Running to
glory
By Sam TallaricoEagle Staff Writer
BUTLER TWP — With the section title at stake, all Butler had to do against
North Allegheny was run its race — plain and simple.
“We didn't have to do anything spectacular,” Tornado coach Annessa Steele said.
“We just had to get it done.”
Butler won 13 events — including two individual events apiece by Katelyn
Wetzel, Danica Snyder and Ava Bonetti — en route to an 89-61 girls track and
field victory over the Tigers.
“I knew everything had to go perfectly for us and
In the boys meet, the Tigers pulled out 11 events — including all three relays
— in posting a 87.5-62.5 victory.
All four teams had entered the regular-season ending meet with identical 5-0
records.
Wetzel won the 100 (13.42) and 200 (27.240 and was a member of the winning 400
relay team (49.09) along with Paige Allen, Kennedy Evans and Lexis Frost.
“Katelyn had three firsts and those were huge points for us,” Steele noted.
Snyder placed first in the 1,600 (5:23.19) and 3,200 (11:32.75) as did Bonetti
in the shot put (36-10) and discus (107-4).
“Danica Snyder, it's nice to know we have a great runner (in the distance),”
Steele said. “With Danica running so well, that's a huge help.
“We have a couple of kids out (sprinter Jasmine Bailey and distance runner
Alexis Swiergol). We wanted to let them get better and thought we'd be able to
get through this meet without them,” Steele added.
Frost and Evans also won individual events — the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles,
respectively.
Last season, the Tigers pulled out the section crown, but the Tornado responded
by winning the WPIAL Class AAA championship, which included
“The biggest thing this year over last year was our point scorers were young,”
Steele said. “Last year, some of our athletes weren't able to do four events,
but now they've developed and are able to run four.”
“Our field events have always carried the track,” Steele said. “Now that we
have talent out on the track, it's made us a stronger team.
“The throws never let us down. Coach (Bill) McElroy does a great job and our
jumps with coach (John) Williams has developed a lot of kids. You need to have
some great assistant coaches.”
In the boys meet, Evan Gomez won the 1,600 (4:27.30) and 800 (1:57.88) and Nick
Martin the shot put (48-0) and discus (122-3) to key
“I knew it would take a lot of things to win,” said Butler boys coach Rick
Schontz. “North Allegheny has a good team.
“We won six events and we had a good effort ... We had two guys clear 20 feet
in the long jump, but they had one go 21 feet. They performed a little bit
better,” Schontz added.
Kyle Shivetts led the Tigers with wins in the 100 and 200 as he was the only
double individual winner.
“We really have a solid team from top to bottom,” Neff said. “I really feel
good about our chances (in the WPIAL team playoffs).
“We did win state in cross country. We're strong in distance and the middle
distance is holding its own. We're really deep in middle distance,” Neff added.
Now, both teams will turn their attention to the WPIAL Class AAA team
semifinals playoffs, which will begin on Wednesday.
The Tornado and Tigers are two of the more successful teams in the playoffs as
well as the individual qualifiers and finals and will adjust their focus to
that.
“We were second in the section. We were runners-up and made the playoffs,” said
Schontz. “Our goal every year is to go undefeated and win the section.
“Now, the second season begins,” Schontz added.
Boys
North Allegheny 87.5, Butler 62.5
Track Events
3,200-meter relay: North Allegheny 8:26.86; 110 hurdles: Louco (NA)
16.44; 100 dash: Shivetts (NA) 11.75; 1,600 run: Evan Gomez (B)
4:27.30; 400 dash: Tonzo (NA) 51.29; 400 relay: North Allegheny
44.02; 300-meter hurdles: Louco (NA) 39.29; 800-meter run: Evan
Gomez (B) 1:57.88; 200-meter dash: Shivetts (NA) 23.24; 3,200-meter
run: Chris Grooms (B) 9:57.90; 1,600-meter relay: North Allegheny
3:34.02;
Field Events
High jump: Zagonski (NA) 5-8; Long jump: Baum (NA) 21-2; Triple
jump: Spencer Murray (B) 43-5; Shot put: Nick martin (B) 48-0;
Discus: Nick Martin (B) 122-3; Javelin: Sliker (NA) 168-3; Pole
vault: Josh DiPippa (B) 10-6
Girls
Butler 89, North Allegheny 61
Track Events
3,200-meter relay: North Allegheny 10:35.39; 100 hurdles: Lexis
Frost (B) 16.68; 100 dash: Katelyn Wetzel (B) 13.42; 1,600 run: Danica
Snyder (B) 5:23.19; 400 dash: Ashley Grooms (B) 1:02.23; 400 relay: Butler
(Paige Allen, Kennedy Evans, Katelyn Wetzel, Lexis Frost) 50.79; 300
hurdles: Kennedy Evans (B) 49.09; 800 run: Trisha Brandt (B)
2:29.37; 200 dash: Katelyn Wetzel (B) 27.24; 3,200 run: Danica
Snyder (B) 11;32.75; 1,600 relay: North Allegheny 4:17.88
Field Events
High jump: Paige Rittelmann (B) 5-0; Long jump: Meghan Studds (B)
17-2.5; Triple jump: Calabreise (NA) 35-8.25; Shot put: Ava
Bonetti (B) 36-10; Discus: Ava Bonetti (B) 107-4; Javelin: Mitchell
(NA) 113-9.5; Pole vault: Yarshen (NA) 10-6