Not strong enough

By SAM TALLARICO Eagle Staff Writer

May 09, 2008 Last Updated: May 09, 2008 03:35 PM High School

Butler’s Mike Martin jumps over the pole in the high jumpat the WPIAL Class AAA team track finals at West MifflinHigh School Thursday. Martin won the event, but theGolden Tornado boys finished fourth iin the meet.

County teams fall short of WPIALteam track titles

WEST MIFFLIN — There definitely were a lot of strong performances at Thursday's WPIALTrack and Field Team Championship.

Unfortunately for Butler County's finalists, there were some even stronger teams.

• The Mars boys team, last year's Class AA champions, finished in second place to Riverside, which defeated Mars 104-46, South Side Beaver 113½-36½ and Southmoreland 114½-35½.

Riverside won 13 of the 18 events to roll to the title.

• The Seneca Valley girls team was third in the Class AAA finals, defeating Laurel Highlands 103-47, but lost to North Allegheny 87-63 and to champion Norwin 91½-58½.

The Knights captured eight of the 18 events while the Raiders did manage six first-place finishes.

• The Butler boys team, also the defending champion, placed fourth in the Class AAA meet, losing to champion Canon-McMillan 93-57, runner-up Baldwin 78-67 as well as North Allegheny 96-54.

"I couldn't be prouder for our kids," said Seneca Valley coach Ray Peaco. "I'm proud to bring them here. Last year our boys made it to the finals and this year the girls did it.

"We have a lot of younger kids here and they see what the kids are doing. It reciprocates itself. The kids are probably disappointed, but this is a growing experience,"Peaco added.

While there were no championships brought back, the squads did represent themselves well.

In the Class AA boys finals, Mars' Justin Piocquidio won the high jump (6-0) and long jump (21-2¾) and was a member of the winning 400 relay along with Bill Bair, Corey Slater and Shane Kaclik (44.73).

Bair also finished second overall in the 100 and 200 while Vinny Smith was second in the 110 hurdles.

For Seneca Valley, Jen Boyd won the high jump (5-2) and triple jump (34-11) while Angelika Delerme won the long jump (16-5½).

"Jen had a wonderful meet," said Peaco. "First she won the high jump, then won the triple jump. She's been a three-jumper for us for three years now. I couldn't be happier for her."

Boyd was also runner-up in the long jump while Logan Gamelier was fourth in the event.

"I never thought we'd get nine points off North Allegheny there," Peaco noted.

The Seneca Valley 3,200 relay team opened the track portion with a victory as Erin Lopresti, Kate Kelly, Megan Powell and Jowelle Scarnati were clocked at 9:41.98.

Lopresti also won the 800 (2:21.46) while Stacy Harkins won the discus (100-1½). Mandy Cerminara and Elexa Baron finished second and third, respectively, in the 100 hurdles.

Logan Renwick was a big winner for Butler, capturing both hurdles events (15.22 in the 110; 40.15 in the 300) as well as the triple jump (44-10¾).

Renwick was also third in the long jump while Mike Martin won the high jump (6-2) and was second in the long jump, just ahead of Renwick.

"Logan did really well and Mike Martin had a nice meet," said Butler coach Rick Schontz.

"Logan's only run the 300 hurdles twice. He's never practiced the 300. He ran it in the team playoff last week and then today and did a heck of a job. He ran under 40 seconds."

Matt Cooper rounded out the Tornado's other champion, a 48-4¾ in the shot put. Adam Marzullo had a strong finish in the pole vault (12-0), second to Baldwin's Matt Perella (12-6).

"The goal next year is to try and get here and win it," said Schontz. "Our philosophy is like Lance Armstrong. Whatever your 100 percent is, give it and they did. They never give anything less. It just wasn't quite enough."

