May 15, 2026 By Jonathan Guth 9 min read

SLIPPERY ROCK — Diondra Brown is reminded of the achievements her brother and sister accomplished in track & field every time she passes the field house at Mustang Field on the campus of Laurel Highlands High School.

Her sister is Breehana Jacobs, who doesn’t need an introduction among the track & field circles in not only Fayette County, but the WPIAL and PIAA, however, for those who are not familiar with the area or sport, Jacobs’ accolades for the Mustangs are: Seven-time WPIAL champion in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes. She also was a member of Laurel Highlands’ 400 relay team that won district gold in 2005. Jacobs won the 100 as a freshman while competing for Uniontown in 2004.

The WPIAL Hall of Famer was a four-time champion in the 100, a two-time title holder in the 200 and won the 400 her senior season. Jacobs set the district record in the 200 in 2006 with a time of 23.91, which still stands today. She won six state championships, with three coming in the 100, 200 and 400 as a senior, and continued her track & field career in college for the University of South Carolina. Jacobs broke the state record in the 100 her senior year with a time of 11.64.

Brown’s brother, Dontay Jacobs, is the boys record holder at Laurel Highlands in the 400. He won the WPIAL title in the event in 2015 with a time of 49.85 before competing in college at Seton Hill University, which is the school Brown has selected to continue her academic and track & field careers.

Brown understands she can’t duplicate (not many can) Breehana’s championships, but she is able to take some consolation in joining her siblings as a WPIAL champion in track & field.

Brown earned her first district gold medal Thursday evening in the Class 3A girls long jump at Slippery Rock University’s Mihalik Thompson Stadium during the WPIAL Track & Field Individual Championships.

Grant Brambley provided the Mustangs with a second gold medal when he topped the field in the Class 3A boys javelin for his first WPIAL championship.

Geibel Catholic’s Emma Larkin won her first district title in the Class 2A girls 300-meter hurdles.

Brown entered the long jump as the No. 1 seed with a leap of 18-07.75 and hit her best mark of 18-04.50 on her first attempt. Seneca Valley’s Kate Skeen smashed her PR (personal record) of 17.10 with a top jump of 18-03.25 to finish second. Baldwin’s Becca Gruntz was third at 17-07.

Brown and Skeen were the only jumpers to record the state-qualifying-standard (SQS) of 17-09 in the event on a day where temperatures were more suited for early winter.

Despite not hitting her PR, Brown was just happy to get the win, and received her third loaf of Jenny Lee Swirl Bread, which was provided to the medalists in each event.

“The weather definitely played a factor today,” Brown said. “It was windy and cold, plus I had to be here all day from the start of the meet to the last event. My goals for the state meet are to hit 19, break the school record and place.”

In winning district gold, Brown, Brambley and Larkin also qualified for the PIAA Individual Track & Field Championships, which are scheduled for May 22 and 23 at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.

Brown broke her PR in the 200 with a time of 25.36, which was good enough for fifth place in the event. The top four finishers in each event automatically earn a berth to the state meet in Class 3A, but those placing fifth through eighth can also qualify if they hit the SQS.

Brown beat the SQS of 25.46 to punch her ticket for a second event next weekend in Shippensburg. Her previous PR was 25.64, and her season-best time was 25.82. She didn’t qualify in the 100 after finishing sixth in 12.53, which is three-tenths of a second lower than the SQS. Brown’s PR in the event was 12.35.

“It was different to have to run the 200 twice today because I only did that at one other meet this year, but other than that, I am used to going from the track to the field for meets,” Brown said. “I was done with my events on the track in plenty of time to get ready for the long jump.”

Brambley came into Thursday’s meet as the seventh seed with a season-best throw of 173-04, but he jumped up six places with a heave of 182-02 on his sixth and final attempt.

Brambley threw 181-05 on his second chance. He was the only competitor in the field to best the SQS of 178.

“The windy conditions didn’t bother me because I’m used to it,” Brambley said. “It’s like throwing at Laurel Highlands. There was a great tailwind today. I was in the lead from the second throw on.”

