Two races. Two second-place finishes.

The best man, but not the groom.

Butler senior distance runner Noah Beveridge wants to change that this weekend at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.

Beveridge finished second in the PIAA Cross Country championships in the fall and was runner-up again in the indoor mile this winter.

He desperately wants to climb to the top of the podium in the Class AAA 3,200-meter run.

“I feel like Jerry West in the finals — 1-8, it's ridiculous,” Beveridge said, smiling, referring to West, who played in nine NBA finals for the Lakers, losing eight of them. “Second place isn't too bad, but you really want to win.”

Beveridge doesn't just want to win; he wants to look good doing it.

His best time in the 3,200 this season is 9 minutes, 9.15 seconds.

Beveridge wants to obliterate that time in Shippensburg by breaking nine minutes.

“That's the goal,” Beveridge said. “I want to run an 8:55. I know the speed endurance is there. I know I definitely can run under nine minutes if the race is right.

“If I can run fast (at the state meet), that would be nice. Run fast and win. If I can do both, that would be nice.”

Beveridge will also run as part of Butler's 3,200-meter relay team, although the plan is for him to sit out the preliminary race.

Last year at the WPIAL meet, the Golden Tornado 3,200 team fell just seconds short of advancing to the state meet.

“We missed it by a little bit last year — couldn't quite catch the standard last year,” Beveridge said. “This year, the boys ran really well and we almost nabbed first.”

Butler finished second behind Seneca Valley at the WPIAL finals this season.

Beveridge is just won of a slew of Butler County area boys who will be chasing gold at the state meet, which begins Friday morning.

Speaking of that Raider 3,200 relay team — they have the top time in the state in Class AAA at 7:51.37 going into the championships.

Right behind them is Butler.

The quartet of Sam Owori, Luke Bellack, Andrew Balla and Seth Ketler established that blistering time last week at the WPIAL championship. Balla was filling in for an injured Alex Dixon, who is expected to be back on the relay in Shippensburg.

Seneca Valley senior Zach Gehm has the top throw in the state in Class AAA in the discus at 189 feet. He is also seeded second in the javelin and fifth in the shot put, giving him a legitimate shot at three state medals.

“There's going to be some good competitors there,” Gehm said. “I know I'm going to have to face Sam (Mastro of South Fayette) in the disc again and in the shot, there's a kid from Bradford (John Eakin) who's throwing in the 60s, so I know I'm going to have to step it up there and there are a few really good kids in the jav. I know I still have a lot of potential and haven't peaked yet.”

Moniteau senior James Parenti has the third-best throw in Class AA in the discus at 158 feet.

Parenti's teammate at Moniteau, senior Jake Patton, is seeded fifth in the 300-meter hurdles and will also compete in the 110 hurdles.

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic sophomore Joe Kearney is second in the Class AA long jump after winning the WPIAL title with a jump of 22-8.

Kearney also won a WPIAL crown as a member of the Trojans soccer team this fall.

“It's been a pretty good year,” Kearney said.