<table width="300" height="275" border="0" align="right" valign="top" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><embed src="/assets/mov/BE4561359.MOV" width="320" height="250" autostart="true" loop="false" ></embed></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/" target="_blank">Requires Quicktime Media Player </a> Video by Brandon Gerthoffer<td></tr></table>Class AA BoysScoresRiverside 104, Mars 46Riverside 113½, S.S. Beaver 36½Riverside 114½, Southmoreland 35½Mars 89, Southmoreland 61Mars 107 S.S. Beaver 43Southmoreland 97, S.S. Beaver 533,200-meter relay: Riverside 8:17.61; 110-meter hurdles: Zack Snyder (Riverside) 15.86; 100-meter dash: Eric Frund (Southmoreland) 11.7; 1,600-meter run: Jonathan McElwain (Riverside) 4;44.86; 400-meter dash: Matt Martin (Riverside) 51.88; 400 meter relay: Mars 44.73; 300-meter hurdles: Luke Griffin (Riverside) 42.81; 800-meter run: Marius Klein (Riverside) 2:05.53; 200-meter dash: Matt Martin (Riverside) 23.37; 3,200-meter run: Jonathan McElwain (Riverside) 10:24.45; 1,600-meter relay: Riverside 3:34.92High jump: Justin Piocquidio (Mars) 6-0; Long jump: Justin Piocquidio (Mars) 21-2¾; Triple jump: Kevin Gergan (South Side Beaver) 39-6½; Shot put: Brandon Jerrin (Riverside) 40-10½; Discus: Brandon Jerrin (Riverside) 128-9; Javelin: A.J. Murphy (Riverside) 153-2 Pole vault: Josh Nye (Riverside) 11-0GirlsNorwin 94½, North Allegheny 55½Norwin 91½, Seneca Valley 58½Norwin 111, Laurel Highlands 39N. Allegheny 87, Seneca Valley 63Seneca Valley 103, L. Highlands 47N. Allegheny 116½, L. Highlands 33½3,200-meter relay: Seneca Valley 9:41.98; 100-meter hurdles: Dakota McCoy (North Allegheny) 15.8; 100-meter dash: Shannon Abraham (Norwin) 12.77; 1,600-meter run: Shelby Haltz (Norwin) 5:12.47; 400-meter dash: Shannon Abraham (Norwin) 57.25; 400 meter relay: Norwin 50.19; 300-meter hurdles: Dakota McCoy (North Allegheny) 45.86; 800-meter run: Erin Lopresti (Seneca Valley) 2:21.46; 200-meter dash: Shannon Abraham (Norwin) 25.51; 3,200-meter run: Jenna Gigliotti (Norwin) 11:41.44; 1,600-meter relay: Norwin 4:03.65High jump: Jen Boyd (Seneca Valley) 5-2; Long jump: Angelika Delerme (Seneca Valley) 16-5½; Triple jump: Jen Boyd (Seneca Valley) 34-11; Shot put: Kelly Carioto (North Allegheny) 35-2½; Discus: Stacy Harkins (Seneca Valley) 100-1½; Javelin: Maressa Guynn (Laurel Highlands) 115-3; Pole vault: Amanda Ponsonby (Norwin) 10-6BoysCanon-McMillan 81, Baldwin 69Canon-McMillan 93, Butler 57Canon-McMillan 78, N. Allegheny 71Baldwin 78, Butler 67North Allegheny 96, Butler 54Baldwin 77, North Allegheny 733,200-meter relay: Baldwin 7;59.0; 110-meter hurdles: Logan Renwick (Butler) 15.22; 100-meter dash: Brian Austin (North Allegheny) 11.16; 1,600-meter run: David Adley (Baldwin) 4;21.75 400-meter dash: Thomas Hobart (Baldwin) 50.19; 400 meter relay: North Allegheny 44.0; 300-meter hurdles: Logan Renwick (Butler) 40.15; 800-meter run: Thomas Hobart (Baldwin) 1:56.87; 200-meter dash: Jervain Matthews (Canon-McMillan) 22.45; 3,200-meter run: David Adley (Baldwin) 9:25.06; 1,600-meter relay: Canon-McMillan 3:26.27High jump: Mike Martin (Butler) 6-2; Long jump: Jervain Matthews (Canon-McMillan) 21-3¾; Triple jump: Logan Renwick (Butler) 44-10¾; Shot put: Matt Cooper (Butler) 48-4¾; Discus: Drew Hofbauer (Baldwin) 148-3 Javelin: Ryan Schleicher (Baldwin) 181-0; Pole vault: Matt Perella (Baldwin) 12-6