On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, six Central Bucks East seniors were recognized for committing to continue their track and field careers at the collegiate level.
Asher Bloom – St. Joseph’s University (Track & Field)
Major: Marketing
Final list of colleges: St. Joe’s, Rhode Island, TCNJ, Monmouth
Reasons for choosing St. Joe’s: “I like the city vibe. They’re right on the outside of the city, and I like Philly a lot. The coaches made feel welcome from the moment I stepped onto campus, and the facilities were one of the top that I saw.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in track and field at the collegiate level? “I always knew I wanted to try and compete collegiately if I got good enough, but I knew
I had a shot junior year when I had a sub 50 (seconds) for the first time in the 400-meter dash. That’s when I knew I really could do it.”
Central Bucks East coach Chris Pierangeli: “Asher’s incredible leadership and commitment started as early as his freshman year when he showed his commitment and work ethic that would allow him to maximize his potential. As a freshman, he started on the indoor track team, running about 64 seconds in the 400, over 27 seconds in the 200. By the spring, he was down to 56.6, a solid improvement already, and moving towards 25.2 in the 200 but still over 12 in the 100, which he also ran for us in the 4x100 relay, and in our dual meets, scoring points that were much needed on our way to a league championship in the Suburban One League Colonial Division.
“At the end of sophomore year into his junior year, he really took off. By the end of sophomore year, he was part of a 4x400, and he was running a sub-53. They earned a district medal. During his junior year, that same group earned a second-place district medal and went on to medal at states.
“During the indoor season, he was part of the 4x400 record team, and that was a record that went back to the 1970s, so for 50 years, that record stood, and he was a contributor to breaking that record and taking the team to another level.
“This year, his senior year, he was just consistent race after race. The only reason he sat was because we asked him to sit. He scored one or more points in every dual meet, leading his team as the 400 winner for the Suburban One League and earning first team all-league honors for the 400 while leading the team to its second Suburban One League title, finishing off the 4x400 as the anchor in a time of 49 seconds. By the end of his career, he was splitting 47, which is just an incredible feat and the second fastest split on a relay in CB East history.
“From his freshman year, that tremendous commitment – to see it mesh with the talent and physical growth that came with it, we’re so proud and thankful for what he gave to the team week in and week out. I’m so excited to see what he can do at St. Joe’s.”
About Asher:
Favorite food: Sushi
Favorite movie: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Favorite artist: Drake
Rylan Crawford – Salisbury University (Track & Field)
Major: Exercise Science
Final list of colleges: Salisbury, Anderson University, Wingate University
Reasons for choosing Salisbury: “It was close to home but not so close to where it was right around the corner, and it’s a school where I can contribute as an athlete right off the start as a
freshman. I don’t have to wait a couple of years to kind of grow. I’ll be able to help them out as a freshman, so that is a goal.”
Central Bucks East track coach Chris Perangeli: “Rylan was another one of our key leaders. What was unique for Rylan was the multi-event approach we asked of him. While that’s true of a lot of athletes, his was even more unique, and it showed his athleticism, his versatility and, honestly, his selflessness. His primary event is the pole vault, and he’s going to leave East second all time, clearing 14 feet, and he become a two-time league champion here at East, which was exciting to see in its own right. He then, as a result of that, went on to earn his place at districts where he earned a fifth-place medal and was able to vault at states his senior year. It was a bit of an odd situation because with the rain and weather, it was moved indoors, so it was not the perfect finish as far as a spring vaulting experience but still an incredible senior year.
“As a freshman, he was only clearing 9-6, so we talked about that improvement we see from our athletes, and we’re so proud of them. In addition to vaulting, Rylan would be asked to run the 400, the 200, the 100 and even part of a 4x100 that we were trying to figure out as we headed into our league championship and then the District 1 championship. Going to attack the pole vault at 12, 13, 14-feet, taking multiple runs at it, thinking about all those adjustments sprint after sprint and then being asked to lead his 4x4 as the leadoff is no easy task, but he was ready for it each time, and he was the leadoff of the Suburban One League first team 4x4 and a team that at districts ran a 3:22 and finished 10th in the district, just outside of the state mark. I can’t emphasize enough how impressive it was to see him do that.
