Kiski Area’s Aller overcame hip and back injuries, ran at PIAA cross country meet
Kiski Area freshman Megan Aller didn’t start the season with her teammates. Instead, she worked to rehabilitate a strained hip and lower back. Aller rested her hip and back, but she also worked out in pools to become stronger without impacting the injured areas.
Aller’s first competitive race did not happen until the Cavaliers attended the September 29 Carlisle Invitational. Nonetheless, she was Kiski Area’s first runner that day. She placed 16th out of 110 finishers with a time of 19:47.
The Carlisle meet was special for the Kiski Area girls’ team – the meet marked the girls’ first real competition as a team. Prior to the Carlisle Invitational, the Cavaliers’ Morgan Keibler had also been rehabilitating a hip injury.
“[Keibler] went on her own to UPMC and went to a physical therapist to change her entire running form,” said Kiski Area head coach Tom Berzonsky. “She worked so hard at it - it was just grueling.”
As Kiski Area’s season went on, it became more and more remarkable. The girls won the Section 4-AAA championship handily, and proceeded to do the same at the Westmoreland County Championship. Although the Cavaliers weren’t able to qualify for this weekend’s PIAA meet as a team, Aller and Kiski Area sophomore Lauren Smeltzer both qualified as individuals.
Berzonsky summarized the young Kiski Area girls’ team’s potential:
“We’ve got some new talent that helped us out a lot,” he said “We’ve got three ninth graders in the top seven. That was a big factor. They’re all committed.”
PIAA Championship meet results for Aller and Smeltzer can be found at runhigh.com.
Aller’s first competitive race did not happen until the Cavaliers attended the September 29 Carlisle Invitational. Nonetheless, she was Kiski Area’s first runner that day. She placed 16th out of 110 finishers with a time of 19:47.
The Carlisle meet was special for the Kiski Area girls’ team – the meet marked the girls’ first real competition as a team. Prior to the Carlisle Invitational, the Cavaliers’ Morgan Keibler had also been rehabilitating a hip injury.
“[Keibler] went on her own to UPMC and went to a physical therapist to change her entire running form,” said Kiski Area head coach Tom Berzonsky. “She worked so hard at it - it was just grueling.”
As Kiski Area’s season went on, it became more and more remarkable. The girls won the Section 4-AAA championship handily, and proceeded to do the same at the Westmoreland County Championship. Although the Cavaliers weren’t able to qualify for this weekend’s PIAA meet as a team, Aller and Kiski Area sophomore Lauren Smeltzer both qualified as individuals.
Berzonsky summarized the young Kiski Area girls’ team’s potential:
“We’ve got some new talent that helped us out a lot,” he said “We’ve got three ninth graders in the top seven. That was a big factor. They’re all committed.”
PIAA Championship meet results for Aller and Smeltzer can be found at runhigh.com.
xcountry