BUTLER TWP — Robert Burdine was a little off from where he wanted to be. He wasn’t out of shape, but knew he needed to lose a few pounds.

Carrying extra weight isn’t ideal for a sprinter.

“I had that bulky-man run,” Burdine said. “I couldn’t get my form right and couldn’t lift my knees as high.”

Burdine, who was listed at 6-foot, 173 pounds at the start of the football season has dropped the necessary weight. Now, he’s hoping to make a run at a PIAA berth in the sprints. Last season, Burdine felt like he wasn’t too far off.

“I wasn’t close enough yet,” Burdine said. “I had to cut some weight because I lifted all winter and gained 30 pounds. I had to drop that.”

After a concussion against Hempfield ended his football season Oct. 11, Burdine spent a lot of time focusing on track.

For the first time, he competed in indoor track.

“We had talked to him about what his goals were going to be during outdoor and to reach those goals he was going to have to do indoor track this year,” Butler track coach Rick Schontz said. “He had to get himself in shape and work on getting his times down. He just came into outdoor sprinting and ready to go.”

Re-doing his approach in the weight room helped give him the body type he wanted. Instead of doing higher weights, he focused on doing more reps at lower weights.

Burdine’s form improved and he ended up being on a relay team that missed qualifying for the indoor state championships by .3 seconds.

“Coaches, they didn’t let me lift for two weeks, I dropped 20 pounds in two weeks,” Burdine said. “It was pretty crazy.”

In the 100 meters, Burdine still has to take some time off. His best time is in the low 11 second range, but he will need it to drop a little further to make states.

“He adapted really well,” Schontz said. “Even though he lost weight through the workouts, he was holding a great amount of muscle as he was doing the football workout.”

Burdine plans to return to the gridiron next season, but says track now ranks as his top choice.

“It was just a sport at first, then I realized I was good at it,” Burdine said. “I kept working at it and hopefully I can go somewhere in college with it.”

Here’s a quick look at all of the track teams in Butler County:

A-C Valley

Coach: Adam Swingle, first season

Last season: N/A

Returning state qualifiers: None.

Impact athletes: Senior — Josh Lantz. Juniors — Jake Edwards (sprints), Anthony Painter (throws). Sophomores — John Anderson (distance), Brady Terwilliger (throws), Lane Chalmers (sprints).

Swingle says: “I’m looking forward to setting up this year with good relationships between the relays. Get the foundations for track and build for the future. We have good potential for the future.”

Butler

Coach: Rick Schontz, 13th season

Last season: 7-2, WPIAL semifinalist.

Returning state qualifiers: None.

Impact athletes: Seniors — Jared Blakely (discus), Dan Smith (discus), Jackson Willliams (javelin), Tyler Roudybush (jumps), Dan Braun (javelin), Patrick Rape (hurdles), John Yannotty (sprints), Chris Short (distance). Juniors — Derrick Gengler (shotput), Zach Seger (shotput), Nikolai Peterson (pole vault), Robert Burdine (sprints), Josh Rader (distance), Adam Knauer (distance), Patrick Fullerton (distance), Brandon Critchlow (distance).

Schontz says: “We have to get better every meet. We are really strong in some events, but need work in others. I think overall we have good team speed.”

Freeport

Coach: John Gaillot, third season.

Last season: 12-1.

Returning state qualifier: Cole Hepler (senior, javelin).

Impact athletes: Seniors — Colin Meehan (distance), Josh Brestensky (middle distance) and Jesse Hubert (pole vault). Sophomores — Brandon Hochbein (hurdles), Dylan Hochbein (hurdles), Bobby Jendrejewski (discus), Logan Thimons (discus).

Gaillot says: “I have high hopes for the group of sophomores they have. They’ve grown and put on a lot of weight in the past year.”

Grove City

Coach: Lou Mariotto, third season.

Last season: 5-1, second in District 10.

Returning state qualifiers: Aaron Benka (senior, 4x800), Ryan Whiteman (senior, 4x800), Ryan Budnik (junior, 4x00 relay), Dylan McConnell (sophomore, 4x800).

Impact athletes: Seniors —Warren Marlowe (throws), Tyler Eccles (sprints). Juniors — Steven Biddle (sprints), John Paul DePew (distance).

