North Allegheny boys, Butler girls roll to WPIAL track championships
By: HSSN Staff
Monday, May 7, 2018 | 10:16 PM
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
North Allegheny's Ayden Owens wins the Class AAA boys 110 meter high hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Clay Metz competes in the the Class AAA boys shot put during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Emily Brozeski competes in the Class AAA girls 100 meter high hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Bailey Traczynski competes in the the Class AAA girls 100 meter high hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Emily Brozeski competes in the Class AAA girls 300 meter intermediate hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Brock Barnhart competes in the the Class AAA boys shot put during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Becca Pyo competes in the the Class AAA girls high jump during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Kaylen Sharrow competes in the Class AA girls 100 meter high hurdles next to Beaver's Clio Begnal during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Megan Malits races to the finish line to win the Class AA girls 4x800 relay during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Megan Malits takes the baton from Ashley Brown to anchor a win in the Class AA girls 4x800 relay during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Taylor Johnson cometes in the Class AA girls 100 meter dash during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
North Allegheny's Ayden Owens competes in the Class AAA boys long jump during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
North Allegheny's Ayden Owens wins the Class AAA boys 300 meter intermediate hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Kaylen Sharrow competes in the Class AA girls 300 meter intermediate hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
North Allegheny's Ayden Owens wins the Class AAA boys 110 meter high hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Clay Metz competes in the the Class AAA boys shot put during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Emily Brozeski competes in the Class AAA girls 100 meter high hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Bailey Traczynski competes in the the Class AAA girls 100 meter high hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Emily Brozeski competes in the Class AAA girls 300 meter intermediate hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Brock Barnhart competes in the the Class AAA boys shot put during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Becca Pyo competes in the the Class AAA girls high jump during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Kaylen Sharrow competes in the Class AA girls 100 meter high hurdles next to Beaver's Clio Begnal during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Megan Malits races to the finish line to win the Class AA girls 4x800 relay during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Megan Malits takes the baton from Ashley Brown to anchor a win in the Class AA girls 4x800 relay during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Taylor Johnson cometes in the Class AA girls 100 meter dash during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
North Allegheny's Ayden Owens competes in the Class AAA boys long jump during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
North Allegheny's Ayden Owens wins the Class AAA boys 300 meter intermediate hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Kaylen Sharrow competes in the Class AA girls 300 meter intermediate hurdles during the WPIAL team track and field championships Monday, May 7, 2018, at Baldwin High School.
The North Allegheny boys and Butler girls track and field teams were favorites to capture the WPIAL Class AAA team titles this season.
On Monday at Baldwin, they lived up to the hype.
Led by senior sprinter/jumper Ayden Owens, the North Allegheny boys defeated Butler, 94-56; Hempfield, 112-38; and Norwin, 112-38; to win the championship for the 13th time.
“It tough to compare teams.We've had a lot of good teams,” North Allegheny coach John Neff said. “We're pretty good. Everyone performed well. I'm very proud of the boys and girls.”
Butler and Hempfield tied for second 75-75, but because Butler outscored Hempfield, 224-189, in total points it was named the runner-up. Hempfield defeated Norwin, 76-74.
“Everyone knew North Allegheny was strong from top to bottom,” Norwin coach Brian Fleckenstein said. “North Allegheny might be the top team in the state. We were hoping to beat Hempfield, but things didn't work out.”
In the Class AAA girls meet, Butler defeated North Allegheny, 99-51; Norwin, 95-55; and Hempfield, 92-59. North Allegheny defeated Hempfield, 79-71, and Norwin, 79-71, to finish second. Norwin edged Hempfield, 83-67. Butler, which won the 2017 championship as well, has won 12 team titles.
“We'd like to make in three in a row next year,” Butler coach John Williams said. “We got these girls to buy into the program in December. They really came together. We beat three very good teams.”
Hempfield coach Ron Colland said he was pleased with the effort from his teams but was hoping for better.
The boys were edged by Butler, who rallied by sweeping the 3,200 and winning the pole vault and 1,600 relay.
“The positive was both teams made it back to the WPIAL team championship,” Colland said. “Our goals were to win the section, win the count and make it back to the championship. We came up short to Norwin in the section and the boys did win the counties.”
Hempfield had a good performances by several individuals.
MacKenna Orie won the shot put and discus with a personal best throw of 136 feet, 8 inches. Bailey Traczynski ran a personal record of 14.46 seconds in the 100 hurdles and placed third in the 300 hurdles. She also placed in the long jump. Molly DeBone won the pole vault and the high jump.
Jared Bannon ran an impressive 15.09 seconds in the 110 hurdles, and sophomore Nathan Roby ran 11.28, a personal record, in the 100.
“I try to keep my emotions in check,” Colland said. “I think the boys could be very good next year if they continue to improve. We'll have some work to do on the girls team.”
The Class AA winners were the Shenango girls and Riverside boys.
Shenango defeated Burrell, 86.5-63.5; Beaver, 86-64; and Mohawk, 100-50. Burrell finished second. It was Shenango's first title.
Riverside defeated Freedom, 89-61; South Park, 96-54; and Mohawk, 106-44. Freedom placed second. Riverside won its second consecutive championship and fifth overall.
