Sure, Kiski Area senior Leah Ulizio envisioned track success.

Yes, that's right track success -- as in running.

But one of the nation's elite javelin throwers? Not even she considered that a possibility.

Ulizio came in to high school track as an 800-meter runner.But on the way to track success, something funny happened: she became more than adept at tossing the javelin, trading her running spikes for a pair of javelin spikes.

Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Kiski Area High School's Leah Ulizio won the girls' javelin competition Friday at the Baldwin Invitational with a throw of 132 feet, 5 inches Click photo for larger image.

Making the switch to the javelin her sophomore season, Ulizio holds the distinction of being one of the WPIAL's best as she recently earned the Baldwin Invitational title with a toss of 132 feet, 5 inches last Friday.

In addition, Ulizio's personal-best 143-9, achieved in a dual meet earlier this year, puts her in the top 15 among the country's high school girls this season. She will continue her career at Pitt next season.

Last season, Ulizio was the WPIAL's top finisher at the PIAA finals; she placed third at 139-11.

She knows this never would have been possible if it weren't for a decision she made along with Kiski Area girls' coach Tom Berzonsky back when she was headed into her sophomore season.

"Wow, that is a while back to think about right now," Ulizio said of when she made the transition to the javelin. "I have always known that I have had a good arm and, to be honest, I really didn't like the running as much as some of the other kids did.

"So, that's when I said, 'What the heck, I will give it a try.'

"The coaches showed me how to do it and from there, I have been doing whatever I can to make myself keep getting better with the javelin."

And make no mistake, Ulizio has arrived.

Her success isn't much of a surprise as it simply carries on a solid tradition of throwers at Kiski Area. On the boys' side, classmate Josh Vick is the reigning PIAA Class AAA javelin champion and has been among the best in the area this season, finishing third at Baldwin.

But, there has also been the success of Ulizio's training partner, junior Lauren Butler. She's a thrower whom Ulizio teams with to go through Kiski Area's training regimen everyday,

Butler grabbed third at Baldwin, doing so with an effort of 127-8. She, too, has thrown farther than 130 feet this spring.

"Going into the event, I can honestly say that I thought we had a good shot to do what we did by going first and third," Berzonsky said. "We had a good showing and I feel like both girls are performing very well right now."

That they are. The thinking, though, is that Ulizio is performing at a level seemingly above everyone right now as the home stretch of the Pennsylvania track season is fast approaching, with the WPIAL and PIAA championship meets coming into full view.

As for a the WPIAL meet, would it be a disappointed if Ulizio, the odds-on-favorite, didn't win?

"I wouldn't know what to think if I didn't win the WPIAL meet," Ulizio said. "I don't know if I would be disappointed because everyone has their good and bad days, I just wouldn't want a bad one to come during one of the big meets.

"As far as being disappointed if I didn't win, yeah, probably a tad. But, you know, all you can do is go out there and perform to the best of your abilities and what happens, happens."

More from Baldwin

Hempfield's Kim Kanala took the Baldwin Invitational discus; two PG East-area relays won as well. Arrie Smith, Taelor Fowler, Gisele Adanlete and Tiara Coaston of the Penn Hills girls'400-meter team and Norwin's 3,200-meter group of Amanda Cotherman, Leslie Kovatch, Shelby Haitz and Shannon Abraham.

Hempfield's West Banks won the shot and set a meet discus mark of 179-4. Also taking gold was McKeesport's boys' 400-meter relay of Jarrod West, Kamryn Keys, Cliff Merriwether and Preston Robinson.

Kiski Area's James O'Quinn won the long jump at 22- 1.