Mariotto says: “The strength of this team will be what it was for the past six seasons. We should be strong in the distance races, the half-mile, 1,600 and 4x800 relay.

Karns City

Coach: Don Black, 29th season.

Last season: 10-0, KSAC Champions.

Returning state qualifiers: Tristan Rhodes (junior, 200 and 4x100 relay), Logan Moroney (junior, 4x100), Tyler Kepple (senior, 4x100), Nate Weckerly (senior, 4x100), Zach Moore (senior (4x100).

Impact athletes: Seniors — Dakota Mohney (sprints), John Garing (distance), Mike Riley (throws), Ed Craig (throws), Wyatt Everetts (hurdles). Juniors — Colin Dunmire (sprints), Caleb King (sprints), Brendan Waltman (jumps), Conrad Snyder (distance), David Olszack (distance), Caleb Garing (distance), Ethan Conto (hurdles). Seth Silverio (sprints). Sophomores — Grant Curdo (distance). Freshmen — Chandler Turner (jumps), Cullen Williams (jumps), Jim Thompson (hurdles).

Black says: “We’ve won the KSAC 11 of the past 13 years and we’re hoping to win it again his year. We have a nice blend of veterans and freshmen.”

Knoch

Coach: Wess Brahler, 11th season.

Last season: 3-4.

Returning state qualifiers: None.

Impact athletes: Seniors — Jared Geist (jumper), Donnie Bierhals (distance), Luke Brewer (distance), Colin McTighe (throws), Aaron Hacker (throws), Levi Shearer (throws). Freshman — Jordan Geist (throws).

Brahler said: “We have a pretty balanced team this year. We are solid in a few areas.”

Mars

Coach: Aaron Rekich, first season.

Last season: 4-2.

Returning state qualifiers: None.

Impact athletes: Juniors — Ori Rinaman (hurdles), Brandon Marchese (jumps), Gabe Spurlock (throws).

Rekich says: “(The team’s strength) is hard work. We have a big, close group.”

Moniteau

Coach: Matt Stebbins, first season.

Last season: 6-3.

Returning state qualifiers: Jake Taciuch (triple jump)

Impact athletes: Seniors — Steven Hagg (pole vault, hurdles), Travis Geneway (throws), Trevor Shaffer (100), Brendon Stamm (throws).

Stebbins says: “We’re hoping for a good year. The numbers are up and we’ve done a good job getting prepared considered the weather we’ve had so far.”

Slippery Rock

Coach: Tom Meling, first season

Last season: 3-3.

Returning state qualifiers: None.

Impact athletes: Juniors — Shane Kirkwood (high jump, 400) Brady Kadlubek (400), Andrew Maxwell (distance). Sophomore — Fred Urbaniak (hurdles).

Meling says: “We are a deep team and if we improve in the throws this a team that could win the region for the first time since 2009.”

Seneca Valley

Coach: Ray Peaco, fifth season.

Last season: 5-2.

Returning state qualifiers: None.

Impact athletes: Seniors — Brad Banks (400, sprints), Joe DeAugustino (sprints), Brett Foster (middle distance), Justin Marhaler (throws). Juniors — Tanner Quiggle (distance), Matt Schallus (jumps). Sophomores — Mike Kolor (distance), Jason Mack (throws).

Peaco says: “We’re definitely young. We lost a lot of kids from last season, but have a great contingency of kids middle distance and up.”

Summit Academy

Coach: Brison Twyman, second season.

Last season: Missed playoffs.

Returning state qualifiers: None.

Impact athletes: Seniors Josh Marreno (400), Stanton Blackwell (jumps). Junior Moussa Sylla (distance). Sophomores Sam Callazo (shotput), Nasir Young (triple jump).

Twyman says: “I’d like to see everyone get better, be good sports and represent themselves and the school well.”

Union

Coach: Chuck McNaughton, first season.

Last season: 2-8.

Returning state qualifiers: None.

Impact athletes: Seniors — Chase Shirey (4x100), Devin Murry (300 hurdles). Juniors — Tyler Wiser (high jump).

McNaughton says: “We are looking to get a few more district qualifiers this year and one or two state qualifiers. We don’t look to win a lot of dual meets because of our low numbers.”