SLIPPERY ROCK — Samantha Penrod's arms ached. Her legs wobbled. Her head spun.

After nearly three grueling hours of competition in the Class AAA girls pole vault at the WPIAL Track and Field Championships Thursday at Slippery Rock University, the Butler sophomore was still in disbelief.

“It was crazy,” she said. “This was not normal.”

Penrod found herself in a jump-off against Jo-Michelle Huczko of Franklin Regional. And thus began a marathon event of changing heights and a test of stamina.

“It was very nerve-racking,” Penrod said. “The bar was going up and down. It was crazy. Both of us were exhausted.”

The jump-off started at 11-6. When both vaulters failed on their three attempts at the height, the bar was dropped to 11-3. After that height wasn't cleared, it was lowered to 11.

Both cleared that height and the bar went back to 11-3. Penrod and Huczko missed that height and the bar was lowered again to 11.

Huczko made it. Penrod didn't.

“I jumped a total of 15 times,” Penrod said. “We were sprinting our little hearts out.”

It made for a bittersweet second-place WPIAL finish for Penrod.

“I was tired, but I still had a flame burning to win,” Penrod said. “I'll take it.”

Penrod said she learned a lot during the ordeal.

And, she said, it had become an ordeal.

“I learned to snack on food while you're going so you don't black out,” she said, chuckling.

Penrod's teammate, senior Liz Simms, also had a bittersweet second-place finish.

Simms did win the non-Malia Anderson division of the Class AAA 800 meter run, finishing nearly three seconds behind the Greensburg Salem standout.

Simms' time of 2 minutes, 16.15 seconds was only .02 off her best time of the season.

“That's the beauty of it in the WPIAL,” Simms said. “There's so much competition. You're competing with the best.

“I told myself today I'm not going to let this get away from me.”

Also earning a second-place finish was the Seneca Valley 3,200-meter relay team of Lizzy White, Gabrielle Kutchma, Megan Aaron and Karsyn Spears.

Freeport's Sidney Shemanski advanced to the state meet in two events, placing third in the Class AA 400 and fourth in the Class AA 800.

Shemanski, a junior, didn't run the 400 at all last year, but decided to add that to her docket again this season.

“My freshman and sophomore years I had a good time in the 400, so I figured, why not try the 400 again,” Shemanski said. “The 800 is more my race.”

Shemanski isn't sure if she will run the 400 at the state meet.

“I have to see where I'm ranked,” Shemanski said. “I have to see if it's worth it.”

Some other highlights from the WPIAL Class AAA and Class AA championships:

Butler junior Anna Baxter ran the best time of her career in the 300-meter hurdles at 45.50 seconds to place fourth and advance to the state meet. “I knew ultimately this is where it counted the most,” Baxter said. “I'm kind of beside myself.”

Seneca Valley senior Lauren Chappell broke down into sobs after breaking her own school record in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.90, good enough for fourth and a spot in the state meet. “For fun. For out of happiness,” Chappell said of her tears. “I was so excited I made it after four years.”