SHIPPENSBURG – Personal records. School records. Triumphs and disappointments.

The final day of the PIAA Track and Field Championships offered a little bit of everything for Butler County area athletes on a humid and hazy morning and afternoon at Shippensburg University.

For Mars junior Zach Leachman, Seneca Valley senior Sam Owori and Karns City senior Hunter Jones, the state finals were a rousing success.

Leachman broke the school record for the second time in 10 days in the Class AAA 3,200-meter run, finishing at 9 minutes, 12.17 seconds. That mark was more than eight seconds better than his previous record-setting time in the event, which he established at the WPIAL Championships May 16.

“It's awesome,” Leachman said. “I was really excited to be fourth. Last year I was 10th and just missed the podium. That was no fun. The ride home will be a lot nicer now.”

Owori ran his best-ever time in the Class AAA 1,600-meter run by more than four seconds to place fifth.

“That was the best race I've ever had in my life,” Owori said with a beaming smile. “I was really happy. I was kind of nervous coming around on this backstretch because I was kind of tired, but I pushed through it.”

Jones had a pretty swell day on the track as well, smashing the school record in the Class AA 400-meter run with a time of 49.42 seconds to place fourth.

“I feel great about it,” Jones said. “I have the school record now. That was my goal for today. After last year, missing the second day, I feel great about it.”

And the Slippery Rock girls 400-meter relay team officially made school history, become the first Rocket girls relay to ever medal at the state meet by finishing in seventh place in Class AA with a time of 50.39.

“It means a whole lot to us,” said senior Sierra Nagy. “Our school is really proud of us coming home as state medalists. We've never been in the finals before.”

But for some, the finals were bittersweet.

This is an excerpt — pick up the next issue of the Butler Eagle to read the full article.