For Marian senior Alizabeth Pikitus, qualifying for the PIAA Track and Field Championships in the 400 meters wasn’t just a personal victory — it was a tribute to a sister’s lost opportunity and a dream delayed, but never forgotten.

Pikitus placed second in the 400 with a time of 1:02.56 to qualify for states for the first time. As she celebrated the achievement, her thoughts quickly turned to her sister, Andraya, whose own senior season was lost to the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020.

“She’s kind of like my biggest supporter,” said Alizabeth. “We did all the same events. It’s kind of an inside joke between us — I’m the faster sister. But she’s always checking in, encouraging me, and helping me believe in myself.”

Andraya, now finishing physician assistant school, was a standout herself at Marian, running the same races — including the 400, 4x400 and 4x100 — before the pandemic took away what would have been her final and most promising season.

“It was absolutely devastating,” Andraya said. “Track was my thing. I was so determined to medal at districts, maybe even go to states. When that was taken away, it was heartbreaking.”

That loss, however, became part of Alizabeth’s motivation. The sisters’ shared history, along with Andraya’s encouragement, helped guide Alizabeth through her own struggles, particularly with the 400.

“I kind of dreaded running it,” Alizabeth admitted. “I’d make myself sick with nerves and not want to do it. But I didn’t let it get the better of me this year. I just wanted to go out and put it all out there — for my team and for my sister.”

Marian head coach Justin Huegel has had a front-row seat to both sisters’ journeys. He coached Andraya as she helped lay the foundation of the program’s success, and now gets to watch Alizabeth finish the story — one that nearly spanned a decade.

“Not having Andraya get that opportunity because of COVID, and now to see Lizzie, a senior, going to states — it’s hard not to get choked up,” Huegel said. “They’re great kids from a great family. Lizzie didn’t want to run the 400 at first, but she’s taken it and made it her own.”

Huegel called Andraya “a pillar of the program,” someone who led behind the scenes and helped set the standard even when no one was watching.

“She was always asking what workouts to do, what she should be eating. She set the example,” he said. “And now Lizzie’s the one carrying the torch.”

Alizabeth was fourth at the Schuylkill League Championships just a week before districts, running a nearly identical time of 1:02.85. But something clicked in the final days before the district meet.

“I think she finally defeated the nerves,” said Andraya, who will be supporting her sister in Shippensburg this weekend. “She overcame them — and to see that pay off with a medal and a trip to states is incredible.”

While her qualification in the 400 is the highlight, Pikitus has been a major contributor in multiple events throughout the season. She helped Marian’s 400 relay team — along with Caitlyn Kovatch, Gabrielle Osenbach and Addison Fritz — to a sixth-place finish at districts, and ran with Adalyn Marek, Ava Fritz and Addison Fritz on the 1600 relay team that placed 10th. She also finished seventh in the 200 final at districts.

Pikitus has been a key part of Marian’s team success as well. The Fillies went 5-1 in Schuylkill League Division 2 competition this spring, continuing the program’s proud tradition on the track.

Huegel said what stands out most about Alizabeth now is her steady confidence — the kind needed to succeed in a race as unforgiving as the 400.

“She’s a calming presence,” Huegel said. “You know what you’re getting when you talk to her. She’s not too high, not too low. That’s exactly what you want in someone running the 400 — because that race is going to test everything.”

Now, she’ll get one more chance to run the 400 this weekend at Shippensburg — hoping to break the one-minute barrier and take it all in. She’ll be joined by Marian teammates Olivia Thomas (shot put), Kali Grochowski (high jump), and Jacob Tom (long jump), all of whom also qualified for the state meet.

“I wanted to do this for my team, and for my sister,” she said. “She never got to have her senior season. I’m getting mine. And that means everything.”

Andraya sent her a text the morning of districts — one that said it all.

“Do it for the girl in 2020 who was crying because she thought she’d never run a 400 again.”

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Several Times News area athletes will be out to add to an already impressive record at states. Palmerton’s Nataly Walters has earned five individual medals in Shippensburg, winning the 2A long jump each of the last two seasons after placing seventh as a freshman. She won the triple jump her sophomore year, and was second in the event last spring. She also teamed with Erin Gombert, Sarah Sabo and Claire Thomas to place sixth in the 400 relay a year ago. Northwestern’s Gavin Nelson was third in the 2A high jump last season, while Palmerton’s Ryan Burkett earned bronze in the 2A discus, and Northern Lehigh’s Katelynn Barthold was seventh in the Class 2A 800 last season. Walters is seeded second in the 3A triple jump and fourth in the long jump, while the 400 relay team earned the 12th seed. Nelson also moved up to 3A, and is tied for second in the high jump. Burkett is the top seed in the 2A discus, and Barthold is seeded 11th in the 2A 800.

