HOOKSTOWN, Beaver County — While no Butler County athletes won a title at the WPIAL Class AA Track and Field Championships Tuesday, several earned trips to the state meet.

The top county finisher Tuesday at South Side Beaver High was Freeport senior Merrissa Malcolm, who placed second in the girls pole vault.

Malcolm's height of 11 feet, 6 inches topped her previous best of 11-0.

The winner of the event, Mt. Pleasant's Abbey Way also finished at 11-6.

"She took first because she had one less miss than I did," said Malcolm. "I just wanted to do good here today. If I won, I won."

Malcolm will be making her third and final appearance at the PIAA Track and Field Championships, which start May 23.

"I placed 18th as a sophomore and ninth last year," she said. "I'm hoping to get first or second this time."

Mars senior Justin Piocquidio was a part of two third-place finishes.

Individually, he was third in the long jump at 20-7Z\x. He also helped the Planets' 400 relay team place third at 44.28 seconds, 1.5 seconds behind first-place Aliquippa.

Mars' team also included Bill Bair, Corey Slater and Shane Kaclik.

"We knew Aliquippa was going to be here and we didn't want to set our sights too high in the 400 (relay)," Piocquidio said. "Individually, my performance could've been better, but I made it to states and that's what I came to do."

The Planets also qualified their 3,200 relay team of Brandon Stadelmyer, Justin Stadelmyer, Chris Alikhani and Marc Funderlich.

The quartet finished with a third-place time of 8:24.65.

The team was a blend of veterans — the Stadelmyer brothers were on the same relay last year that won the WPIAL title — and newcomers to the WPIAL stage in Alikhani and Funderlich.

Vinny Smith represented Mars well with a fifth-place finish in the 110 hurdles (16.05).

Freeport's boys qualified Nick Gentile (fourth in 800 run at 2:01.99), John Douglas (fifth in shot put at 45-9) and Miles Smolic (fifth in discus with a 139-2Z\x).

Gentile's time beat his previous best in the 800 (2:03).

"I came here to go to states," said the sophomore, confidently. "And I'm setting my goals high at states. I'd like to run under 2 minutes."

Freeport's Harley Westerman placed fifth in the girls triple jump (35-0) and is headed to the state meet.

"Some of the kids were disappointed today," said Freeport coach Bill Dillen. "But a lot of them stepped up this season and we got five through to states.

"I'm happy with the performance and happy for them."

Summit Academy's 400 relay squad of Chris Cole, Bijon Marshall, Malcolm Reynolds and Kevin Tarr finished fifth with a time of 44.55 and also will head east for the PIAA event.