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Upper Perkiomen coaches honor state-qualifying wrestlers, track stars and girls swim successes
Summary
At a March school-board workshop, coaches recognized multiple winter athletes: a state wrestling podium finish, a state track champion and a girls swim relay that qualified for District 1—milestones coaches said demonstrate rapid program growth and renewed community support.
Coaches and board members at the Upper Perkiomen School Board workshop on March 1 recognized a string of athletic milestones, including state podium finishes in wrestling and track and a historic girls swim relay qualification.
"They had a phenomenal season," Brian Kalnowski, the boys and girls swim coach, told the board as he summarized a compact girls roster that won roughly three-quarters of its races during dual meets and produced a district-qualifying AA girls relay—an Upper Perk first. He said the program’s small size made the results especially notable against deep District 1 competition.
Omar Prada, head coach of the boys wrestling program, singled out junior Shawn Murray, who placed eighth at the PIAA state wrestling championships. "Upper Perk has not had a wrestler reach the state podium since 2015," Prada said, calling Murray’s combination of competitive results and leadership “remarkable.”
Todd Neman, who led the revived boys indoor track program, described a breakthrough at the state meet: Grayson Riggins won a state title and Darius Reed finished second in the high jump, producing point totals that placed the small district team among the top programs in the state despite its return from a long hiatus.
Mark Smith, girls wrestling head coach, recounted the team’s growth since the board approved the program four years ago—Pack 10 and district titles, a Beast of the East invitation and a deep freshman class that he said will sustain the program. He thanked prior coaches and volunteers while naming multiple athletes whose wins were decisive in tight team outcomes.
Board members responded with public appreciation for coaches and athletes and noted the programs’ role in student engagement. Several board reports that followed highlighted participation gains and committee plans to sustain extracurricular offerings.
The meeting then moved on to committee business and agenda items. The board did not take separate votes on the recognitions; coaches and athletes were acknowledged during the presentations portion of the workshop.
