LebCo Female Athlete of the Week: Sofie Price (Week Ending May 19, 2024)

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Sofie Price

At the District 3 Track & Field Championships, Palmyra’s Sofie Price finished with a bronze medal in the Javelin. The junior’s throw of 119’9” got the job done in getting her to States for the third straight year. She has had a tremendous season, providing key points for the Cougars throughout. The performance at Districts, coupled with her overall success, led to the LebCoSports.com voters selecting Price as the LebCo Female Athletes of the Week.

You cannot mention Price without talking about her success throughout the season. She was the winner at several big invitationals during the season, including the Tim Cook, Stan Morgan, and the Mid Penn Championships. Her top throw of the season came at the Lebanon County Championships, where she upset Cedar Crest’s Eliana Schneider to win gold. That throw of 132’3” ranks her #3 all-time among Palmyra Javelin throwers.

At Districts, Price expressed that she wished the throw had been longer but also acknowledged that she took care of business in making it to States. At the final meet of the season this past weekend, she entered as the #20 seed. She finished as the 18th-best thrower in the State. Her throw of 115’7” was nearly 7’ further than what she threw Memorial Day Weekend a season ago.

Palmyra’s throwing coach, Matt Opilo, commented on Price’s work ethic, saying, “Sofie never takes a practice day off and will do whatever you ask of her. She knows the value of hard work. She trains very hard in the off-season and earns everything she achieves in track and field.”

Price cited Opilo for helping her develop into one of the best throwers in the State. She said of Opilo, “Coach asked me to join him over the summer going into my freshmen year, and the rest is history. He is such a knowledgeable coach with deep javelin roots.”
She also expressed the support from her family and friends in aiding her journey as an athlete.

Knowing the value of friendly competition, Price also gave a shoutout to her former teammate Olivia Appleby, a 2023 Palmyra graduate, who was also a State qualifier in the Jav. Price said of her relationship with Appleby, “Having someone so talented on your team to throw both with and against has been so beneficial.”

While her role on the Track & Field team can be someone isolated with the Javelin being far away, she also values her role as a member of the team. In addition to throwing Javelin, Price also plays soccer, where she showcases her athleticism, but it is a sport she says she plays “for fun.”

That said, Price is hoping to continue throwing in college. She is currently planning to major in dental hygiene. While Price has a fairly decent grasp of what she wants to do after high school, being only a junior, she has time to solidify the details of her future plans.

Given her competitive nature, among her top priorities falls in the realm of Javelin, as she will work hard to vie for a State medal in 2025. We wish Sofie all the best in making it a reality.

Photo provided by Palmyra Athletics

LebCo Male Athletes of the Week: Mason Bucks & David Moran profiles to be published soon

For a full list of this week’s nominees, check out: Athlete of the Week Voting:  May 13 – May 19

Previous Winners

Katelyn Brenner (Weeks of March 11th, 18th)

Abby Hassler (Week of March 25th)

Danika Setlock (Week of March 25th)

Abby Palkovic (Week of April 1st)

Addison Hollenbach (Week of April 8th)

Zariyah Whigham (Week of April 15th)

Abby Berarducci (Week of April 22nd)

Gabby Smith (Week of April 22nd)

Alivia Kline (Week of April 29th)

Chloe Shirk (Week of May 5th)

Meda Pulaski (Week of May 12th)