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Mustangs remain unbeaten with 88-62 win over Leps

By Jim Downey jdowney@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read
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Laurel Highlands' Colby Tarr (right) finished first, closely followed by Belle Vernon's Bobby Anna in second place in the 300 intermediate hurdles during Thursday's Section 2-AAA meet at Laurel Highlands High School.

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John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard

The Mustangs’ Colby Tarr clears the final hurdle in the boys 110-meter high hurdles during Thursday’s Section 2-AAA meet against Belle Vernon at Laurel Highlands High School.

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Laurel Highlands' Dontay Jacobs crosses the finish line to win the 100-meter dash during Thursday's Section 2-AAA meet against Belle Vernon at Laurel Highlands High School.

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Belle Vernon's D.J. Mraz crosses the finish line after running the anchor leg of the 3,200-meter relay to help the Leopards to a first-place finish in Thursday's Section 2-AAA meet at Laurel Highlands High School.

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John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard

Laurel Highlands’ Chad Livingston leaps over the bar in the high jump during Thursday’s Section 2-AAA meet against Belle Vernon at Laurel Highlands High School. Livingston finished first with a jump of 6-2.

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Belle Vernon's Hunter Basista clears 6 feet in the high jump during Thursday's Section 2-AAA meet against Laurel Highlands at Laurel Highlands High School.

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The Mustangs' Dontay Jacobs bolts from the starting block during the 200-meter dash in Thursday's Section 2-AAA meet against Belle Vernon at Laurel Highlands High School. Jacobs won in 22.6 seconds.

The rain held off long enough Thursday afternoon to complete all but the pole vault and the Laurel Highlands boys held on long enough for an 88-62 Section 2-AAA win against visiting Belle Vernon.

The Mustangs remain unbeaten, improving to 4-0 in the section. Belle Vernon dropped its first section meet, slipping to 3-1 in the section and 4-1 overall.

The meet was close on the track, but the Mustangs distanced themselves from the Leopards by finishing first in all seven field events which accounted for 35 first-place points.

The Mustangs’ Colby Tarr did most of his work on the track, winning the 110 high hurdles (15.1), as well as the 300 intermediate hurdles (41.2). He ran the second leg of the victorious 1,600 relay, joining Patrick Mahoney, Brett Kusniar and Dontay Jacobs for a first-place finish in 3:34.4. The senior also competed in the javelin, but wasn’t please with his results.

“The 110 high hurdles, that was a good race. It was a good PR (personal best),” said Tarr. “Ah, the competition. (Teammate) Austin Saletrik is really pushing me.”

Tarr headed up to the softball field for the javelin, but returned to the track not very satisfied.

“I had an off day. I have a sore shin,” said Carr of the reason for his self-described lackluster event.

Tarr returned to the track to finish first in the 300 intermediate hurdles, again pushed to first place.

“Usually it’s the crowd yelling that gets me moving,” Tarr said of the motivation he gets in the race. “My team is always pushing me forward. It’s awesome to get that competition every race.”

Also motivating him is a record time in the 110 hurdles.

“I want to break the 15s (seconds) and beat the time of my brother (Lucas). I also want the school record in the 300 (intermediate hurdles),” said Tarr.

The track events begin with a highly-spirited 3,200 relay won by Belle Vernon’s Zack Anderson, Brennan Treadwell, Noah Wiggins and D.J. Mraz in 9:28.

Jacobs had another fine performance on the track, winning the 100 (11.1), 200 (22.6), and 400 (50.7), though he was pushed by a couple of Belle Vernon runners in both races.

Chad Livingston (high jump, 6-2; long jump, 21-1½), Jason Leone (triple jump, 42-1), Noah Ludy (discus, 127-9; shot put, 38-9½), and Ryan Gesso (javelin, 158-0) all had first-place finishes in the field events for the Mustangs. Johnathan Ek and Daniel Marek shared first place in the rain-shortened pole vault (8-0).

Bob Costello and his coaching staff had a simple message to the Mustangs.

“We were told before the race ‘Beat the green jersey in front of you,'” said Tarr.

Mraz, a senior, had a day well spent at Mustang Stadium by winning both the 1,600 (4:42.5) and 3,200 (10:57). His victory in the 3,200 came after he turned on the jets around the 200-meter mark.

“I just did enough to win that race. I was dead after the mile,” said Mraz, who fought a cramp midway through the 3,200. “I just wanted to win the race. I’m happy with my time in the mile. I’ll run them both, but I like the mile better.”

Luke Durigon, Jake Powell, Cam Quinto and Marcel McCaskill sprinted to the finish line to win the 400 relay in 43.9 seconds. Brennan Treadwell finished first in the 800 with a time of 2:11.8.

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