Cavanaugh, Spirnak win gold in WPIAL finals
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Bentworth’s Brenna Cavanaugh (center) clears another hurdle on her way to the gold medal in the Class AA 100 high hurdles Thursday at the WPIAL Track & Field Championships at Baldwin High School.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Elizabeth Forward’s Brianna Spirnak (top right) and Mount Pleasant’s Maddie Lorince (bottom left) stand on the Class AAA javelin awards stand Thursday at the WPIAL Track & Field Championships at Baldwin High School. Spirnak won the gold medal and Lorince finished fourth.
Bentworth’s Brenna Cavanaugh clears a hurdle on her way to winning the preliminary race in the 100-meter hurdles on Thursday in the WPIAL Class AA Track & Field Championships at Baldwin High School.
WHITEHALL — Bentworth’s Brenna Cavanaugh had three shots to win gold Thursday at the WPIAL Track & Field Championships, while Elizabeth Forward’s Brianna Spirnak had one.
Cavanaugh repeated her Class AA titles in the 100 high hurdles and long jump, Brownsville sophomore Gionna Quarzo finished first in the Class AA 3,200 in 11:11.16, and Spirnak won gold in the Class AAA javelin for the top performances, among many outstanding finishes, for local athletes.
Waynesburg Central freshman Taylor Shriver won silver in the Class AA pole vault after she cleared a personal-best 11-3.
“I wanted to beat my PR (14.4) seconds or better,” Cavanaugh said of her time of 14.51 seconds in the 100 high hurdles.
Cavanaugh won silver in the triple jump with a top jump of 35-11½.
“I still want to win it. I want to hit 38 (feet) in the triple jump. That’s my ultimate goal,” said Cavanaugh.
Cavanaugh won a second gold medal in the long jump. Her leap of 18-6 on her first attempt in the preliminaries was good enough for gold.
“I definitely want to win and go for it. I want to hit 19 (feet) again. I hit it and haven’t been able to hit it again,” said Cavanaugh. “I don’t know what it is.”
Spirnak was the top seed in the javelin entering the final and the seed held out, though the winning throw was shorter.
“It was okay. I was a foot off my PR,” Spirnak said of her winning throw of 150-1. “There was a little bit of pressure. I wanted to win.”
Spirnak finished second last year to Connellsville’s Madison Wiltrout.
“I wanted to get at least 160 (feet) today. I hope to hit 160 next week,” added Spirnak.
Shriver, too, was all smiles after she won silver in her first district meet. She was clean at the opening height, 9 feet, and 9-6. She missed once at 10 feet and 10-6, and hit 11 feet on her third attempt. Her silver medal-winning vault was on her second attempt.
“I was very nervous until right after I cleared 10-6,” said Shriver. “I was hoping to get the top five and make it to states.
“I’m very happy. I’m excited and nervous (for the state meet).”