Butler’s Kevin Shriver celebrates at the finish line as he sees he qualifies for state in the boys 200-meter race with a time of 22.13 during the WPIAL Track and Field Championships held Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Slippery Rock University's Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Can Freeport’s Mackenzie Magness defend her PIAA pole vault title? And who else will join her on the podium at Shippensburg University this weekend?

Derek Pyda, Jake Merda Adams and Brendan Howe break down the Butler County contingent heading to the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Butler’s 4x800 relay is coming off a WPIAL title, as are Seneca Valley’s Audrey Wolfe and Tennyson Voll, Karns City’s Alex Wilson and Phoebe Brandon (in District 9) and several others. Wilson, Magness, North Catholic’s Lazzara twins and Butler’s Kevin Shriver and Carter Ekas are among the returning state medalists. And it looks like they and a few newcomers could be busy this weekend.

Derek and photographer Rob McGraw will have wall-to-wall coverage of the state championships this weekend at butlereagle.com/section/sports.

And then we switched gears a bit. You may have heard: that Aaron Rodgers guy is returning for another year with the Steelers?

And speaking of the Stillers, the NFL gave them a Black Friday home game. What will happen with the WPIAL football championships that weekend? Or what should the district do as the NFL encroaches on more days of the week?

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