Apr 21, 2026 By Jonathan Guth 4 min read

Laurel Highlands edged Belle Vernon, 79-71, and topped Elizabeth Forward, 104-42, to earn a spot in the WPIAL Class 3A girls track & field team playoffs following multiple Section 2-3A victories on Monday at Mustang Field.

The Mustangs improved to 4-2 in section and 5-2 overall play. The Leopards dropped to 4-2 in section and overall action. Connellsville is 4-2 in league and overall play, as all three teams will compete in the semifinals on April 28 at a site and time to be determined.

Belle Vernon defeated the Warriors, 97-46, to earn a berth in the postseason.

Ringgold leads the section at 3-1, and will conclude the regular season against Albert Gallatin at Elizabeth Forward. The Rams would clinch the championship with wins over the Colonials and Warriors.

Laurel Highlands’ Diondra Brown, who was recognized prior to the meet as a senior, won the 100 and 200-meter dashes, long jump, and anchored the Mustangs’ winning 400 relay team that also included Neela Hill, Sahayla Dues and Makenna Frey.

Brown broke her PR (personal record) in the 100 with a time of 12.58. She won the 200 in 26.08 and flew 16-2.5 to top the field in the long jump. LH won the 400 relay in 53.31.

Fellow senior Bella Baker won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs in times of 2:25.16, 5:26.65 and 12:10.59. Baker broke her PR in the 3,200.

Dues won the 100 hurdles in 15.89. The Leopards’ Courtney Martin crossed the finish line first in the 300 hurdles with a time of 49.17.

Belle Vernon’s Bella Tatar won the 400 in 1:04.25 and was on the victorious 1,600 and 3,200 relays that came in at 4:28.74 and 10:47.07. Lizzy Tatar, Rylee Kimball and Abby Hager made up the 4×400 and Hager, Brooklyn Steeber and Lily Walsh were the quartet for the 4×800.

Frey won the triple jump with a PR of 30-11 and Hill cleared 4-10 to earn a victory in the high jump.

The Warriors swept the throwing events, as McKenna Bittner won the discus (108-9) and shot put (33-2), and Meadow Whatton topped the field in the javelin (108-8).

BOYS

BELLE VERNON 84, LAUREL HIGHLANDS 66; BELLE VERNON 88, ELIZABETH FORWARD 59; LAUREL HIGHLANDS 88, ELIZABETH FORWARD 56 — The Leopards earned two victories in a Section 2-3A tri-meet at Mustang Field.

Belle Vernon finished section play with a record of 3-3, while the Mustangs were 2-4 in the section and 3-4 overall.

Ringgold is the second champion and Uniontown finished second in the team standings. Both squads will compete on April 28 at a site and time to be determined in the WPIAL Class 3A boys track & field team playoffs.

The Leopards’ Ryan Kent swept the throwing events by himself with victories in the discus (164-4), javelin (142-6) and shot put (53-7).

Teammates Eli Kolowitz (110 hurdles/17.50; 300 hurdles/45.91) and Leonidas Soto (1,600/4:50.54; 3,200/10:24.17) each won two races. Soto broke his PR in both events and Kolowitz topped his best mark in the 110 hurdles.

Kolowitz was joined by Jackson Pressel, and Gavin and Logan Metzger in topping the field in the 1,600 relay in a time of 3:49.35. The quartet of Braylin Blackburn, Landon Bell, Dominico Congello and Jeremiah Osborne won the 400 relay in 51.23. Belle Vernon won the 3,200 relay in 9:36.46. Metzger won the 800 in 2:16.80.

Laurel Highlands swept the jumping events, which was highlighted by senior Cole Radcliffe leaping past the field in the long and triple jumps in distances of 20-1 and 41-3. Teammate Justin Ethridge broke his PR in the high jump after clearing 5-6.

The Mustangs’ Josh Reed won the pole vault at 11-6.

The Warriors’ Aidan Davis won the 200 and 400-meter dashes in 24.08 and 54.82. Davis broke his PR in the 200. EF’s Riley Albert set a PR in winning the 100 in a time of 11.78.

SECTION 8-2A CHAMPIONSHIPS — Addie Billheimer won the discus, javelin and shot put to help Southmoreland to the girls title in the section invitational at Greensburg Central High School.

Billheimer threw the discus 87-3, the javelin 81-10 and the shot put 21-10.25 to sweep the three events.

Teammate Megan Mehall won the 800 and 1,600-meter runs in 2:29.08 and 5:49.45.

The Scotties won the 400 and 1,600 relays in 53.80 and 4:30.81.

Southmoreland’s Emilee Blaze won the high jump (4-6).

Mount Pleasant’s Ella Paul topped 7-6 to earn the championship in the pole vault.

In the boys division, Southmoreland’s Justin Hribal and Dawson Wolfe switched first and second places in the discus and shot put with Hribal taking the title in the discus at 133-5, and Wolfe topping the field in the shot put (47-5.5).

The Scotties’ Tremaine Grant won the 110 hurdles in 17.26, which was a PR for the freshman.

The Vikings’ Gage Sowers won the pole vault in 13-6. Teammate Bryson Bankosh won the long jump in 20-4.

Mount Pleasant’s Damien Ohler crossed the finish line first in the 800 with a time of 2:12.36.