Area athletes bring home several firsts from second TSTCA indoor meet

By: Michael Love
Sunday, January 28, 2018 | 4:33 PM

The Tri-State Track Coaches Association hosted athletes from all throughout western Pennsylvania for a special Friday meet at Edinboro University.

The meet, one of the TSTCA's four in the regular-season that feature both track and field events, originally was scheduled for Jan. 13 but was postponed because of bad weather.

Individuals and relays continue to sharpen their skills for the upcoming TSTCA and Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association championships, set for Feb. 17 and 25, respectively.

Qualifying standards must be met in order to reach the TSTCA championships, so times at Friday's meet continued to be of high importance.

On the track, North Allegheny sophomore Casey Burton took home top honors in the 60-meter dash (7.81 seconds), while Upper St. Clair junior Jane Madson was a winner in the 200 dash (26.09).

Winners on the girls side also included Mt. Lebanon junior Molly Mangan in the 400 dash (59.01), Baldwin junior Macy Hale in the 800 run (2:25.08), Upper St. Clair senior Savannah Shaw in the mile (5:07.52) and 3,000 meters (10:30.51) and Oakland Catholic junior Jayla Ellis in the 60 hurdles (9.00).

Upper St. Clair (4×200, 1:50.15), Butler (4×400, 4:13.78) and South Fayette (4×800, 10:06.20) picked up relay victories, while Hempfield senior Molly DeBone (pole vault, 11 feet, 6 inches) and Penn Hills junior Lillia Allen (shot put, 41-2) also placed first.

The boys meet featured a first in the 200 dash for North Allegheny senior Ayden Owens who recorded the No. 3 time in Pennsylvania this winter (21.82).

Several other competitive races resulted in wins for Bethel Park senior James Krandel in the 60 dash (6.97), Riverside junior Calvin Wetzel in the 400 dash (50.78), Seneca Valley junior Seth Ketler in the 800 dash (1:58.92), Butler senior Noah Beveridge in the 3,000 run (8:44.72) and Seneca Valley junior Sam Owori in the mile (4:30.83).

Relay victories were recorded by West Mifflin (4×200, 1:33.56), Butler (4×400, 3:36.78), Mt. Lebanon (4×800, 8:28.49) and Greensburg Salem (distance medley, 11:06.14).

Owens and Penn Hills senior Emmanuel Mitchell led the field in the high jump with successful jumps of 6 feet, 3 inches.

The final TSTCA meet of the winter season will be back at Edinboro University on Feb. 10.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.