SHIPPENSBURG - Butler's Kendall Butch and Seneca Valley's Da'Lynn Mills sat in the grass in front of the high jump pit and swapped advice.

What? Athletes from rival schools and sworn enemies in sport trading success secrets at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University?

It's true, and not so uncommon. High jumpers are a special breed, forming bonds that transcend the color of their jerseys.

The hints must have benefited both as Mills placed seventh and Butch eighth in the Class AAA event Friday afternoon - good news for Butler County athletes on a day short on happy endings.

Both cleared 5 feet, 4 inches and both commiserated with each other after they had been eliminated.

"In the high jump, everyone becomes friends," Mills said.

Maybe it's because of the sometimes-long wait between attempts that forge such solid relationships. Maybe it's because the sport requires an athlete to gear up for one jump. Make it, and move on. Miss and feel the pressure build as the chances wane.

"The high jump is the biggest mental sport out there," Mills said. "It's probably 75 percent mental and the rest is physical. Sometimes I do become a mental case out there, but today I was calm. Kendall and I help each other out."

Throughout the season, Mills and Butch are joined at the hip at certain meets. At invitationals, such as the ones held at Butler and at Baldwin, the two often have plenty of time to become acquainted. And then there are the dual meets and the team championships to further bolster the familiarity.

But Mills and Butch don't consider themselves rivals. They just happen to attend rival schools.

"The rivalry?" Mills said. "It's not that bad. Our schools are rivals, but we're not snotty with each other."

Butler jumping coach Rick Zitalone said it's not unusual to see high jumpers from competing schools talking and giving each other some pointers. He said that is what is so special about high school track and field.

"All these girls know each other. They go to camps together," Zitalone said. "They all look forward to competing against one another."

Mills, just a sophomore, earned her first state medal. But she was a bit disappointed with her effort.

During the indoor season, Mills consistently cleared 5-6. During the outdoor season, she struggled and never cleared that height.

"My indoor season was much better than my outdoor one," Mills said. "I was thinking I could come in here and get higher."

Butch, a junior, also took home her first state medal after qualifying for the state meet last season in the high jump but failing to place.

Still, Butch was hoping for a better showing coming off a 5-8 effort at the WPIAL finals last week. That effort was good enough to seed her second in Shippensburg behind defending state champion Nicole Smith of Erie McDowell. Smith won the state title again, clearing 5-8. That left Butch wondering what could have been had she recreated her WPIAL jump.

"I'm happy to medal," Butch said. "I came here last year and only cleared 5-2 and didn't place. I would have liked to go 5-6 because I've been doing that consistently lately."

But Butch narrowly missed all three attempts from that height. On her last attempt, she nipped the bar with her foot - just enough for it to fall to the mat and eliminate her.

"It's kind of frustrating because I felt like I could have made 5-6," Butch said. "I was really close. But some days, you just don't jump your best."

Butch has been competing in the high jump for only a little more than a year. Originally a gymnast, Butch didn't join the Butler girls track team until last spring.

The high jump isn't even Butch's main event. Her main focus is the pole vault, which she will compete in Saturday morning.

"People forget this is really only her second year," Zitalone said. "She improved four inches from last year. That is amazing. I'm looking forward already for next year."