BUTLER TWP — The adage of it's not how you start but how you finish certainly could apply to the Seneca Valley boys track and field team Tuesday.

The Raiders closed out the track portion of their meet against Butler by sweeping the 200, taking the top two places in the 3,200 and winning the 1,600 meter relay, earning 22 of a possible 23 points in the process.

With only the pole vault and the triple jump remaining, the Raiders needed six points to capture the section meet.

Mitch Codd won the pole vault by clearing 13 feet, 6 inches, outdueling the Tornado's Adam Marzullo and the Raiders' Dylan Bilko, who finished in a tie for second at 13-0, to give the Raiders seven points.

And SV needed those points after Butler swept the triple jump in a 77-73 Raiders victory.

"I knew it would be superclose," said Butler coach Rick Schontz. "The bottom line is speed kills in every sport and their sprints outscored us 36-1 (including the 400 and 1,600 relays)."

In the girls meet, Butler doubled up Seneca Valley 100-50, as the Tornado received wins from eight different individuals in as many events.

"We finally came out in front," said a relieved Seneca Valley coach Ray Peaco on the boys result. "The sprints were our strong suit.

"We expected to do well, but we didn't expect two sweeps (in the 100 and 200) and an 8-1 (in the 400)," Peaco added.

P.J. Blinn tied the Raiders record in the 100 with a time of 10.8 while Hunter Williams won the 200.

In the 800, Mike Hughes won at 50.33, ahead of Williams and Butler's Eli Christy.

"We had kids really ready and willing to give up their events for the good of the team," said Peaco. "They might do an event they didn't really like. We had our B-team in the 3,200 relay. Butler runs an 8:15 and we run a 8:30, so we saved them for later and they scored in their individual events.

"In the 3,200, we knew Andrew Razanauskas could win (10:19.99), but Alex Mascio got second place (Butler's John Andreassi finished third). That's 8-1 and that's huge," Peaco added.

Williams also won the long jump by fewer than 4 inches over runner-up Logan Renwick of Butler, who was making his first appearance in a meet this season. The senior pulled a hamstring March 11.

Renwick won the high jump at 5-10, an event he hasn't competed in over the past two years.

"He practiced (Monday) for the first time since last year. He practiced last year and he never jumped," Schontz said. "It's a tribute to his athletic ability."

Evan Gomez had a big meet for Butler, winning the 1,600 (4:33.30), the 800 (2:00.34) and was the first leg of the winning 3,200 relay (9:00.8)

In the girls meet, Butler opened with victories in the first three track events to take a 19-4 lead.

The 3,200 relay team of Katresa Savisky, Emily Petrak, Danica Snyder and Trisha Brandt started it off with a time of 10:14.6, then Becky Nowacki and Tara Lowe won the 100 hurdles (16.16) and 100 dash (12.38), respectively. Jasmine Bailey won the 200 with a time of 25.85 and led off the winning 400 relay (49.83).

Seneca Valley's Erin Lopresti was the lone double individual winner, taking the 1,600 (5:27.8) and 800 (2:21.7).

Lopresti, who won the 800 at the Butler Invitational, also was a member of the winning 1,600 relay.

The win keeps the Tornado girls undefeated heading into a showdown Tuesday against North Allegheny with the winner getting the section title.

"(The Tornado are) making the turn," Schontz said. "The girls are starting to believe they can win this."

BoysSeneca Valley 77, Butler 73Track Events

3,200-meter relay: Butler (Evan Gomez, Adam Olson, Lance Duggar, Matt Pribis) 9:00.8;

110 hurdles: Carlos Sanchez (B) 16.06;

100 dash: P.J. Blinn (SV) 10.8;

1,600 run: Evan Gomez (B) 4:33.30;

400 dash: Michael Hughes (SV) 50.33;

400 relay: Seneca Valley 43.97;

300-meter hurdles: Matt Rekich (B) 42.55;

800-meter run: Evan Gomez (B) 2:00.34;

200-meter dash: Hunter Williams (SV) 22.59;

3,200-meter run: Andrew Razanauskas (SV) 10:19.99

1,600-meter relay: Seneca Valley 3:26.2

Field Events

High jump: Logan Renwick (B) 5-10;

Long jump: Hunter Williams (SV) 20-11¼;

Triple jump: Spencer Murray (B) 43-8;

Shot put: Dylan O'Donnell (B) 47-9;

Discus: Steve Swanson (SV) 136-4;

Javelin: Chris Ricker (B) 147-2;

Pole vault: Mitch Codd (SV) 13-6

GirlsButler 100, Seneca Valley 50Track Events

3,200-meter relay: Butler (Katresa Savisky, Emily Petrak, Danica Snyder, Trisha Brandt) 10:14.6;

100 hurdles: Becky Nowacki (B) 16.16;

100 dash: Tara Lowe (B) 12.38;

1,600 run: Erin Lopresti (SV) 5:27.8;

400 dash: Madison Kozlowski (SV) 61.34;

400 relay: Butler (Jasmine Bailey, Paige Allen, Tara Lowe, Kaitlyn Wetzel) 49.83;

300 hurdles: Elexa Baron (SV) 47.59;

800 run: Erin Lopresti (SV) 2:21.7;

200 dash: Jasmine Bailey (B) 25.85;

3,200 run: Ashton Dolan (B) 11:54.9;

1,600 relay: Seneca Valley 4:16.37

Field Events

High jump: Paige Rittelmann (B) 5-2;

Long jump: Meghan Studds (B) 17-3/4;

Triple jump: Emery (SV) 36-0;

Shot put: Bri Lumley (SB) 37-1½;

Discus: M. Royal (SV) 90-3;

Javelin: Marina Gracik (B) 112-0;

Pole vault: Caitlin Fenello (SV) 9-6