SHIPPENSBURG — It felt more like late March than late May, which was ironic considering that's when Butler's boys track and field team began leaving its mark on the 2021 season.

The Golden Tornado received the PIAA Class 3A runner-up team trophy on a cold and windy afternoon Saturday at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium.

Butler totaled 30 points, second only to State College's 36.

“Our boys team has never finished this high at the state meet,” said Butler coach Mike Seybert. “We knew State College was one of the top teams. Before the meet, we looked at the other top teams and thought we had a chance to place in the top three or four. It takes some great efforts to do that here.

“With the top eight in each event scoring (team) points, we focused on having our individuals do well and the points would fall where they may.”

The Tornado were in fifth place in the team standings prior to the conclusion of the final event, the pole vault, which was held indoors due to the inclement weather.

But Tristan McGarrah's personal-best height of 15 feet took second place in that event and lifted Butler past Nazareth, Archbishop Wood and Cumberland Valley into the runner-up spot.

“I don't like having expectations entering a meet because I don't like being let down,” said McGarrah. “I just wanted to medal and score points for the team. It's awesome we did this well.”

McGarrah's season ended much differently than it began.

Following an indoor season during which he was hampered by a bruised heel, he got a late start to the spring season because of a quarantine due to COVID.

“It's been a helluva ride,” he said.

Butler's Guinness Brown placed second in the 400-meter run and fourth in the 200 dash with times of 48.58 and 21.74, respectively. The 400 time broke his own school record by .02 seconds and was just over half a second behind champion James Jaisingh of Cumberland Valley.

Success has given Brown high standards for himself.

“My times aren't exactly where I wanted them to be,” he said. “I came here wanting to set (personal records in all my events, but then I saw the weather and just focused on medaling.

“I was excited about this meet, knowing the competition was going to be really good, but the weather took care of that. But everybody was running in the wind and the cold.”

Only a junior, Brown still has another year to reach his full potential in high school.

“Guinness was ready to come on the scene last year as a sophomore,” said Seybert, “but everyone lost out on the season (when it was canceled). He put in a lot of work on his own, not knowing if there was even going to be a season this spring.

“For him to finish second in the 400 today and come back and medal in the 200, I'm proud of him. He's a special kid.”

Also scoring points for Butler were Skyler Vavro and CJ Singleton, who placed fourth in the 1,600 and fifth in the 3,200, respectively.

Last month, Butler won the WPIAL team championship in dominating fashion, then combined to win six gold medals at the district's individual championships.

Seneca Valley junior Tyler Yurich came painfully close to winning a state championship in the 100 dash. He finished second with a time of 10.71, just .06 seconds behind Norristown's Jaden Brown.

“I could tell I was behind him at the end,” said Yurich. “My time was just .03 (seconds) from the school record, but I have a lot to build on.”