“What people don’t see – except maybe for a few of his teammates – is all the offseason work that he decided to put in, training to be a multi-sport athlete. As he moves to his college career, it’s going to be exciting when he can hone in a little bit more because as excellent as he’s been, I think there’s even more to come.”
About Rylan:
Favorite food: Mac ‘n Cheese
Favorite movie: Talladega Nights
Favorite music: Rap
Declan Harris – Slippery Rock University (Track & Field)
Major: Chemistry
Final list of colleges: Slippery Rock, East Stroudsburg, New Hampshire
Reasons for choosing Slippery Rock: “They got a new throwing coach, the academics are good, and it has good affordability. It’s also not too far from home.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in track and field at the collegiate level? “I always wanted to do a sport in college. I started with football, and I switched to track during my
high school career, and it was really my senior year when I was like, ‘I’m pretty good at this, I could probably do it in college”
Central Bucks East track throws coach Gerry Stemplewicz: “Declan was part of a quartet of throwers, and we can’t mention one without mentioning the others – Harrison Klimes, Ryan Fischer and Nate Karpinski. One thing special about those four guys is that they were really dominant in the discus and the shot put. During the course of the regular season in our dual meets, these four guys outscored their opponents in the discus and shot put 90-0. Declan was an important part of this, scoring in both the discus and the shot. He qualified for districts in both events, but the shot put was his stronger event. Indoors, he was a medalist at the Track & Field Coaches Association of Greater Philadelphia Meet of Champions. He was a state qualifier, and his 57-3 throw indoors is number three all time in school history.
“Outdoors, he medaled at all the invitationals he attended, and I think there were six of them if you include districts. With Ryan Fischer, he broke the CB West Relays shot put record set by shot put powerhouse Glen Mills back in 1992, and together, they broke it by 15 feet. At states, Declan was a fourth-place medalist. His PR of 58-8 ¾ against North Penn made him the number two outdoor shot putter in CB East history. His 146-9 in the discus made him number 11 on the all-time list.
“In practice, he was always busy - recording and analyzing every throw, patiently working on ways to improve, and improve he did. From last year’s memory, he has a 50-10, and he went up to 58-8. He’s shown great resilience and mental toughness in the face of adverse conditions, especially all kinds of weather we have had. Along with his teammates, they have a reputation around the district and around the league among officials, coaches and even their competitors for being such nice, polite, respectful and easy going guys to hang out with and interact with. Declan along with his teammates have been great ambassadors for Central Bucks East High School and represented their sport, their team and their families.
“Declan, in going on to Slippery Rock, will be coached by Jordan Geist, who was inducted in the PA State High School Track and Field Hall of Fame three years ago and is considered the greatest high school thrower in Pennsylvania history, so that’s a pretty good place to go if you want to do shot put.”
About Declan:
Favorite food: Burrito
Favorite TV show: South Park
Favorite music: Rock
Nate Karpinski – Williams College (Track & Field)
Major: Environmental Science
Final list of colleges: Williams, Susquehanna, Franklin & Marshall
Reasons for choosing Williams: “It was a good blend of good academics and a good track team.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in track at the collegiate level? “I think it was around my junior year. I realized that it would definitely be possible, and into my senior year, I 
realized I wanted to do another four more years.”
Central Bucks East track throws coach Gerry Stemplewicz: “Jesse Owens, the great Olympian, once said, ‘We all have dreams, but in order to make these dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.’ Nate, along with his teammates and his classmates, especially in the Class of 2026, has embodied these qualities. As a result, some really good things have happened.
