Waynesburg duo brings home 2 gold, 1 WPIAL record
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg Central’s Daniel Layton clears a hurdle on his way to winning a preliminary race in the 110-meter high hurdles on Thursday in the WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Baldwin High School. Layton went on to win the gold medal.
Waynesburg Central’s Will Behm takes the ride back to the mat after clearing the bar in the pole vault on Thursday at the WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Baldwin High School. Behm won gold in the event.
WHITEHALL — Waynesburg Central has a rich tradition in the pole vault, and senior Will Behm and junior Daniel Layton didn’t disappoint in finishing 1-2 in Class AA on Thursday in the WPIAL Track & Field Championships at Baldwin High School.
Behm broke the WPIAL record with a vault of 15-10. The previous record belonged to Riverview’s Evan Resnick, who jumped 14-09 in 2015. Behm was in the stands when Resnick broke the mark.
“The goal was to break the district record,” Behm said. “I watched the kid break the record the last time it was broken, and I said then that I wanted to break it, so it’s been in the works for a while.”
Behm was excited to hear his name announced by the public address announcer that he was on the verge of breaking the record.
“It came down to me against myself in the end,” Behm said. “It was really cool to have it announced that I was trying to break the district record.”
Layton placed second in the pole vault with a jump of 13-6, and won the 110-high hurdles in 14.73.
“The form got me through with the hurdles because I wasn’t that fast at first,” Layton said. “I have done a lot of interval training and speed work. You have to put in the work. I don’t think I hit my PR today.
“I got second place last year here, so it was nice to win it this year. I was right below qualifying my sophomore year.”
Layton’s goal is a gold medal in the hurdles next week at Shippensburg, and he also wants to clear 14 feet in the pole vault.
“I really want to win the hurdles,” Layton said. “I also go down to WVU and work with San Hensh, who is the women’s pole vault coach there. I divide that time with my hurdle work.
“Will and I are carrying on that Waynesburg tradition of great pole vaulters. Will and I really push each other in practice, and we have the best coach in Butch Brunell.”
Behm has steadily improved in the pole vault since his freshman year, and is grateful that Brunell took him to the district meet, even though he didn’t qualify for the event.
“I didn’t qualify for this meet as a freshman, but Coach Brunell brought me here and it was one of the best coaching decisions he has ever made,” Behm said. “I saw it and that is when I decided I wanted to really work hard.”
Behm was one miss away from making states as a sophomore, and was third in the WPIAL last season. He qualified for states and PR’d at 13-06.
He looks to clear 16 feet at Shippensburg, and knows he has some great competition.
“There is a really great vaulter, and obviously I want to win, but if I PR and do my best, I will not be disappointed,” Behm said.