plum's Owen Proskin wins regional track award
Jun. 19—Plum senior Owen Proskin is one of six high school track and field athletes to earn regional recognition for his efforts during this past winter's indoor season.
The American Dairy Association Northeast recently presented Proskin with the second annual Refuel with Chocolate Milk Boys' Field Athlete of the Year Award.
He was one of 24 student-athletes across three disciplines nominated based on performances at The Armory in New York City during the 2025-26 indoor season.
A public vote concluded last month, and Proskin was one of six to be honored by the ADA.
The Refuel with Chocolate Milk Athlete of the Year Awards are a partnership between the ADA Northeast and The Armory to support student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence.
Proskin participated in just one meet at The Armory this past indoor season, but he made his visit count.
The University of Cincinnati commit captured the boys pentathlon title at the Nike Indoor Nationals in March.
He finished with 3,861 points over the five events — shot put, 1,000-meter run, high jump, long jump and 60-meter hurdles — with wins in the shot and 60 meters and seconds in the 1,000 meter and high jump. He took fourth in the long jump.
Proskin's final point total was more than 200 ahead of second place.
DeVito, Magness at nationals
Kiski Area senior Gianna DeVito and Freeport junior Mackenzie Magness will represent the Alle-Kiski Valley at the New Balance Nationals track and field meet Saturday at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Both will compete in the championship girls division at 10 a.m., DeVito in the high jump and Magnus in the pole vault.
DeVito is one of 62 entered in the girls high jump. Also in the mix is Franklin Regional's Jamie Kociela.
DeVito placed fifth at the WPIAL Class 3A championships May 14 at Slippery Rock University with 5 feet, 1 inch as her best successful attempt. Kociela took second at 5-5 and went on to claim the PIAA title (5-6).
Magness, the three-time WPIAL Class 2A pole vault champion and this year's PIAA runner-up, will see a couple of fellow Pennsylvania vaulters in Saturday's event including Punxsutawney's Elliana Kostok, a PIAA medalist this year in Class 3A.
Magness's top pole vault is a 12-7 set last year as a sophomore.
Bowlers set for nationals
Bowlers from Freeport, Plum, Apollo-Ridge and Valley will test their mettle against the top high school competitors from across the nation Saturday through Monday at the 10th U.S. High School Bowling National Championships in Columbus, Ohio.
The tournaments are open to individuals and teams who place at their respective state championships.
The girls teams from Freeport and Plum will kick everything off Saturday at 9 a.m. The teams won't be too far from each other. Freeport will be on lane 30 with Plum on lane 32.
The championships continue Sunday with the singles qualifying rounds.
Plum's Brian Krall will bowl in the first boys qualifier at 8 a.m.
A girls qualifier will be at 7 p.m. featuring Apollo-Ridge's Allison Beighley, Valley's Emma Diehm, the Freeport contingent of Tiaca Sub, Morgan Montgomery, Marlee Shieno, Kylie McConahy and Hannah Windows and Plum team members Addison Then, Madison, Kuvlesky, Alex Fulmer, Brooklyn Then, Callie Shimmer and Aubrey Shelatz.
The top 180 boys and top 96 girls advance to Monday's singles survivor rounds starting at 9 a.m.
Abraham fuels Riveters
Riverview grad Lola Abraham, a rising junior on the Pitt women's soccer team, leads the Pittsburgh Riveters pre-professional team in goal production through the first seven games of the women's Unified Soccer League season.
She tallied her first goal of the season in a 3-3 tie with Flower City 1872 on May 23 and added a second goal in the Riveters' 3-0 victory over the Cleveland Force on June 3.
Abraham assisted on two goals in a 3-0 win over Erie Sports Center on June 12 and assisted on the lone goal in a 1-0 win in the rematch two days later.
The Riveters, on the strength of their five-match shutout streak, are now 6-0-1 in the USL W Great Forest Division standings.
They are back in action at 6 p.m. Sunday against the Cleveland Force (3-4-0) at F.N.B. Stadium in Station Square.
Flower City 1872's 2-0 loss to Steel City FC on Thursday opens the door for the Riveters to clinch the division with a win over the Force.
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.