Westmoreland track notebook: Ligonier Valley’s Arnone, Ankney top Heritage Conference
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Sunday, May 13, 2018 | 9:54 PM
Avery Arnone and Mack Ankney won two individual titles each to help the Ligonier Valley boys track and field team win another Heritage Conference title.
Arnone won the 200- and 400-meter dashes and also ran legs on the winning 400 and 1,600 relay teams.
Ankney won the pole vault with a leap of 13 feet and the long jump (18 feet, 11¼ inches). Ankney was third in the triple jump (39-5¾).
Teammate Wade Rashilla won the triple jump (39-11½) and placed second in the long jump (18-2).
Aaron Tutino (11.7 seconds) in the 100 and Elliot Rost (54.32) in the 400 finished second in those events. Tutino picked up a third in the 200 (23.7).
The boys finished with 167 points, well ahead of second-place Purchase Line (106).
United won the girls title, and Ligonier Valley placed fifth.
McKenna Rummel was the only winner for the Rams, taking the 800 in 2:32.56.
Rachel Horrell placed second in the triple jump (36-11) and third in the long jump (15-1½).
Tatum Hoffman placed second in the high jump (5-2).
Another four-time winner
Hempfield's Bailey Traczynski and Jasmine Jones aren't the only four-time Westmoreland County Coaches' Association track and field champions.
Penn-Trafford's Lauren Abel won the 300 hurdles four times from 1995-98.
Abel went on to compete at Western Michigan.
Traczynski competed in the 100 hurdles and Jones, who is a senior at Eastern Michigan, the 200.
Top times
Hempfield senior Eudel Moreta didn't think the 400 was for him. He was a 100 and 200 guy.
But with the encouragement of sprint coach LaRoyal Wilson, Moreta decided to run the 400 at the Baldwin Invitational.
He won, and his time of 49.80 seconds remains tops in Class AAA. Right on his heels is Norwin sophomore Logan Huss at 49.92.
The WPIAL Class AAA and Class AA championships will be Thursday at Baldwin beginning at 1 p.m.
“LaRoyal told (Moreta) that the 400 would be his best chance at earning a medal at states,” Hempfield coach Ron Colland said. “He ran an impressive race.”
Moreta isn't the only Hempfield athlete ranked No. 1.
Senior Molly DeBone has the best pole vault height (11-6) and junior MacKenna Orie the top shot put throw (43-10). She has the second-best discus throw (136-8).
Derry senior Shawn Broadway has the best mark in the Class AA 300 hurdles (40.23).
Greensburg Central Catholic Lauren Ritenour has the top Class AA pole vault mark (10-9).
The Norwin 1,600 relay has the best time this season. The Knights are the returning PIAA champions.
Franklin Regional senior Jacob Shedd is the top triple jumper (45-5) and is second by quarter inch to North Allegheny senior Ayden Owens in the long jump (23-8¼).
Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.
Tags: Ligonier Valley
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