BUTLER TWP — Last year, Julia Baxter left the Butler Track and Field Invitational with an injury.

This year, she came away with a first-place medal.

Butler's junior managed five feet, two inches in the girls' high jump to earn the win at Art Bernardi Stadium Friday afternoon.

“I didn't place here last year and I threw my back out,” said Baxter. “I ended up being better for it because I learned how to stretch properly before competing.”

Baxter had been clearing the bar at 5-4 this spring.

“I didn't get that today, but I'm happy I won,” she said. “I hope to go 5-7 by the end of the season. I made states last year and I want to get back.”

Baxter entered the event seeded second behind Grove City's McKenzie Fagan, who placed third.

“We look at Julia as one of the best in the state, not just the WPIAL,” said Golden Tornado coach John Williams. “Man, is she explosive! We think she can get 5-7 this year. It's just a matter of getting some warm weather.”

It was a good day for Butler's jumpers. Senior Kristen Knass moved past a personal obstacle she's been staring at for two years.

“I'd been stuck at 34 feet (in the triple jump) since my sophomore year,” she said. “I just wanted to jump 35. When I heard '36' today, I was so excited. I skipped right over 35.”

Knass' effort was 36 feet and one-fourth inch to be exact, good for second place behind Shaler's Tori Soeder.

“The encouraging thing is she was jumping 34 at the end of last year and that's where she started this season,” Williams said of Knass. “In our first meet against McDowell last month, she went 34-7. That shows growth and maturity.”

Knass has other goals on her radar.

“I want to end the season in the top 10 in school history,” she said. “I have to jump 36-2 to get there. I also want to get to the state meet. I have to decide whether I want to compete in college. If I make the state meet, that would be confirmation that I could do it.”

Other Butler County athletes who were runner-up include Slippery Rock's Megan Stephenson in the 100 dash, Seneca Valley's Danielle Matz in the 400 run, Knoch's Katie Bozzo in the 300 hurdles and Butler's Claire Weiland in the pole vault.

Six records fell in the girls' meet. California's Kailyn Clancy broke standards in the shot put and discus. Shaler's Brianna Schwartz did likewise in the 1,600 and 800 runs. Greensburg Salem's Courtney McQuaide now holds the pole vault record and Villa Maria opened the invite by setting a new mark in the 4x800 relay.

Shaler won the girls team title for the second straight year.