South Fayette dominates own invitational track meet
Rachel Helbling and Sam Mastro were among the dominant forces during the South Fayette Invitational, which served as a tune-up for many area athletes for the prestigious Baldwin Invitational to be held May 5.
Despite windy and cold conditions, Helbling managed to shatter the South Fayette High School record in the 200-meter dash. She secured second place with a mark of 25.67. The senior also captured first places for the 400 run with a winning time of 58.05 and for anchoring the 4×400 relay to victory. The unit also consisted of Amy Allen, Emma Fleck and Steffanie Kozak.
For her efforts, Helbling, who will run for the University of Richmond next spring, earned the distinction as girls’ MVP.
Meanwhile, Mastro garnered that honor for his performances in the field events. The senior, who will throw for Liberty University, was a double-winner. He captured gold medals in the discus with a toss of 161 feet, 11 inches and in the shot put with a heave of 51 feet, 2 inches.
The Lions combined to also win the girls’ 4×800 relay with Maria DeCello, Hailey Poe, Kozak and Delaney Parisi. SF’s 4×100 relay took third. That grouping included: Alen, Sydney Ponikvar, Taylor Marmarelli and Biana Fritz.
Other top showings from Lady Lions included: DeCello, second in the 1,600; Hailey Bair, runner-up in the high jump; Poe, fourth in the 3,200; Emma Fleck, fourth in the 800; Allen, fifth, intermediate hurdles; and Naia Petter, eighth, triple jump.
On the male side, Sam Snodgrass and Silas Mays shared their talents by helping the 4×800 relay take runner-up honors. That squad also featured Colin Dunn and Ryan Hayes. Mays also aided the 4×400’s sixth-place showing. Harmon Rozycki, Sam Grant and Trevor Kulenich also comprised the unit.
Individually, Snodgrass finished runner-up in the 3,200 run while Mays secured second place at the 800-meter distance.
Other top showings for the Lions included: Adam Kenawell, seventh, triple jump; Dunn, eighth, 3,200; Mike Trimbur, eighth, long jump; Joseph Henry, eighth in the 200 and 400 sprints. The team of Luke Pschirer, Joey Audia, Sean Becker and Kenawell placed eighth in the 4×100 relay.
Maura Huwalt from South Park was a triple winner, sweeping the field events. She won the shot put, discus and javelin throws.
Caroline Fyock of Peters Township finished runner-up to Huwalt in the shot put.
Jane Madson of Upper St. Clair was another multiple winner in the female competition. She sprinted to victory in the 100 meters in 12.64 and in the 200 in 25. 44.
Savannah Shaw, fresh of her performance at the Penn Relays took runner-up honors in the 800 run.
Rebecca Libell won the pole vault with a leap of 10 feet, 1 inch. The Bethel Park junior also led off the 4×100 relay team of Alexandra Gob, Taylor Tekulve and Megan Malecki. The unit placed eighth.
There was plenty of drama on the male side of the competition as the 100-meter dash ended in a photo finish with Bethel Park’s James Krandel finishing runner-up to Alex Trower of Penn Hills. By the narrowest of margins, a scant one, one-hundredth of a second, 10.77 to 10.78, Trower edged Krandel.
Krandel recovered to help the 4×100 relay team of Beck Kozak, Jehvonn Lewis and Tanner Volpatti gain a bronze medal.
Lebo’s Parker Reed, who finished fifth in the 100, was runner-up in the 200 dash. Hickory’s William Gruber won in 22.18 while Reed posted a 22.65 time.
JT Allen from Chartiers Valley was third in the 200 and seventh in 100.
Gruber also won the 400. USC’s Isaac Kane placed second.
Elias Zajicek dominated the middle distance. The CV senior won the 800 in 2:01.70.
After Hays took second, Lebo’s Jack Cameron and Luca Hignett-Lewis ensued. USC’s Chris Hess and Michael Gallagher followed to complete a South Hills sweep of the first six places.
Zajicek also helped the 4×400 relay team finish runner-up to Mt. Lebanon with a 3:32.23 time. Zajicek’s foursome also included Nathan Wood, Abdul Brooks and Hunter Haer.
Lebo’s winning unit (3:31.75) featured Hodgson, Bryce Brandenstein, Steven Deme and Nate Everhart. The Blue Devils also won the 4×800 in 8:00.82. That relay included Brandenstein, Cameron Potts, Patrick Anderson and Everhart again on the anchor leg.
CV’s Czar Tarr won the 1,600. 4:31.44. Gallagher was third and Lebo’s Alex Brokaw followed in fourth.
CV’s Thad Adams runner-up in the long jump.
South Park’s Sam Hartman won the high hurdles in 15.01 and the intermediates in 40.10. Hunter Lindsay was second in the pole vault and third in the javelin.
Also for the Eagles, Marco Maffeo, who finished fourth in the long jump, captured the triple jump in 45 feet, 3.75 inches.