Hayes, Jones win 2K race
Dalton Hayes has been getting in shape this summer to prepare for joining the Air Force.
Picking up a local road race championship along the way is an added plus.
Hayes, 17, of Butler made quick work of the Butler Road Race 2K run, finishing with a time of 6 minutes, 21 seconds, which was 28 seconds better than runner-up Josh Rader, 16 of Butler.
“I did a lot of training for the Air Force,” said Hayes, who will leave on Wednesday. “I think that gave me a leg up.”
Hayes, who ran cross-country and track for Butler High, had a strong second half of the race, which made the difference.
“On the way back, everyone seemed to slow down so I started surging,” Hayes noted. “Everything went as I anticipated. I was surprised when two kids sprinted out in front for the first kilometer.”
Anthony Miller, 20, of Slippery Rock (6:44), Alex Edmonds, 19, of Chicora and Evan Miller, 17, of Slippery Rock, placed third through fifth, respectively, and kept things close throughout the race.
Hayes took control coming up Main Street to pull away from the pack.
That included Rader, another member of the Tornado cross-country and track and field teams.
“I felt pretty good and I finished strong at the end,” Rader said. “I thought I could catch the guy who was in second and I was able to.”
In the girls race, Abby Jones wasn't sure if she was going to be in town this past weekend to take part in the event.“I was at a camp all week, so I didn't expect this,” said Jones, 14, of Cabot. “I signed up this morning because we weren't sure if we'd be able to run.”As it turned out, Jones, who will be a freshman at Knoch this fall, had plenty left to pull out the race, winning with a time of 7:46. She edged Ashley Groom, 18, of Butler by four seconds, followed by Erin Lemay, 12, of Butler (7:56), Amanda Wiest, 15, of Butler (8:06) and Emma Lemay, 12, of Butler (8:16).“I actually felt good the whole time,” Jones said, “except on the hill at the end. I just had to work through it. ... I wasn't sure where I was going to place. I thought I might be in the top three. I just wanted to finish strong and get my best time.”
