Fillies top Uniontown for Section 2-AAA crown
?Laurel Highlands broke open the meet by taking first place in five of the seven field events, securing an undefeated season and the Section 2-AAA title with a 93½-56½ victory Thursday afternoon over visiting Uniontown.
Laurel Highlands finishes with a 6-0 section record to earn a berth into next week’s team playoffs. Uniontown closes the season with a 3-3 mark.
Gabby Arnold (shot put, 30-5), Katie Fields (discus, 88-11), and Maria Pierce (javelin, 114-7) secured five points each by finishing first in the throwing events. Brook Burns won the long jump with a leap of 14-5½, and Jordan Brewer took the pole vault with the top effort of 6-6.
The Fillies did a pretty good on the track, too, especially Jerricka Belt. Belt won the 100 (12.5) and 200 (26.2), and joined Amanda Parker, Lauren Shull and Anna Pirl to win the 400 relay in 51.8 seconds.
Belt’s critique of her performance was stringent, leaving room for improvement as she looks to big individual meets during May.
“I could do better in the 100,” said Belt. “I want to run 26 seconds in the 200, and I scratched on all three of my jumps. I could do better in all my events.
“I want to get my times down and make my coaches proud.”
Although critical of her performances, Belt had nothing but praise for her relay team and the Fillies, in general.
“The relay did great, and our team did a great job.”
Melissa McCann held on to win both the 400 (1:02.8) and the 800 (2:36.5). Shull finished first in the 100 high hurdles (12.5). The Fillies’ quartet of McCann, Alexis Zawelensky, Parker and Pirl won the 1,600 relay in 4:27.4.
As with Belt, Laurel Highlands girls coach Gerry Pegg praised the team effort of the Fillies.
“I am very appreciative of the team effort. They have bought into the team concept. Do that, and good things will happen,” said Pegg.
Uniontown’s Micah Martin had a productive day, winning the 300 intermediate hurdles in a personal best 50.1 seconds. She finished first in the triple jump with a leap of 32-9, though she critiqued the performance, saying, “I was a little off. I was good enough to win.” Martin finished second to Shull in the high hurdles, but had a personal best time.
“Lauren Shull really pushed me,” explained Martin, who also competed against Shull in triple jump. “It’s good to run against someone to push me harder.”
With the county meet Saturday and the WPIAL individual qualifier in two weeks, Martin is satisfied of her progress to this point in the season.
“I think I’m reaching my peak. My mom and dad have been pushing me,” said Martin. “I feel I’m right where I need to be.”
As for the meet against rival Laurel Highlands, Martin added, “I am really honored to come in and help the team as a sophomore.”
The Lady Raiders’ Julie Friend had a productive day as well, winning the 1,600 (5:35.1) and 3,200 (12:00.82), and joining Jordan Crutchman, Julie Gerber and Christina Homer to open the meet with a victory in the 3,200 relay with a time of 10:41.3.
Uniontown girls coach Aaron Scott knew his young team would have their hands full, but was satisfied with his squad’s performances.
“We did better in times, throws and distances, but Laurel Highlands got the points where they knew they would get them,” said Scott.
NOTES: Laurel Highlands recognized long-time girls track & field and cross country coach Ron Morris before the start of the meet. A more detailed account of the proceedings will be published in Sunday’s editions.