SHIPPENSBURG — For over 56 years, Slippery Rock High's rifle team stood as the only squad in school history to win a state title, but it now has some company.

The boys track and field team was crowned PIAA Class 2A champion Saturday at Shippensburg University.

The Rockets finished runner-up last year, just five points behind Danville, and returned a wealth of talent to make another run at the title this season.

"In April, MileSplit.com came out with their state rankings and had us No. 15," said Slippery Rock coach Tom Meling. "In May, we were ranked No. 12. I thought, 'There's 11 teams in the state better than us?'"

Meling knew his Rockets were much closer to the top than that. Led by two star seniors, they proved they were in fact the best and left no doubt. Slippery Rock tallied 41 points to earn the championship, with Penn Cambria finishing in a distant second with 25 points.

Levi Prementine successfully defended his titles from a year ago in the long jump (23 feet, 3/4 inch) and 300-meter hurdles (38.63 seconds). He placed fifth in the 110 hurdles, two spots behind teammate Eli Anderson. The latter was runner-up in the 300s, less than a half-second behind Prementine.

The Rockets had already clinched the team crown when their 4x400 relay quartet stepped on the track in the meet's final event. Anderson and Prementine joined Trent Davey and Tyler Arblaster in earning a 6th-place medal.

The Rockets received a champion's welcome when they arrived home Saturday night.

"It was lousy weather, but we had a police escort through town and a bunch of people were there to greet us at the high school," said Meling. "It was nice to see them get the recognition they deserve. We were excited to bring another team state championship back to Slippery Rock."

Prementine began honing his skills in the hurdles in junior high. He relishes being able to close his career as a two-time champion in the 300.

"It means a lot to me to win a state title in my last individual race in high school," he said. "Every year, I've tried to beat my own times. It's been a cool journey."

The success Anderson and Prementine met with was due in no small part to their competition with each other.

"We've been able to push each other," said Anderson. "There were meets when we knew there wasn't much competition for us, but we had each other.

"It's good to know I've been able to compete with the best in the state."

Prementine leaves the program with the school record in the 300 hurdles at 38.19 seconds. Anderson, who did not compete for varsity until his sophomore year, holds the record in the 110s at 14.44 seconds.

"Eli had a really good junior year, then made states during the indoor season last winter in the 60 hurdles," said Meling. "Levi knows so much about competing in the hurdles, he could help anyone in those events. They've made each other better and it's been fun to watch them get after it."

Following are results from the PIAA Track and Field Championships, which concluded Saturday at Shippensburg University. The top eight in each event earned a medal.

Class 3A

Boys

3,200 relay: 1-Council Rock North 7:38.73; 6-Butler (D.Knight, Z.Slear, O.Dressler, D.Griffith) 7:47.31

110 hurdles: 1-Tyler Burgess (Palmyra) 13.74

100 dash: 1-Shaun McCoullum (George Washington) 10.39

400 run: 1-Jayden Horton-Mims (Imhotep Charter) 46.06

400 relay: 1-Coatesville 41.45

300 hurdles: 1-Tyler Burgess (Palmyra) 37.47

800 run: 1-Dale Hall (Hampton) 1:51.29

200 dash: 1-Jayden Horton-Mims (Imhotep Charter) 21.29

3,200 run: 1-Drew Griffith (Butler) 8:43.72

1,600 relay: 1-Coatesville 3:13.80

Discus: 1-Peyton Murray (Hempfield) 186-6

Javelin: 1-Sam Guzman (Hazleton) 208-8

High jump: 1-Kyle Archie (Muhlenberg) 6-8

Long jump: 1-Kyle Moore (Emmaus) 23-6.75

Girls

3,200 relay: 1-Upper Dublin 9:01.43

100 hurdles: 1-Macaela Walker (Oxford) 13.74

100 dash: 1-Amirah Nesmith (Cheltenham) 11.81

400 run: 1-Kaddel Howard (Cedar Crest) 53.76

400 relay: 1-Cheltenham 47.19

300 hurdles: 1-Ella Bahn (Spring Grove) 41.98; 5-Lauren Bowden (Butler) 45.0

800 run: 1-Olivia Cieslak (Haverford Township) 2:07.60

200 dash: 1-Laila Campbell (Spring Grove) 24.44

3,200 run: 1-Logan St. John Kletter (Mt. Lebanon) 10:21.46

1,600 relay: 1-Chester 3:47.09

Discus: 1-Genesis Castro (JP McCaskey) 138-8

Javelin: 1-Rosalind Gergely (Blue Mountain) 152-4

High jump: 1-Ella Bahn (Spring Grove) 5-7

Long jump: 1-Jaylynn Dorsey (Susquehanna Township) 19-0.75

Class 2A

Boys

3,200 relay: 1-Midd-West 7:54.27

110 hurdles: 1-Josef Book (East Juniata) 14.34; 3-Eli Anderson (Slippery Rock) 14.50; 5-Levi Prementine (Slippery Rock) 14.70

100 dash: 1-Jamari Curlett (North East) 10.82

400 run: 1-Josh Stolarski (Penn Cambria) 48.92

400 relay: 1-Fort Cherry 42.43

300 hurdles: 1-Levi Prementine (Slippery Rock) 38.63; 2-Eli Anderson (Slippery Rock) 39.05

800 run: 1-Gabriel Cuffey (Archbishop Carroll) 1:52.38

200 dash: 1-Josh Stolarski (Penn Cambria) 21.98

3,200 run: 1-Jaxon Schoedel (Mohawk) 9:10.45; 3-Michael Braun (Freeport) 9:16.91

1,600 relay: 1-Nativity BVM 3:20.91; 6-Slippery Rock (E.Anderson, T.Arblaster, T.Davey, L.Prementine) 3:26.93

Shot put: 1-Clark Gulycz (Allentown Central Catholic) 58-3.75

Triple jump: 1-Lorenzo Fancher (East Allegheny) 45-6.75

Pole vault: 1-Luke Martinez (Schuylkill Valley) 15-6; 6-Ashton Grossman (Moniteau) 14-0

Girls

3,200 relay: 1-Warrior Run 9:25.28

100 hurdles: 1-Abby Malesiewski (North East) 14.85

100 dash: 1-Hayzes Robinson (Avonworth/Northgate) 12.11

400 run: 1-Tori Atkins (Laurel) 55.49

400 relay: 1-West Catholic 48.33

300 hurdles: 1-Camryn Pyle (Midd-West) 43.89

800 run: 1-Kate Moncavage (Southern Columbia) 2:13.25

200 dash: 1-Amirah Crabbe (West Catholic) 25.35

3,200 run: 1-Chelsea Hartman (Shady Side Academy) 10:37.32

1,600 relay: 1-Central Columbia 3:55.94

Shot put: 1-Sasha Garnett (Richland) 43-7.5

Triple jump: 1-Milena Sciullo (Grove City) 40-3; 3-Kara Fennell (Knoch) 38-10.25

Pole vault: 1-Lilyana Carlson (Bermudian Springs) 13-0; 6(tie)-Kara Fennell (Knoch) 11-0