Ayden Owens, Hunter Robinson win 4 more WPIAL track golds

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, May 18, 2018 | 4:21 AM

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North Allegheny's Ayden Owens and Avonworth/Northgate's Hunter Robinson finished their WPIAL track careers with performances that won't soon be forgotten.

And that was their goal.

As Owens and Robinson made their final visits to Baldwin's stadium Thursday for the WPIAL individual track and field championships, they each thought a little about their own legacy.

“I see those records hanging up on the wall and I see them there for years,” Owens said. “Coming here, going through the WPIAL for four years, I wanted to leave a lasting mark for years to come.”

Owens and Robinson each earned four gold medals Thursday, winning every event they entered, and added their names to the WPIAL Class AAA championship record book.

Owens, a Southern Cal recruit, won the 110 hurdles (13.68 seconds), the 300 hurdles (36.65), the long jump (24-0½) and the 1,600-meter relay (3:20:30).

He set WPIAL records in both hurdles events, replacing Elizabeth Forward's Matthew Bernadowski (14.0 in 2014) and Latrobe's Jeff Elam (37.78 in 2012).

Robinson, a Tulane recruit, won the 200 meters (23.93 seconds), 400 meters (54.77), 400-meter relay (49.75) and 1,600 relay (4:01.50). She already owned the WPIAL record in the 400, but now adds her name to the record book again with her 1,600 relay teammates.

They broke a record set by Penn Hills in 2010.

“That's very meaningful,” Robinson said. “To know that I'm forever going to be a part of Western Pennsylvania track and field is so amazing. Today was exactly what we wanted. I couldn't be more proud of my team and myself.”

Robinson now owns nine WPIAL gold medals and Owens has eight. They've established themselves as WPIAL track royalty, alongside names like Dion Bentley, Clinton Davis, Marla Puryear, and more recently, Jordan Geist and Madison Wiltrout.

“I hope those records I set today, in both hurdles, they stick around,” Owens said. “But records are meant to be broken. There's always going to be someone coming, working hard.”

Robinson and Owens were the only athletes to win four events Thursday, but there were a number who won gold in more than one individual event.

Four athletes left with three gold medals, and six other left with two golds. On a warm, dry day, eight WPIAL championship records also fell.

The top four finishers in Class AAA and top five finishers in Class AA, and those meeting the state qualifying standard, qualify for the PIAA championship meet May 25-26 in Shippensburg.

South Park thrower Maura Huwalt swept the throwing events in Class AA girls, winning discus (137-8), shot put (43-5) and javelin (135-5) a year after finishing second in each event.

Beaver's Emma Pavalek earned girls Class AA gold in the 400 (59.82), the high jump (5-4) and 1,600 relay (4:04.41).

Aliquippa sprinter MJ Devonshire won Class AA gold in the boys 100 (10.83), 200 (22.42) and 400 relay (43.13). This was the fifth year in a row that Aliquippa won that relay sprint event.

Riverside's Jackson Coyne also left Baldwin with three gold medals. He won the 400 (50.12) in Class AA boys, and then celebrated team wins in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays.

Huwalt's freshman teammate Maddie Raymond won two events for South Park, winning the 100 (12.18) and 200 (25.16) in Class AA girls.

Shady Side Academy's Melissa Riggins won 800 (2:15.07) and 1,600 (4:56.36) in Class AA girls.

In Class AA boys, Winchester Thurston distance runner Tristan Forsythe won both the 1,600 (4:21.12) and 3,200 (9:40.55).

Hopewell thrower Noah Drudy won the discus (149-7) and javelin (196-7) in AA, while Seneca Valley thrower Zach Gehm won the discus (189-0) and javelin (193-9) in AAA.

West Mifflin's Ziggy Patterson won Class AAA gold in both the 400 (49.05) and the 400 relay (42.40).

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.