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South Fayette runner sprints to victory

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 4 min read
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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Hailey Bair of South Fayette attempts to clear the bar during the high jump competition at the 43rd annual Baldwin Invitational.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Lily Simmons of Peters Township makes her leap during the triple jump competition at the Baldwin Invitational. She finished ninth in the competition.

Rachel Helbling established herself as one of the runners to watch during the WPIAL track and field championships as the South Fayette senior dominated the action at the 45th annual Baldwin Invitational.

The event, always held on the first Friday in May, serves as a tune-up for the District 7 finals to be held May 17 on the same surface at Baldwin stadium.

Helbling dominated the sprints. The University of Richmond recruit cruised to victory in the 200-meter dash in 25.66 and the 400-meter run in 56.86.

In addition, she guided the 4×400 relay to victory. Amy Allen, Steffanie Kozak and Emma Fleck also comprised the winning unit. Fleck and Allen also combined with Maria DeCello and Hailey Poe for fifth place in the 4×800 relay.

Individually, Kozak finished fourth in the 800, DeCello scored eighth in the 1,600 and Allen was ninth in the 300 hurdles.

On the male side for the Lions, Sam Mastro earned runner-up honors in the discus (169 feet, 6 inches) and the shot put (51 feet, 6.5 inches). Zach Gehm from Seneca Valley won the discus with a toss of 182 feet, 8 inches and Baldwin’s Bailey O’Malley won the shot with a heave of 53 feet, 2.75 inches.

Additionally, Sam Snodgrass took third in the mile (4:22.76) and Silas Mays finished fourth in the 800-meter run (1:58.28).

Mt. Lebanon enjoyed success on the track individually and as a team. The girls finished fifth as a team and the boys placed eighth. Seneca Valley won the boys’ title and Butler the girls’ team trophy.

Individually, Molly Mangan, fresh off an appearance in the Penn Relays, ruled the intermediate hurdles. The junior won the event in 44.83.

Mangan also helped the 4×100 relay to victory. The team also featured Flynn Begor, who placed third in the 100-meter high hurdles, Jane Chaves and Katie Ward.

Patrick Anderson claimed the gold in the 1,600 run with a 4:26.58 time. He also combined with Bryce Brandenstein, Cameron Potts and Nate Everhart to reach the top of the podium in the 4×800 relay (8:00.82).

Aoife-Ruby Dunne claimed the silver medal in the 800 run.

Some other top showings for the Blue Devils included: Rory Vigrass, Allison Smail, Alison Hodgson and Isabella Primm combining for seventh in the 4×800 relay; Hodgson, ninth in the 1600; Patrice Smith, sixth in the long jump; Mason Ventrone tying for 10th place in the high jump along with USC’s Kahlil Jackson and CV’s Dammion Bundridge; Colby Sorsdal taking seventh in the shot put; and Jessie Wolf, eighth in the high jump.

Savannah Shaw scored the only other victory among local athletes. The Upper St. Clair senior won the McKinney Mile. The prestigious event, named after Baldwin’s legendary track coach (Chuck McKinney), posted a 4:53.54 time and finished nearly 10 seconds ahead of Sharon’s Gianna Labbiento (5:03.10) and Oakland Catholic’s Hannah Schupansky (5:03.70).

Jane Madson, Shaw’s teammate, continued to be a force in the sprints. She secured runner-up honors in the 400 with a 58.52 time. Madson finished fourth in the 100-meter dash.

Rebecca Libell set the stage for her showdown with Molly DeBone of Hempfield in the pole vault at the WPIAL finals. The Bethel Park junior took third while DeBone won the event with a vault of 11 feet, 6 inches. Kathryn Kimes and Megan Malecki, Libell’s teammates, tied for seventh place with two others in the event.

Libell also placed ninth in the high jump.

BP’s 4×100 relay team claimed runner-up honors with a 43.09 time. Latrobe won the event in 43.09. Racing for the Hawks were Beck Kozak, Jehvonn Lewis, James Krandel and Tanner Volpatti.

Individually, Krandel posted the third-best time of 22.38 in the 200-meter dash. Lebo’s Parker Reed followed in sixth places in the 200 as well as the 100.

Emily Carter took 10th in the 1,600; Sarah Gilliam secured seventh in the discus as well as ninth in the shot put; and Mike Conaboy and Mario Fontanazza placed ninth and 10th in the shot put for Bethel Park.

Maura Huwalt is among the female favorites in the throwing events. She swept second places in the discus, shot put and javelin.

Chartiers Valley’s 4×400 relay team took third-place honors. Nathan Wood, Nathan Trusiak, Elias Zajicek and Abdul Brooks make up the foursome. Individually, Zajicek finished fifth in the 800 meters and Wood was seventh in the 400.

Additionally, Kiki Thornton took third in the 1,600; and Hunter Haer was ninth in the intermediate hurdles for the Colts.

Matthew Higgs, Ethan Mann, Kasey Turner and Robert O’Brien combined for seventh place for USC in the 4×800 relay.

Finally, Peters Township’s Sarah Heisinger medaled in the long jump with a fifth-place finish. Lily Simmons followed in ninth place.

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