Butler track, field athletes extend season at nationals
BUTLER TWP — Just when it looked as if the track and field season had come to a close three weeks ago, there are a few Butler High athletes looking to go a little further.
Several of them will be competing at the Nike National Track & Field Championships, which will be held June 18-20 in Greensboro, N.C.
The athletes didn't have to perform at a qualifier; they just had to meet or exceed a national standard to take part.
Logan Renwick will perform in the triple jump while the 1,600-meter relay team of Mason Mclaughlin, Darius Hightower, Eli Christy and Nate Neff also will compete in the boys meet.
Bri Lumley (shot put) and Paige Rittelmann (high jump) are Golden Tornado girls who will head to the meet.
Renwick, who just finished his junior year, was the WPIAL Class AAA champion in the triple jump and the 110 hurdles, and was runner-up in the 300 hurdles and long jump.
He also set a school record at the state meet with a leap of 48 feet, 1 inch, which was good enough for fourth place.
"Logan will be one of the top 10 jumpers," said Butler coach Rick Schontz. "Everyone will be close, from the high 47s to the high 48s."
As for the relay, the national championship meet won't be your garden-variety type, where all four runners run a 400. The relay at the Nike meet will be broken down in segments of 200 (McLaughlin), 200 (Hightower), 400 (Christy) and 800 (Neff 800).
"They're all used to each other," said Schontz. "The 200 is a little quicker handoff than the 1,600 relay. Hopefully, they'll be a lot less margin for error.
Lumley, who will be a senior, was second in the WPIAL Class AAA shot put with a personal-best throw of 40-Z\v.
"She was a little under the weather at the state meet (where she finished fourth with a throw of 39-0), but if she can go over 40 feet, she can definitely be in the top 10," Schontz said.
As for Rittelmann, who captured the WPIAL Class AAA title in the high jump (5-5) as a freshman and placed 11th at the state meet at 5-2, Schontz is optimistic she can shine once again.
"This will be great exposure for her," said Schontz. "She has the chance to do really well. l ... She wasn't in awe at the state meet. She just didn't jump as high as we would have liked."
The athletes will be working with their respective varsity coaches — Rod Harris with the sprinters (relay), John Williams with Renwick, Rick Davanzati with Neff, Rick Zitalone with Rittelmann and Schontz and Bill McElroy with Lumley. Jeff Renwick also has been assisting the athletes.
To prepare for next week's national meet, the group will be competing in a USA Track and Field meet in Indiana, Pa., today, but will do so as members of the Butler Stealth Club.
Schontz understands athletes are pulled in different directions this time of year, so those who are still competing really want to be here.
"Some of them are training for other sports in the fall," said Schontz. "Some are doing lifting for football, but they're back by 4 p.m. to work out. That shows their love of the sport."
