Record relays
WHITEHALL — The final results don't necessarily show it, but two of the area's PIAA Class AAA Track and Field Championship-bound relay teams had amazing performances on Thursday.
The Butler girls 400-meter relay team and the Seneca Valley boys 1,600-meter relay both finished second to Penn Hills at the WPIAL Championships in their respective events, but you have to look below the surface.
The Penn Hills boys team set at WPIAL meet record with a time of 3:17.83, bettering the previous mark of 3:20.97, set by Mt. Lebanon in 1998.
The Raiders boys team — PJ Blinn, Hunter Williams, Michael Hughes and David Mellon — shattered the school record with a 3:21.19, which improved the previous best of 3:24.51, also held by the foursome.
Seneca Valley was one of four schools that met the state-qualifying standard in the heat with Knoch just missing by .10 seconds.
The Butler girls — Paige Allen, Tara Lowe, Kaitlyn Wetzel and Jasmine Bailey — were clocked at 49.03, trimming off 0.67 seconds off their best time of the year.
Penn Hills, however, pulled off a 47.69, .02 seconds from matching the WPIAL mark of 47.67, set by Penn Hills in 2004.
The Golden Tornado's 49.03 also marks the fastest 400-meter relay time in Butler County history, besting the 1997 Butler girls team of Tori Watt, Marci Sabo, Martha Lansinger and Annessa Schnur (49.27).
"Every meet I kept telling them to break it," said Schnur, who is in her first year as head coach of the Tornado girls team and a freshman on that previous record-holding foursome.
"We've been waiting for a warm day. I knew it would go down this year. It's been a long time since we've had four girls that fast," Schnur added.
Unlike some relays, the same four girls have been in the event all season. Schnur admits some tweaking on the exchanges could be had, but the group has been consistent all season.
"(Thursday) was the best I've seen all year," said Schnur. "We're still not perfect yet. I think we've had one perfect (exchange). I think they can go a lot faster.
"I talked to them all year about what a big deal it was to get into the 49s and once they got into the high 49s, it was 'hey, we could run and get the record. Hopefully, when we get to Shippensburg, run a 48 and move onto (Saturday) and get a medal," Schnur added.
Lowe had already eclipsed Schnur's record in the 100, so she was more than happy to see another one fall.
"It's just as good to see it go down," said Schnur, "and to see it as a coach is better."
With Penn Hills dominating the event, Schnur knows her squad will still keep close.
"I think it really helps," said Schnur. "Everyone is strong and each of the girls has someone to stay close to. It's a little intimidating, but the girls know Penn Hills is one of the best in the state and to run with them is exciting."
