JEFFERSON TWP — Lauren Campion will be the first one to admit there was nothing special about her performance at last year’s WPIAL Track and Field Championship Meet.

“I was 21st in the 100 hurdles and 13th in the 300,” she said, “but I finally got three steps down (between hurdles) instead of four and that has made a huge difference for me.”

Campion, a senior who won both hurdle events in Thursday’s meet at Knoch, got key experience during the indoor season over the winter and her improved technique paid immediate dividends when she broke a 42-year-old school record in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.55 seconds at the Butler County Classic April 2.

“This was the first year we had an indoor team,” said Mars assistant coach Scott Bowes. “It’s paid off for a number of our kids, but especially Lauren.”

With a banner effort already under her belt, Campion has had to rethink what she is capable of this spring.

“I’m ranked No. 1 in the WPIAL right now and I’m hoping to get to states as a WPIAL champion,” she said.

“If she can stay healthy, she could get (her time) down to the low 15s this season,” said head coach Ed Shephard.

Despite Campion’s contributions, Knoch earned an 82½-67½ victory over the Planets (4-2) at Knoch Stadium.

Nina Shaw was the Knights’ lone double-winner in individual events, taking the 100 and 200 dashes.

As a point guard, Shaw helped Knoch’s girls basketball team reach the state playoffs for the first time ever last month.

“She’s obviously great in basketball, but she’d never run track before,” said Knoch girls coach Amy Formica. “This is the first year we’ve really encouraged kids from other spring sports to join the track team.

“Nina plays AAU basketball, but we’ve been really flexible with her schedule. We haven’t taken her to an invite yet and I really don’t know exactly what she is capable of, but she’s fast.”

Knoch moved to 2-1 with the team victory.

Mars’ boys improved to 5-1 with a 124-26 win. Knoch (1-2) was shorthanded with a number of key members taking advantage of the long holiday weekend to go on vacation.

Planets coach Joe Cioc has high hopes for his relay teams, specifically the 4x100 (Jeremy Stevenson, Hayden Mayer, Ralph Zatezalo, Jacob Thompson) and 4x400 (Zac Campagna, Stevenson, Mayer, Thompson) squads.

“In the 4x400, we’re at 3:32 right now and have a chance to get down to the high 3:20s,” he said. “The 4x100, we are capable of being in the top 20 (which would earn a spot at WPIALs).

“The relays are our biggest strength.”

First-year Knoch head coach Shawn McAnallen lauded the effort of senior Alex Cotton, who won the javelin and discus events Thursday.

“He’s a team captain and is the kind of kid you love to have on your team,” he said. “He’s a quiet kid, but when it’s time to work, he means business. He’s the first one to show up and the last one to leave.”

Knoch will next compete at Freeport Tuesday while Mars will host Freeport next Thursday.

Boys

Mars 124, Knoch 26

3,200 relay: Mars (Jack Olshenske, Zac Campagna, Devin Schupp, Anuj Kaul) 14:10; 110 hurdles: Ryan Sheldon (M) 17.89; 100 dash: Jacob Thompson (M) 11.41; 1,600 run: Greg Chernosky (M) 4:54; 400 run: Zac Campagna (M) 54.50; 400 relay: Mars (Ralph Zatezalo, Jacob Thompson, Jeremy Stevenson, Hayden Mayer) 44.49; 300 hurdles: Conor Ramsey (M) 47.28; 800 run: Devin Schupp (M) 2:12.38; 200 dash: Jacob Thompson (M) 23.10; 3,200 run: Greg Chernosky (M) 10:48.76; 1,600 relay: Mars (Zac Campagna, Devin Schupp, Jeremy Stevenson, Jacob Thompson) 3:42.30

Shot put: Jacob Ottenweller (M) 45-9; Discus: Alex Cotton (K) 138-0; Javelin: Alex Cotton (K) 133-8; High jump: Evan Kurpakus (M) 5-5; Long jump: Jeremy Stevenson (M) 18-10; Triple jump: Jeremy Stevenson (M) 37-2½; Pole vault: Nick Kaleida (M)

Girls

Knoch 82½, Mars 67½

3,200 relay: Mars (Riley Mayer, Sidney Jaeger, Kalin Wilson, Grace Wu) 14:10; 100 hurdles: Lauren Campion (M) 15.74; 100 dash: Nina Shaw (K) 12.41; 1,600 run: Grace Wu (M) 5:47; 400 run: Morgan Duker (M) 1:03.07; 400 relay: Knoch (Macrina Robb, Ava Fields, Mia Savannah, Kendall Loos) 52.50; 300 hurdles: Lauren Campion (M) 52.07; 800 run: Brooke Galcik (K) 2:29.17; 200 dash: Nina Shaw (K); 3,200 run: Ava Santora (K) 13:05.15; 1,600 relay: Mars 4:26.93

Shot put: Madison Hunt (K) 37-4; Discus: A. Meyers (K) 80-8; Javelin: Karlee Buterbaugh (K) 106-8; High jump: Maggie Garr (M) 4-8; Long jump: Kirsten Maybach (M) 15-6½; Triple jump: Kirsten Maybach (M) 34-7¾; Pole vault: Maggie Garr (M) 7-0