Field day: Falcons remain undefeated with Section 2-AAA sweep

1 / 6

The Falcons’ Nicholas Rohal releases the discus during Tuesday’s Section 2-AAA meet against Uniontown and Elizabeth Forward at Connellsville Stadium. Rohal finished first with a throw of 161-8.

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

2 / 6

The Falcons’ Bryson Edwards (left) and Uniontown’s Parker King battle in the 300 intermediate hurdles during Tuesday’s Section 2-AAA meet with Elizabeth Forward at Connellsville Stadium. Edwards finished first with a time of 42.1 seconds.

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

3 / 6

Uniontown’s Cooper Gilleland checks his watch as he leads Connellsville’s Jonah Lindstrom and Elizabeth Forward’s Patrick Burgos around the track in the 1,600 during Tuesday’s Section 2-AAA meet at Connellsville.

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

4 / 6

Elizabeth Forward’s Patrick Burgos (center) leads teammate Thomas Fine (left) and Uniontown’s Cooper Gilleland in the 800 during Tuesday’s Section 2-AAA meet at Connellsville.

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

5 / 6

Uniontown’s Calvin Winfrey (left), Connellsville’s Kasey Stanton (center), and Elizabeth Forward’s Dominic Cavalier sprint around the track in the 400 during Tuesday’s Section 2-AAA meet at Connellsville.

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

6 / 6

Uniontown’s K’Adrian McLee sails over a hurdle on his way to a first-place finish in the 110 high hurdles during Tuesday’s Section 2-AAA meet with Uniontown and Connellsville at Connellsville Stadium.

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

[expand]

close

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

Uniontown’s Kelan Milsom lands a triple jump during Tuesday’s Section 2-A meet at Connellsville.

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

Uniontown’s Kelan Milsom lands a triple jump during Tuesday’s Section 2-A meet at Connellsville.

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

Uniontown’s Kelan Milsom lands a triple jump during Tuesday’s Section 2-A meet at Connellsville.

CONNELLSVILLE – The Section 2-AAA meet between Elizabeth Forward and Connellsville Tuesday afternoon at Connellsville Stadium was a stark contrast in the two areas of discipline in a track meet.

The Falcons used a huge advantage in the field events for an 80-70 victory over the Warriors. Connellsville swept the home meet – and remained unbeaten in section play – with a 96-54 win against Uniontown.

Elizabeth Forward earned a split with an 89-61 win against the Red Raiders.

Connellsville outscored Elizabeth Forward in the field events (throws and jumps), 49-14. The Warriors had the better of the action on the track with a 56-31 advantage.

Bryson Edwards and Nicholas Rohal led the charge for the Falcons in the field.

Edwards finished first in the long jump (19-5) and triple jump (40-0), and placed second to teammate Jayden McBride in the high jump with both Falcons clearing 6-feet.

The senior also had an overall first-place finish in the 300 intermediate hurdles with a personal-best time of 42.1 seconds, so he accounted for 18 total points against Elizabeth Forward.

“It was a big team day, trying to win the section,” explained Edwards.

The senior has his sights set on higher numbers as the regular season moves into big meets.

“I really want to get 6-2 in the high jump. That’s the goal. That would be a PR,” said Edwards. “I’d like to get back up into the 41s in the triple (jump). It thinks that’s possible.

Rohal had overall first-place finishes in the javelin (161-1) and discus (161-8).

“I didn’t PR in the javelin, but I finished first and that’s all that matters. The discus was an okay throw,” said Rohal. “I scratched out of my third throw in the shot put because my elbow started tweaking out. I didn’t want to mess up my throwing arm.”

Rohal is looking forward to bigger and better things as the season progresses, starting next Saturday in the county meet, where he was the Field MVP two years ago, and continuing on through the WPIAL and PIAA meets.

“At Connellsville Stadium, it was about beating the other teams. At big invitationals, it’s about setting PRs,” said the senior. “Last year was more javelin, this year is more discus. I keep going back and forth.

“I want to throw about 185 in javelin and between 170 and 175 in discus. I got (county meet MVP) the year before, so I definitely want to get it again.”

Derek Routzahn had the other individual first-place finish on the track against the Warriors after he won the 110 high hurdles in 17.5 seconds. The Falcons won the 400 relay in 45.3 seconds. Zach Franks cleared 10-feet to win the pole vault.

The Warriors’ Patrick Burgos had a long, busy afternoon on the track with first-place finishes in the 1,600 (4:40), 800 (2:09.2), and 3,200 (10:39). He also ran a leg on the victorious 1,600 relay.

“It was a pretty good day. We just came out here to secure points against Connellsville,” said Burgos. “Today, we knew it was going to be a close meet, so I tried to get as many points as possible.”

Burgos is looking forward to strong WPIAL and state performances after a solid fall season in cross country.

“I’d like to get my 800 to 1:54, 1:55, and hopefully, get my 1,600, I’m looking at 4:12.

Teammate Connor Stokes sprinted his way to 10 first-place points by winning the 100 and 200.

“I ran 10.7 and set the school record in the 100,” said Stokes. “Running 10.7 was the goal at the beginning of the season, but now I want 10.5.”

Stokes added, “I want to run the 200 in the low 22s.”

Uniontown’s Cooper Gilleland spent his afternoon trying to track down Burgos in the 800 and 1,600, and fending off the rest of the field. He placed second overall in both races, finishing the 800 in 2:09.8 and 1,600 in 4:42.

“It was fun. It was a little game of cat-and-mouse,” said Gilleland. “I was just trying to get my PR in the mile and I got it by 13 seconds. The other guys definitely pushed me.

“My main events are the mile and 800. If I’m lucky enough, I’d like to get around 4:30 in the mile. I’m 12 seconds off right now. It’s not out of reach.”