3 Hempfield girls claim WPIAL track and field titles

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, May 17, 2018 | 8:51 PM

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Hempfield's Mackenna Orie and Molly DeBone were expected to win WPIAL gold medals at the track and field championships Thursday.

Rebecca Pyo had tougher odds as the third seed in her event.

But the Hempfield junior won the Class AAA high jump by clearing 5 feet, 3 inches to edge Trinity's Jaime Handra (second) and junior teammate Jenna Uncapher (third), who also jumped 5-3 but had more misses.

“I'm a little bit surprised I won, but I have been practicing well, and I expected to do well,” Pyo said. “I wasn't a long shot, I've been working hard, and hard work paid off. I had a good day at the high jump today.”

Pyo didn't have any misses until her three attempts at 5-5.

“Winning the high jump definitely builds my confidence,” Pyo said. “This season has been going real well for me, so I definitely got more confident.

“(Uncapher and I) are excited to go to states and hopefully clear 5-5 and place.”

Orie was both satisfied and disappointed with her performance.

The junior won the discus with a personal best throw of 141 feet, but finished second in the shot put. Her throw of 40-3 ³⁄₄ fell short of Baldwin senior Laurel Bristow's toss of 41-11.

“I wanted to win it for my sister (Samantha) because she won it her senior season (2017), and I wanted to keep it in the family,” Orie said. “It happens; I fell a little short. I have to get it back at the state meet.”

Hempfield throwing coach Dave Murray said Orie was a little off in the shot put, but spot on in the discus.

“I think I was kind of tired from throwing the discus,” Orie said. “My shot practices haven't been too hot, so I have to pick it back up this week.”

As for the discus, Orie continued to shine. She dethroned Butler's Jena Reinheimer, the 2017 champion.

“I was so excited to win the discus,” Orie said. “In prelims, my throw was 105, and I got a little nervous. I picked it up on my next couple throws, and then I hit my best throw on the final throw of finals.

“My goal at states is to break the school record in the discus, which is 149-9, and PR in shot, probably 44.”

It was the second time DeBone had won the pole vault title. She won it as a freshman in 2015 and placed second in 2016 and third in 2017.

DeBone's winning vault was 11-10, her best of the season.

“I'm super excited about it,” DeBone said. “It's really cool to win my freshman year and wrap up my senior year with another title.

“Between the weather and not being able to compete that often, it was kind of a rough start to the season. It was nice that my college (West Virginia) was here to watch. I'm hoping to go to states and hit a better mark.”

DeBone also competed in the triple jump, where she finished fifth with a jump of 35-5 ³⁄₄ but missed the state qualifying standard by a quarter inch. She also competed in the high jump.

“It was kind of crazy early in the meet because I was running back and forth between the pole vault, triple jump and high jump.” DeBone said. “I just tried to stay focused.

“I'm super excited about going to states and just focus on the pole vault. I want to hit 12 feet and just be clear with my attempts because you have a better chance of placing.”

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.

Tags: Hempfield Area