Goodyear, Coyne take third at states
Beatrice Goodyear from Mt. Lebanon and Kristina Coyne from Chartiers Valley were the top local finishers during the PIAA track and field championships last weekend at Shippensburg University.
A senior, Goodyear took third in the high hurdles with a 14.71 time. She finished .38 off the winning pace set by Cheltenham’s Kayla Coley.
A WPIAL champion as a junior and this year’s district runner-up, Goodyear will compete at Dartmouth College in the fall.
A senior, Coyne collected a bronze medal in the high jump. She leaped 5 feet, 6 inches. The winning jump measured 5-11 by Cyre Virgo from Fleetwood.
A district runner-up this spring, Coyne will continue her track career at Eastern Michigan.
Among the area’s other top performers included: Kelsey Potts, Betsy Erlanger and John Rutkowski.
A freshman from Mt. Lebanon, Potts finished fifth in the 1,600-meter run with a 4:58.40 time. Sophomore sensation Brianna Schwartz from Shaler won the race in 4:50.05. At the WPIAL championships, she shattered the long-standing record set by Carol Zajac of Baldwin.
Erlanger scored 11th place in the mile. However, the Upper St. Clair senior excelled in her specialty event. In the 3,200 run, the Delaware recruit earned an eighth-place medal with a 10:50.63 time.
John Rutkowski scored seventh place in the 400-meter dash. The USC senior recorded a team of 50.23.
While the Mt. Lebanon girls’ 4-by-100 relay team secured sixth, Jillian Hunsberger of Lebo and Carly DeFrank from Bishop Canevin each took 10th in the 3,200 run in their respective Class AAA and AA divisions.