Banner day for Hempfield’s Bannon at Lady Spartan and Wildcat Invitational

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, April 13, 2019 | 9:12 PM

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Hempfield senior Jared Bannon has his goals set high this season. He wants to be a state hurdles champion.

Bannon, who placed second at the state indoor meet, had a great meet Saturday at the Lady Spartan and Latrobe Wildcat Invitational at Memorial Stadium.

Bannon won the 110-meter hurdles (14.84 seconds), beating North Allegheny’s Donovan Rice (15.37) and then held off Latrobe senior Zakharee Williams in the 200. Bannon finished in 22.60, Williams 22.61.

“I had high hopes of breaking the school record of 14.54,” Bannon said. “So I was happy with my time of 14.84. I know in the next few weeks I’ll be looking to drop that time a lot and get to where I need to be in the mid- to low-14s in the hurdles.”

Bannon set a personal record in the 200.

“I felt pretty good running the 200,” he said. “I have to work on starting and finishing that race stronger. Overall, I’m pretty happy.”

Binda shines

Greensburg Salem senior Cam Binda said he feels on track for another big season.

He said he accomplished what he needed by winning the 1,600 and placing second in the 3,200.

Binda set the meet record in the 1,600 (4 minutes, 19.33 seconds), breaking the mark of 4:19.46 by Jim Spisak of Bishop McCort (2009).

Binda and North Allegheny’s Daniel McGoey were on pace to break the stadium and meet record in the 3,200 before faltering. McGoey won the race, pulling away in Lap 7, with a time of 9:35. The record was 9:27.

“I’m pretty pleased. I ran a 4:19 and then bounced back in the 2-mile to run a 9:46 was a pretty good accomplishment,” Binda said. “I was looking forward to running the mile because it’s always a good race. I knew Dan was in the 2-mile, and I knew what was going to happen because he’s dropped some good 2-mile times.”

Orie breaks record

One down and one to go in terms of school records for Hempfield senior Mackenna Orie. The DePaul commit won the shot put and discus throws and was field MVP.

Her throw of 46 feet, 7½ inches set the school record, beating Rachel Serafin’s throw of 46-4½, and placing her fifth on the WPIAL’s all-time list. The winning throw also set the Memorial Stadium and meet record, breaking Serafin’s meet record of 44-9½ (2011)

She also won the discus with a toss of 139-4½, missing the meet record of Hempfield’s Kim Kanala 140-6 (2008) by less than a foot.

“I’m excited to get another outdoor (personal record) but disappointed because I warmed up really well (and didn’t throw further),” said Orie, who had throws more than 50 feet in warm-ups. “I’d like to reach 50 now and get it over with.”

Other MVP honors

Uniontown’s Isaiah Melvin earned the overall (track and field) boys top honor after winning the 300 hurdles, placing second in the high jump and third in the 110 hurdles.

Hempfield sophomore Daniel Norris was field MVP after winning the discus at 143-10 and placing third in the shot put with a heave of 46-8.

Girls track MVP honors went to Clare Marsh of St. Joseph Catholic Academy after she won the 300 hurdles, placed third in the 100 hurdles and was a member of the winning 1,600 relay team.

Other highlights

• Norwin senior Emily Brozeski had a busy and productive meet. She was on the winning 400 relay team, won the 100 hurdles, was fourth in the 300 hurdles and third in the high jump (5-1).

• Penn-Trafford’s Chris Colligan won the high jump with a leap of 6-5. Hempfield senior Jenna Uncapher won the girls high jump by clearing 5-5.

• Greensburg Salem had multiple winners. The girls 3,200 relay team of Keara Lint, Maddy Murtland, Sydney Gatons and Malia Anderson set a meet record (9:33.07). Jeremy Kappel won the 400. Tyler Williams claimed the triple jump (43-6¾), and Anderson won the 800.

• Additional winners from Norwin were Michael Ryan in the long jump (21-3 1/2) Lexi Gray in the triple jump (37-2), Jessica Kolesar in the long jump (17-11½), the 400 relay team of Jordyn Turkovski, Brozeski, Kayla Singer and Kolesar, and the boys 3,200 relay team of Dominic DeMaro, Luke Weyandt, Michael Astrab and Harrison Barnett.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Latrobe, North Allegheny, Norwin, Penn-Trafford