SLIPPERY ROCK — Grove City's team-first approach paid off in a big way Saturday at Slippery Rock University.

The Eagles won six of 18 events to claim the District 10 Class AAA boys track and field team championship. Grove City earned 118 points. General McLane was runner-up with 106.

“This was all in all a team effort,” said Grove City coach Ben English. “So many people look at track and field as an individual sport with team components. We're the opposite. We look at it as a team sport with individual components.”

Leading the way for Grove City was junior Jonah Powell, who won the 800- and 1,600-meter runs and capped the meet by running a leg on the winning 4x400 relay squad.

“I really didn't start taking track seriously until I got to high school,” he said. “I had some good times in cross country as a freshman and it just carried over into the distance events in track.

“I'm planning on running both the 800 and 1,600 at states. I think I can drop a couple of seconds in both events.”

The extent of the Eagles' depth was on display in the 400 run. Cody Drexler won the event and teammates Nick Murawski and Will Hannon placed second and third, respectively.

Hannon, Murawski and Drexler teamed with Powell in the 4x400 relay.

Also winning for the Eagles were Connor McEwen in the 110 hurdles and Nick Smither in the javelin.

McEwen placed fifth in the hurdles last year as a freshman with a time of 16.8. He managed 15.44 this time.

“I put a lot of hard work in last season and to place as high as I did, it gave me a lot of confidence coming into this year,” he said.

“My best event is the 300, so to win in the 110, it's a plus.”

Later in the day, McEwen narrowly missed advancing in the 300 event, losing out on first place by .35 seconds to Harbor Creek's Dylan Yount.

Smither's top heave in Saturday's javelin was 159 feet, nine inches.

“I was hoping to improve on my personal best, which is a 164,” said the junior. “So, it wasn't my best throw, but I still got through (to states).”

Smither has made huge strides in the event. He failed to qualify for the district meet last season.

“I worked hard in the offseason, made sure I stayed conditioned, and got a lot of good coaching,” he said.

Saturday's effort was a win-win for the Eagles.

“We didn't have to sacrifice getting some kids to states by putting them in other events just to score points,” said English. “We have enough depth that we could win as a team today and still get our best athletes to the state meet. I'm very satisfied.”