PINE TWP — Caitlin Devries was in tears after the long and high jumps.

The Seneca Valley senior finished ninth in the long jump at the WPIAL Class AAA Northern Qualifier Thursday at Pine-Richland High School.

Only the top eight advance to the WPIAL Track and Field Championships May 19 at Baldwin High School.

Heavy rain that delayed the meet by more than an hour left the track wet and it affected Devries profoundly in both the long jump and the high jump, where she failed to qualify.

“That was really sad, so I was crying,” Devries said. “I slipped in the water in all my jumps.”

Her teammate, Megan Mineweaser, was the one who knocked her out of the long jump by finishing eighth.

But Devries turned a tragedy into a triumph, gathering herself enough to place fifth in the triple jump with an effort of 34 feet, 11½ inches to advance.

“I was so upset after the long jump,” Devries said, smiling. “I was using my anger to power through.”

Devries just began doing the long and triple jumps this season.

“It's triple jump or bust,” Devries said, nodding. “I went last year for high jump, but I just started the triple jump and high jump this year. I have come a long way. I was just trying the jumps for fun.

“I was very surprised,” Devries added. “I'm very excited.”

Devries will attend West Liberty to play soccer in the fall, but hasn't ruled out trying to walk on to the track team for the Hilltoppers.

“She's a wonderful kid,” said Seneca Valley boys and girls track and field coach Ray Peaco. “She's one of the hardest workers. She never misses practice. She never complains about anything. In the high jump she was slipping down there and that's one of her favorite events.”

But Peaco said the triple jump has ended up being her best.

“She's a great soccer player and a great athlete,” Peaco said. “I knew she had the leg strength to do it. It was just a matter of timing.”

Timing is something the Butler boys duo of Nathan Kibbie and Connor Frost have to think about often.

Neither one has much spare time in the spring.

Kibbie plays baseball and Frost lacrosse in addition to being members of the Butler track and field team.

Kibbie qualified for the WPIAL finals in both the 100 and the 200. He is also on the 400-meter relay team with Frost that punched their ticket to Baldwin.

“I think running track made me a better athlete for baseball,” Kibbie said. “Baseball has always been my No. 1 thing, but in all honesty, I love track just as much now.”

Butler's baseball season ended Wednesday, so Kibbie can now focus on track.

There were times this spring when Kibbie would go to school, then to track practice before playing a baseball game for the Golden Tornado.

“I had to squeeze something to eat in there somewhere,” Kibbie said, laughing.

Kibbie, though, has never regretted his decision.

“It's the program,” Kibbie said. “Butler track and field is known, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

So did Frost, who was looking for a way to stay occupied during the winter and joined the Butler indoor track and field team.

That blossomed into a spot on the Tornado outdoor track team.

“I just fell in love with the sport,” Frost said. “The first year was tough, but after awhile it just started to click and I've had so much fun with it.”

The Butler girls track and field team certainly had some fun Thursday.Emily Horstman finished first in both the 100 and 200 and teamed with Shana Hoy, Liz Simms and Alexis Leech in the first-place 1,600-meter relay for the Golden Tornado, which turned in a time of 3 minutes, 59.16 seconds.“They've been shooting for under four minutes all season,” said Butler coach John Williams. “They finally got it. Alexis was running alone there at the end of their heat. Maybe they can get 3:55.”Leech also won the 400, Simms the 800 and Jena Reinheimer advanced in both the shot put and discus with second-place finishes.The Butler girls are sending a slew of athletes to Baldwin next week.Williams hopes to send just as many to Shippensburg for the PIAA Track and Field Championships over Memorial Day weekend.“We want to send a whole bus,” Williams said. “We've gone out in a van the last few years. This year we want someone to do the driving for us.”Some other highlights from the qualifier:Jordan Geist was at it again. The Knoch junior threw 69-7½ in the shot put and uncorked a season-best 187-4 in the discus to win both events.Seneca Valley senior Mike Kolor was also a multiple winner, placing first in the 800 and the 1,600. He also ran a leg of the Raiders' 1,600 relay team that finished first.Butler freshman Jack Codispot won the pole vault at 9-feet. The event was stopped once the top eight were decided.Seneca Valley's Erin Danik won the javelin and Emma Lizewski the triple jump. The Raiders had three triple jumpers (Lizewski, Mineweaser and Devries) advance to Baldwin.