“Like Declan, Nate qualified for districts in both shot put and discus. His stronger event was the discus. In the shot put indoors, he qualified for the Track & Field Coaches Association of Greater Philadelphia Meet of Champions, and outdoors, he was a silver medalist with Declan (Harris) at the CB West Relays in the discus throw.
“The highlight that I really enjoyed the most was at the Central Bucks East Throwers Invitational when Nate took first place, winning the gold medal and setting a new meet record in the process. Another distinction is that Nate is the only thrower in Central Bucke East history to medal in the discus at districts three times. At states, he was the top discus thrower in the first of two flights, finishing at number 10 overall out of 30 qualifiers and doing so in the pouring rain – not an easy thing to do. It takes a lot of focus, concentration, self-confidence and determination. His 160-foot discus PR is number eight all-time in Central Bucks East history.
“At practice, like Declan, Nate was all business. Not that they don’t have fun, but their idea of fun is throwing and learning and scoring points and winning medals, and they certainly had a lot of that fun as well. Nate’s been quiet and unassuming at practice and yet is quick to offer advice to the younger throwers. Congratulations, Nate, on the role you have played the last two years in securing back-to-back league championships. Williams College is very lucky to have you.”
About Nate:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: Tombstone
Favorite music: Classic Rock
Ethan Lipp – York College of Pennsylvania (Cross Country/Track & Field)
Major: Electrical Engineering
Final list of colleges: York, Drexel, Penn State, Penn College of Technology
Reasons for choosing York: “The environment, the people, and the coaching in general.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in cross country and track at the collegiate level? “Probably when it just became more fun and more fun every year. I really enjoy
it – the people and the coaches, so I thought I might as well do it in college.”
Central Bucks East cross country coach/assistant track coach Todd Wiley: “Three years ago, Ethan decided to give distance running a try. Two years ago, he committed fully to the sport by coming out for cross country, running all three seasons. Since then, Ethan has shown steady improvement every year. His dedication and hard work were evident as he went from being the 16th runner on the team during his junior year to becoming a consistent top 10 runner his senior year, earning the title of most improved athlete.
“Ethan was always looking for ways to get better and was never afraid to put in the work necessary to see his times improve. Beyond his own accomplishments, he has been a great teammate and leader, showing his teammates that hard work, commitment and consistency truly pay off. Congratulations on your commitment to York College. They are lucky to have an athlete like you.”
About Ethan:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: One Piece
Favorite music: Rap
Nora Okolichany – Salisbury University (Cross Country/Track & Field)
Major: Accounting
Final list of colleges: Salisbury, Bentley, Baldwin-Wallace
Reasons for choosing Salisbury: “I went down and met the team, and we really connected, and I just felt like I could fit right in. I like the coaches and what they believed I could do. I feel like they aligned with what I believed I could do.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in cross country and track at the collegiate level? “It was definitely my sophomore year. I realized I really liked track, and it was
something I really wanted to keep doing. From there, it just blossomed into all the calls with coaches and eventually going to Salisbury.”
Central Bucks East track coach Steve Martin: “As coaches, it’s rewarding to watch athletes grow and improve over time, but the real reward isn’t just becoming better in the sport – it’s seeing someone change their outlook, attitude, and confidence in themselves and their ability to succeed and accomplish their goals, which is what I’ve had the pleasure to see in Nora over her time here at East.
“I think if Nora had been asked a few years ago whether she would continue her track career at the collegiate level, her answer may have been very different than it is today. I’m glad to see that she’ll continue challenging herself and growing in the sport. My advice, as it always has been, is to be ready – not just physically but mentally – for every opportunity and challenge that comes your way. Approach each one with confidence and a positive attitude and never doubt yourself. Sometimes you must prove your value, and if something is meaningful to you, stay focused and continue working hard toward it because nothing is given and nothing is guaranteed.
“Congratulations and best of luck to you. I look forward to seeing your continued progress. The time will go by fast, so enjoy. Run fast and live fearless.”
About Nora:
Favorite food: Pasta
Favorite TV show: Friends
Favorite artists: Lumineers
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