ADAMS TWP — Justin Piocquidio knows how to put on a show in his own back yard.

The Mars senior placed first in the long jump and second in the high jump Friday at the Mars Track and Field Invitational.

The performance earned him boys field co-MVP honors with Seneca Valley's Conor Barrett, who won the high jump and placed second in the triple jump.

"This was the best day," Piocquidio said. "I love this stadium. It's one of my favorite places to compete in and it's one of the best stadiums around."

Piocquidio managed 21 feet, 9Z\x inches in his long jump win and 6-2 in the high jump.

He recently broke the Mars school record in both events, leaping 22-8 in the long jump at a dual meet against Springdale and 6-3Z\x in the high jump in a meet against Freeport.

Barrett, who won the high jump at the Butler Invitational last week, had an effort of 6-6 in the event Friday, tying the meet record. He also ended with a 43-3Z\x in the triple jump.

Barrett's was just one of several impressive showings by Seneca Valley's boys team.

The Raiders took the top spot in the first track event of the day, the 3,200-meter relay, as the team of John Kurlak, Matt Marchese, Matt Davis and Cam Stauffer finished with a time of 8 minutes, 5.42 seconds.

"We were going for the school record, which is 8:00.3," said Kurlak, a senior. "But we fell short of that today."

Not to be outdone, SV's girls also claimed first place in the 3,200 relay as Joelle Scarnati, Emily Wolfarth, Kate Kelly and Erin Lopresti bested the field with a time of 9:57.9.

"By the time it got to me, we had a bit of a lead and I thought we were in a good position," said Lopresti, the team's anchor. "Even though this was our best time this year, we haven't gotten to a point where all four of us have run our best time in the same race."

SV also won the girls 1,600 relay with the team of Evanne Giuliano, Kate Kelly, Jen Boyd and Lopresti, who finished with a time of 4:07.84.

Knoch's Carol Cress turned in solid showings in all three throwing events.

The senior won the shot put (40-0), placed third in the javelin (110-11) and fifth in the discus (104-2).

"I just wanted to come in and place higher than I did last year," said Cress, the defending WPIAL Class AAA shot put champion, whose career-best throw is 41-1½, which she set at the recent Butler Invitational.

Merrissa Malcolm's bad day still produced a top finish in the pole vault. The Freeport senior recorded an effort of 10 feet, though she was hoping for better.

"It was a really bad day for me personally," said Malcolm, whose career best is 11 feet. "I was all out of whack and missed my first two jumps. I was really nervous.

"But this meet is good competition," she added. "It's probably the first good competition I've had all year."

Placing second in their respective events were Knoch's Regina Robb (15.43 in the 100 hurdles and 46.76 in the 300 hurdles), Jolene Kunkel (11:37.51 in the 3,200 run), SV's Jen Boyd (36-3¼ in the triple jump) and Alexa Becker (9-6 in the pole vault).

Boys runners-up were Knoch's Brian Tackett (4:29.4 in the 1,600 run and 1:59.3 in the 800) and SV's Chris Cipro (9:36.62 in the 3,200 run).

Knoch's girls team placed second with 62½ points, 2½ points behind DuBois Area.

SV's girls were third with 60 points.

The Raiders boys also had 60 points, placing second behind Wheeling Park (66).