BUTLER TWP— Butler freshman Paige Rittelmann placed fourth in the high jump at the Pennsylvania high school indoor track and field championships Saturday.

Rittelmann jumped a career-best 5 feet, 4 inches during the competition held at Penn State University.

The winning jump was 5-6. No one else cleared higher than 5-4.

"I was surprised to see Paige break through and hit 5-4 at an event like that,"Butler girls track and field coach Rod Harris said. "There's a lot of pressure involved in any state competition. Getting past 5-2 had been like a mental brick wall for her.

"She nearly cleared 5-6. ... She had it cleared, actually, but her calves barely clipped the bar."

Rittelmann had hit 5-2 twice during the indoor season. Her best performance outdoors in junior high last year was 5-0.

"Paige improved four inches just working with us in the indoor season,"Harris said. "She's going to have a tremendous outdoor year for us."

Rittelmann's 5-4 jump at the state meet also tied Butler's girls indoor record, which was set by Kendall Butch.

Two Golden Tornado boys competed at the state indoor meet as well. Mason McLaughlin ran the 400 meters in 52.09 seconds while Nathan Neff ran the 800 in 2:01.38. Neither placed in the meet.