GRAHAMSVILLE — Tri‑Valley continues to produce top-tier track and field talent, with sophomore Kane Poje and 8th grader JoHanna Clarke both qualifying for the 2025 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, to be held July 21–27 at Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia.

The Road to the Junior Olympics

It’s a long and competitive journey to reach the USATF Junior Olympics. Athletes must first place in the top 8 at their local USATF Association Junior Olympic Championship to advance to the Regional Championships. There are 53 USATF Associations across the country, feeding into 15 national regions.

New York belongs to Region 1, which includes several northeastern states. At Regionals, athletes must again place in the top 8 to qualify for nationals. The 2025 USATF Region 1 Championships took place July 11–13 at Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

From there, national qualifiers move on to the USATF Junior Olympic Championships, hosted this year at Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia, from July 21–27.

Kane Poje: 

State Champion and 

Double Regional Winner

Poje earned his trip to Savannah after a standout sophomore season. He won the NYSPHSAA Class C state title in the shot put at the 2025 outdoor championships, held June 13–14 at Middletown High School, with a throw of 53 feet, 11.25 inches, placing 8th overall in the Federation standings.

Earlier this spring, he set a new Tri‑Valley outdoor school record with a personal best of 55 feet, 5.75 inches at the Tri‑Valley Invitational, marking him as one of the top sophomore throwers in New York.

At the Region 1 Championships, Poje won both the 15–16 year old boys’ shot put and hammer throw. In the hammer, he launched a massive 189 feet, 11 inches — one of the leading throws in the country for his age group. 

He will compete in both events at the Junior Olympic Nationals.

Poje also stood out during the indoor season, earning All-State honors with a 4th-place finish in the weight throw and 9th in the shot put, setting a Tri‑Valley indoor school record of 51’ 7.25.”

JoHanna Clarke: 

Rising Star in Discus

Also qualifying for nationals is JoHanna Clarke, an 8th grader who earned her spot in the 13–14 year old girls’ discus throw. Clarke was one of Tri‑Valley’s top throwers throughout the spring and ranked #2 in New York State among all 8th grade girls in the event.