First-time
flyer
BUTLER TWP — Butler boys track coach Rick Schontz laughs at his concern before
the season he wouldn't have a high jumper who could clear 5 feet, 2 inches.
Senior Philip Washington eliminated those concerns quickly.
Washington, a first-time track athlete, has gone far and above expectations in
the Golden Tornado's first three meets.
In
“I was very concerned. We were looking for someone to clear 5-2
during the indoor season,” Schontz said. “Phillip cleared 5-6 in the first
meet, 5-8 in the second and 5-10 today. We're hoping he can hit 6 feet in the
next one.”
Both
Senior Macy Stalnaker is one Butler athlete trying to adjust to a
new spot. Stalnaker finished second in the 300 hurdles and was a member of the
winning 400 and 1600 relay teams.
Before this season, Stalnaker had never competed in the hurdles.
“I was a distance runner and went for getting the school record
and going to state in the 3,200 relay,” Stalnaker said. “Everyone left and I
wanted to try something new. My coaches said hurdles would be good for me
because I'm not a pure sprinter.”
Stalnaker hopes to use the event as a springboard to help her
prepare for playing soccer at West Virginia University next season.
“I've been practicing a lot on form and I have the speed down,”
Stalnaker said. “That's not too hard, but the switch was really easy,
surprisingly.”
The Butler girls team won six events. Golden Tornado girls track
coach John Williams liked how his team competed.
“Our team showed up. The weather showed up and so did we,”
Williams said. “They are one of the best teams in the WPIAL and we brought our
best.”
The Golden Tornado girls picked up three individual wins in the
field events. Julia Baxter won the high jump (5-4), Kalynn Callihan the shotput
(35-1 1/2) and Claire Weiland the pole vault (10-0).
On the boys' side, senior Tyler Roudybush won the long jump (21-1
1/4) and triple jump (39-9 1/2).
“We tried out hardest, we just tried to get better,” Roudybush
said. “We went out and competed.”
Roudybush hopes to get his long jump up to 22 feet and his triple
jump to 44.
“There are still some things I need to work on in my first
phase,” Roudybush said.
Schontz hopes to continue to build on what Butler started.
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Butler’s Kalynn
Callihan throws the discus during the Golden Tornado’s dual track and field
meet with Shaler Wednesday. |
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The
Golden Tornado won 15 events against the Titans. Robert Burdine (100 and 200)
and Josh Rader (800 and 1,600) each picked up two individual wins for
“I thought we did well,” Schontz said. “There were three or four
events we were mediocre in we showed progress.”
Boys
Butler 126, Shaler 24
3,200 relay: Butler (Adam Knauer, Peter Swain, Evan Knauer,
Brandon Critchlow) 9:05.8; 100 hurdles: Marcus McCall (B) 17.25; 100 dash:
Robert Burdine (B) 11.64; 1,600 run: Josh Rader (B) 4:45; 400 run: Kenny
Andrews (B) 54.9; 400 relay: Butler (Burdine, Cannon, John Vanotty, Tyler
Roudybush) 47.37; 300 hurdles: John Colossrow (S) 42.8; 800 run: Rader (B)
2:09; 200 dash: Burdine (B) 23.35; 3,200 run: Caleb Wakey (S) 10:18.06; 1,600
relay: Butler (Lamont Hoy, Jeff Bailey, Burdine, Cannon) 3:40.42
Shot put: Derrick Gengler (B) 46-2; Discus: Jared Blakeley (B)
136-1; Javelin: Jackson Wiliams (B) 136-1; High jump: Philip Washington (B)
5-10; Long jump: Roudybush (B) 20-1 1/4; Triple jump: Roudybush (B) 39-9 1/2;
Pole vault: Mike Herschl (B) 12-6
Girls
Shaler 82, Butler 68
3,200 relay: Butler (Odile Enslen, Amanda Weist, Holly Keefer,
Michaela Brydon), 11:02.0; 110 hurdles: Tori Soeder (S) 15.07; 100 dash: Soeder
(S) 12.97; 1,600 run: Bri Schwarts (S) 5:30.06; 400 run: Sam Bagwell (S),
1:03.32; 400 relay: Butler (Savannah Miller, Kristen Knass, Macy Stalnaker,
Emily Horstman) 51.7; 300 hurdles: Delany Quinlan (S) 47.84; 800 run: Bri
Schwarts (S) 2:21.53; 200 dash: Kylie Farrell (S) 26.74; 3,200 run: Schwarts
(S) 10:59.66; 1,600 relay: Butler (Alyssa DiPippa, Odile Enslen, Stalnaker,
Horstman), 4:14.34
Shot put: Kalynn Callihan (B), 35-1 1/2; Discus: Julia Bernesser
(S), 101-5; Javelin: Carly Harris (S) 112-2; High jump: Julia Baxter (B) 5-4;
Long jump: Tori Soeber 17-7 1/4; Triple jump: Kylie Farrell 36-3; Pole vault:
Claire Weiland (B) 10-0