BUTLER TWP — Sprinting is where Ryan Marcella is going to do his damage for the Butler boys track and field team this season.

But Marcella may be a burgeoning star in another event for the Golden Tornado.

The javelin.

With little experience in the event, Marcella is already beginning to make his presence known.

The senior's foray into the javelin throw came by happenstance.

“I was at a track camp between by sophomore and junior year. It was more of a sprint camp,” Marcella said. “But a throws coach came up to me and asked me if I ever had an interest in throwing (the javelin). I said. 'No.'”

But as the conversation continued, Marcella decided to give it a try.

He was impressive and Marcella caught the bug.

“When I came back from there, I started working with our jav coach,” Marcella said. “I still don't know how to do it all the way.”

But Marcella was good enough Thursday in a dual meet against Knoch and Pine-Richland, picking up points by placing third and helping the Golden Tornado boys to a sweep, 132-18 over the Knights and 140-10 over the Rams.

The Butler girls also won both meets, downing Pine-Richland, 95-55, and Knoch, 132-16.

The Knights fell to the Rams as well.

“Mainly I just did it to get points for the team,” Marcella said. “Because, ultimately, I want to win a WPIAL title for the team, so I want to get any points for the team that I can.”

Marcella, though, is still very much a sprinter and won the 100 and 200 Thursday.

His time in the 100 of 11.24 seconds was his personal best.

Marcella wants to eclipse the school record in that event (10.96) before the season is out.

That means lot of work behind the scenes, especially on the blocks.

“They see the 100 come and watch an 11-second, 10-second race, but it's hours and hours away the meet,” Marcella said. “Say we have one meet a week, that's roughly 12 hours for an 11-second race.”

Marcella's teammate, Cade Gratzmiller, is also making a transition to other events.

Longer events.

Also a sprinter, Gratzmiller is running the 3,200 and 1,600 relays as well as the 800 and 400.

He ran all four Thursday and placed first in all four.

“I haven't really been a distance runner until this year,” the senior said. “I've been hanging out with the distance runners a lot more and training with that. That helps out my 400. I feel a lot smoother now.”

Gratzmiller prepared for his much more arduous workload by jumping into the pool.

Yes. The pool.

“It helps out with your breathing. You're pounding your legs in the water,” Gratzmiller said. “You get used to the shoulder movement and that helps with everything.”

Overall, it was a good section-opening win for the Butler boys.

“The boys put out a great effort today across all events,” said Butler boys track coach Mike Seybert. “We're seeing progress with the young kids in a big way and the experienced kids and really stepping up.”

Butler girls track coach John Williams was also pleased with this first section meet.

“It's early in the year — great to start the section meets with a victory,” Williams said. “We are getting better and need to as the season ramps up.”

Senior Liz Simms finally got ramped up after missing most of the week with illness.

Simms competed in four events and won the 400 and 800.

She was also the anchor leg on the winning 3,200-meter relay effort.

“They were skeptical whether they were going to put me in four events today or not, but I was like I can handle it,” Simms said.

Gabby Boden and Chelsea Kable also had a big day for Butler.

The Golden Tornado field events were also stellar.

“We won all seven field events. All are underclass performers,” Williams said.

It was also a big day for Autumn Pettinato, who had a pair of hits for the Butler softball team and then won the javelin.

“Great performance,” Williams said.

Knoch's Sammy Jo Barnes also shined.

Known more for her cross county running, Barnes claimed first in the 3,200.

Barnes acknowledged it is a difficult road with Knoch being a Class AAA school.

“Going up against the big guys,” Barnes said. “It's funny, because I follow the states for track and I looked at the times (last year) and thought, 'Man, I could have been there (in Class AA). I would have been second in states.”

But Barnes treats it as a challenge, a chance to improve herself in every meet.

“I am fortunate enough to have a lot of competition,” Barnes said. “I'll be honest with you, states is probably a little far off for me, but if I medal (in the WPIAL meet), I'll be so satisfied. I'm more of a cross country girl, but I do love track.”

Boys

Butler 140, Pine-Richland 10

Butler 132, Knoch 18

3,200 relay: Butler (Cade Gratzmiller, Sage Vavro, Ethan Depew, Aden Dressler); 110 hurdles: Byron Maxwell (B) 15.42; 100 dash: Ryan Marcella (B) 11.24; 1,600 run: Vavro (B) 4:44.93; 400 run: Gratzmiller (B) 53.04; 400 relay: Butler (Reddick, Seybert, Brown, Marcella) 44.17; 300 hurdles: Manchester (B) 40.98; 800 run: Gratzmiller (B) 2:09.17; 200 dash: Marcella (B) 23.15; 3,200 run: Dressler (B) 10:17.5; 1,600 relay: Butler (Gratzmiller, Alex Karenbauer, Depew, Jordan Stutz) 3:43.58

Shot put: Dennis Goodwine (B) 49-3½; Discus: Jacob Pomykata (B) 119-5; Javelin: Andrew Arbanas (B) 130-2; High jump: Tyler Rekich (B) 6-0; Long jump: Sami Taufik (B) 21-1½; Triple jump: Rekich (B) 41-1; Pole vault: Jack Codispot (B) 13-0

Girls

Butler 95, Pine-Richland 55

Butler 132, Knoch 16

3,200 relay: Butler (Chelsea Kabel, Jen Cichra, Piper Geibel, Liz Simms) 10:26.10; 100 hurdles: Danielle Bryan (PR) 15.37; 100 dash: Gabby Boden (B) 13.38; 1,600 run: Chelsea Kable (B) 5:40.95; 400 run: Simms (B) 1:06.07; 400 relay: Knoch; 300 hurdles: Danielle Bryan (PR) 45.41; 800 run: Simms (B) 2:33.39; 200 dash: Boden (B) 27.73; 3,200 run: Sammy Jo Barnes (K); 1,600 relay: Pine-Richland 4:08.43

Shot put: Penrod (B) 31-1½; Discus: Sarayne Forbes (B) 94-9; Javelin: Autumn Pettinato (B) 109-1; High jump: Alexia Mechling (B) 5-2; Long jump: Chloe Weiland (B) 14-10; Triple jump: Bella Shook (B) 32-7½; Pole vault: Samantha Penrod (B) 10-0