WEST MIFFLIN — There are 52 Class 3A boys track and field teams in the WPIAL and still being in the mix when the final four meet for district bragging rights is an achievement in itself.
The ultimate goal, however, proved a bit too steep for Butler and Seneca Valley.
In the team championship meet Tuesday at West Mifflin High School, North Allegheny came away with the crown with victories over the Golden Tornado (94-56), Raiders (84-66) and Mt. Lebanon (84½-65½).
Butler was two-time defending WPIAL champion. Its closest meet here in the 2021 and 2022 meets was a 97-53 decision over NA last year, but Tornado coach Mike Seybert knew his team was in for a stiffer challenge this time, three times over.
Butler’s Orein McBride-Cager clears the bar in the boys high jump at Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 3A track and field team championship meet in West Mifflin. He and teammate Braylon Littlejohn tied for the top spot at 6 feet, 5 inches, but the Golden Tornado did not win a third straight crown. Justin Guido/Butler Eagle
“We put all three team’s best efforts in each event this season onto a spreadsheet and knew it was going to be a much closer meet,” he said. “Every team had to be concerned with the other three.
“We were just too young in some events and banged up in others ... and the three teams we faced were incredible.”
The Tornado had their moments, including senior Luke Campbell placing first overall in the long jump (23 feet, 3½ inches) and triple jump (44-10½). He was part of Butler’s back-to-back WPIAL title teams the last two seasons and the program’s state championship a year ago.
Seneca Valley’s Jonathon Price nears the finish line in the 110-meter hurdles during Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 3A boys track and field team championship meet in West Mifflin. Price won the event, but the Raiders came up short in their bid for a district title. Justin Guido/Butler Eagle
“We lost 25 seniors from last year’s team and some of them were big point guys,” Campbell said.
Drew Griffith won the 1,600-meter run (four minutes, 18.25 seconds) and the 3,200 (9:27.17). While Butler also lost to Mt. Lebanon, it defeated Seneca Valley to finish in third place while the Raiders were fourth.
SV earned its way into the playoffs by defeating Butler in the final meet of the regular season. It was the Tornado’s first loss since 2019.
“We were the one team not to win any of the meets today,” said SV coach Ray Peaco. “The boys are a bit dejected, but they should be proud of what they did.
“I told them before the season that if they wanted to accomplish anything as a team, they would have to beat Butler or North Allegheny, or both to do it. We lost to NA in April and knew then that we had to beat Butler. We did and it came at Butler. I was talking with (former head coach) Wayne Roccia and neither of us can remember another year when we beat Butler at Butler.”
Pacing SV’s effort was Jonathon Price, who won the 110 hurdles (15.67). The Raiders also topped the field in the 4x100 relay with the quartet of Karter Leroy, Eddie Strong, Gavin Skarbek and Jayden Price.
“One-third of our kids achieved personal-best efforts today,” added Peaco. “On paper, this meet looked like a toss-up and all the scores were fairly close. But you look at what Butler did in the high jump, had two kids (Orein McBride-Cager and Braylon Littlejohn) both go 6-5 to win that event. It’s great to see that kind of effort, but you couldn’t have predicted that.”
McBride-Cager’s previous-best effort was 6-1 and Littlejohn was at 6-0. The boys high jump was held when it was clear that Butler was not going to win a third consecutive team title.
“I started looking for things to build on for the future,” said Seybert. “Our guys in the high jump, our 3,200 runners were going after it hard ... I saw that today.”
North Allegheny also won in the girls meet, defeating Norwin, South Fayette and Canon-McMillan.
North Allegheny 94, Butler 56
North Allegheny 84, Seneca Valley 66
North Allegheny 84.5, Mt. Lebanon 65.5
Mt. Lebanon 87, Butler 63
Mt. Lebanon 78, Seneca Valley 72
Butler 77.5, Seneca Valley 72.5
3,200 relay: North Allegheny 7:56.30; 110 hurdles: Jonathon Price (SV) 15.67; 100 dash: Connor Rychcik (ML) 11.15; 1,600 run: Drew Griffith (B) 4:18.25; 400 run: Connor Rychcik (ML) 49.78; 400 relay: Seneca Valley (Karter Leroy, Eddie Strong, Gavin Skarbek, Jayden Price) 43.80; 300 hurdles: AJ Foulk (NA) 41.37; 800 run: Jack Bertram (NA) 1:59.52; 200 dash: Tim Calvetti (ML) 22.39; 3,200 run: Drew Griffith (B) 9:27.17; 1,600 relay: Mt. Lebanon 3:28.42
Shot put: Jack Yatchenko (NA) 45-7; Discus: Andrew Freedy (ML) 143-5; Javelin: Kush Criswell (ML) 162-10; High jump: Tie—Orein McBride-Cager (B)/Braylon Littlejohn (B) 6-5; Long jump: Luke Campbell (B) 23-3.5; Triple jump: Luke Campbell (B) 44-10.5; Pole vault: Ryan Handron (NA) 12-3
