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Dunkirk’s Petrella signs with Central Michigan

Dashing through to D-I

Dunkirk’s Jericha Petrella signed her National Letter of Intent to run collegiately at NCAA Division-I Central Michigan University on Tuesday afternoon at Dunkirk High School. Petrella (seated middle) is flanked by her mother Mary Alice Petrella (seated left) and father Jeffrey Petrella (seated right). Standing from left to right: Interim Superintendent Sylvia Root, Dunkirk Track & Field Coach Ron Graham, Dunkirk High School Principal Al Gens, Dunkirk Track & Field Coach Adam Woelfle. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms.

Surrounded by plenty of family and friends Dunkirk Track & Field star Jericha Petrella signed her National Letter of Intent to attend Central Michigan University to compete in Division I Track & Field and Cross Country. Classmates and family gathered as Petrella signed her letter of intent with her mother, Mary Alice Petrella, and father, Jeffrey Petrella, by her side. Petrella plans to study kinesiology at Central Michigan.

Petrella is glad she will be able to compete in all three seasons of Cross Country, Indoor Track and Track & Field. “The coaches were really good and they made me feel really welcome,” Petrella said on what made her decision to attend CMU. Petrella is extremely thankful for all of the support around her and knew that it wouldn’t have been possible without it. “I’d like to thank my parents and Coach Woelfle and Coach Graham. Thank you to my teammates as well, especially Gabby, Yuri, and Siera for always being there and supporting me. And most importantly I’d like to thank God for the many blessings,” added Petrella.

Her signing on Tuesday afternoon wrapped up her impressive final indoor track season. It came after a weekend spent at her fourth indoor state meet where she was recognized by the Section with a Longevity Award, along with four other seniors, an award for athletes who made the trip for four straight years.

At the meet, she ran the 600 meter dash in a time of 1:35.99, earning a 10th place finish in the State, and lowering her own school record one last time.

This ends her indoor career, while owning the school record board. She now holds the 55m, 300m, 600m, and the 1,000m records, and was a member on the teams that hold the records for the 4x200m, 4x400m, 4x800m, DMR, and SMR relay records. She now has her eyes set on outdoor track and claiming as many records as she can, as Dunkirk’s first D1 track athlete since Justina Barone, whose records Petrella has her eyes set on this outdoor season.

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