Brambley has suffered through injuries the majority of the season, but the junior believes he can finish strong next weekend in Shippensburg.

“I was doing really well in the indoor season with pole vault, which is my other event, and I hit 15 (feet) my third meet, then I got hurt before states and I did really bad at indoor states,” Brambley said. “I took a whole month off to recover. I threw a couple of meets this year just to help the team get points, but my first serious meet was the TSTCA (Tri-State Track Coaches Association) at West Mifflin. I hit 173 on a short approach.

“Prior to that, I hurt my hamstring pole vaulting at the meet against Connellsville and Uniontown at home. That was rough, and was maybe two days later. I threw at Shippensburg the following week, and I pulled my abductor (groin strain), so it didn’t go really well for me. I just rested it and went back to full approach today.”

Larkin defended her No. 1 seed in the 300 hurdles after crossing the finish line first in a PR of 45.25. The senior also qualified for the state meet in the 400 after placing fourth in 58.34, which didn’t beat her PR, but the top five in each event automatically earned a berth to Shippensburg in Class 2A.

Larkin beat the state-qualifying-standards of 47.24 and 59.85 in each event.

“I just wanted to win at least one gold medal,” Larkin said. “I didn’t have any missteps on the hurdles, and I felt really good about the whole race. I had a feeling I had a sizable lead, but you never want to take it easy.”

Larkin, a senior who has committed to Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C., to continue her academic and basketball careers, hopes she can reach the podium in what could be her final track & field meet, but her success in the sport has her thinking about expanding her repertoire as a college athlete.

“My head is still open when it comes to competing in track & field in college, but I will make my decision when I get down there and meet the team,” Larkin said.

Larkin finished 15th in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:38.92. She admitted to not having much left in the gas tank for the 800, as the 400, 300 hurdles and 800 line up 1-2-3 in the schedule. Larkin has qualified for the state meet in cross country and track & field each of the last four years.

“I ran the 800 once this year, and qualified (for the WPIAL meet) with that one time, so I wasn’t really expecting anything for the 800,” Larkin said.

Brownsville’s Aijanae Foster was runner-up in the Class 2A girls high jump after clearing 5-02. The sophomore has a PR of 5-06.50, but believes the conditions played a factor in her jumps. Quaker Valley’s Oumou Thiero won the event at 5-04.

Foster also qualified for the state meet in the 100 hurdles after placing fifth in 15.88. She has a PR of 15.35 in the event. Foster bested the SQS of 16.01.

“The weather was rough today,” Foster said. “It is nice to be able to qualify for the state meet in two events. I hope I can reach the podium.”

Foster was joined by Jersey Feick-White, Ta’Veonna Harris and Amya Wilson in the Falcons’ 400-relay team that reached the podium with an eighth-place finish in 52.31. The squad missed the SQS of 50.20.

Teammate Alexa Lewandowsky finished her high school track & field career with a seventh-place showing in the discus. She recorded a PR of 108-06, but didn’t meet the SQS of 113.

Connellsville’s Glen Stickler qualified for the state meet in the shot put after placing second in the Class 3A boys competition with a throw of 51-05.50. Belle Vernon’s Ryan Kent, who also won the discus, topped the field with a toss of 56-10.50.

“I have kind of grown up in the sport with him (Strickler),” Kent said. “We have been going at it back-and-forth for four years now. It has been really special because I don’t talk to him, outside of track season, so I know I get to talk to Glen. It’s a good time.”

Kent recorded a PR of 180-01 in the discus, which is his top event. He also beat the SQS of 52-0 in the shot put and 153-0 in the discus.

The senior Leopard is ranked second in the state in the discus to Avon Grove’s Grayson Pitman (191-06), but is eager to compete next weekend at the college where he will continue his academic and track & field careers.

“I have been wanting to break 180 for as long as I can remember,” Kent said. “It is really exciting to earn two gold medals. I have been working my butt off since this summer for this opportunity, and next week, to try and get another gold. I am glad to see that the hard work is paying off.”