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Times News area athletes competing at the PIAA Track and Field Championships with their event and seed. The top eight in each event earn a medal:

GIRLS

Class 2A

3200 relay - Northern Lehigh, 19th, 10:02.63

400 - Alizabeth Pikitus, Marian, 28th, 1:02.56

800 - Katelynn Barthold, Northern Lehigh, 11th, 2:18.19

High jump - Kali Grochowski, Marian, 27th, 4-10

Shot put - Olivia Thomas, Marian, 20th, 34-7.25

Discus - Anna Trelease, Northern Lehigh, 16th, 112-7

Javelin - Anna Trelease, Northern Lehigh, 15th, 118-6

Class 3A

100 - Erin Gombert, Palmerton, 21st, 12.47

400 relay - Palmerton, 12th, 48.20

Pole vault - Samantha Plasha, Tamaqua, 22nd, 10-0

Long jump - Nataly Walters, Palmerton, 4th, 18-9

Triple jump - Nataly Walters, Palmerton, 2nd, 40-4

Javelin - Emma Repsher, Lehighton, 8th, 137-7

BOYS

Class 2A

110 hurdles - Jake Rutkowitz, Palmerton, 14th, 15.26

3200 - Connor Hibell, Palmerton, 22nd, 9:54.34

Long jump - Jake Rutkowitz, Palmerton, 4th, 22-3.5; Jacob Tom, Marian, 12th, 22-0

Triple jump - Jake Rutkowitz, Palmerton, 6th, 44-11

Shot put - Logan Anthony, Palmerton, 8th, 53-8

Discus - Ryan Burkett, Palmerton, 1st, 186-0

Class 3A

400 relay - Pleasant Valley, 24th, 42.67

400 - Kayden Spence, Jim Thorpe, 39th, 50.43

200 - Jareal Moore, Pleasant Valley, 16th, 21.95

High jump - Gavin Nelson, Northwestern Lehigh, tied for 2nd, 6-9

Javelin - Joseph Roth, Lehighton, 13th, 183-1

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Below is a full schedule for both days of the PIAA Track and Field Championships:

At Seth Grove Stadium,

Shippensburg University

Friday, May 23

TRACK EVENTS

Finals

1600 – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 9 a.m.

Preliminaries

100 – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 10 a.m.

100 hurdles – 2A girls, 3A girls, 10:45 a.m.

110 hurdles – 2A boys, 3A boys, 11 a.m.

400 relay – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 12 p.m.

400 – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 1:30 p.m.

300 hurdles – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 2:30 p.m.

200 – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 3 p.m.

1600 relay – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 3:30 p.m.

FIELD EVENTS (Finals)

9 a.m. – High jump (2A girls), discus (2A girls), pole vault (3A girls), shot put (3A girls), long jump (2A boys), javelin (2A boys), triple jump (3A boys)

12:30 p.m. – Long jump (2A girls), javelin (2A girls), triple jump (3A girls), high jump (2A boys), discus (2A boys), pole vault (3A boys), shot put (3A boys/wheelchair/para)

Saturday, May 24

TRACK EVENTS (Finals)

3200 – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 9 a.m.

100 hurdles – 2A girls, 3A girls, 10 a.m.

110 hurdles – 2A boys, 3A boys, 10:15 a.m.

100 (Unified) – 10:20 a.m.

100 – 2A girls, 3A girls, wheelchair, 2A boys, 3A boys, 10:50 a.m.

3200 relay – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 11 a.m.

400 relay (Unified) – 1 p.m.

400 relay – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 1:05 p.m.

400 (Unified) – 1:20 p.m.

400 – 2A girls, 3A girls, para, 2A boys, 3A boys, 1:40 p.m.

300 hurdles – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 1:55 p.m.

800 (Unified) – 2:10 p.m.

800 – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 2:25 p.m.

200 – 2A girls, 3A girls, para, 2A boys, 3A boys, 3 p.m.

1600 relay – 2A girls, 3A girls, 2A boys, 3A boys, 20 min after 2A girls 200

FIELD EVENTS (Finals)

9 a.m. – Pole vault (2A girls), shot put (2A girls), high jump (3A girls), discus (3A girls), triple jump (2A boys), long jump (3A boys), javelin (3A boys)

12:30 p.m. – Triple jump (2A girls), long jump (3A girls), javelin (3A girls), pole vault (2A boys), shot put (2A boys), high jump (3A boys), discus (3A boys/para)