NA’s Owens runs nation’s 2nd-fastest hurdles time at TSTCA championship

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, February 18, 2018 | 1:33 AM

North Allegheny senior Ayden Owens won three events and ran the season’s second-fastest 60-meter hurdles time in the country Saturday at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association Indoor Championship at Edinboro University.

The Southern Cal recruit won the hurdles in 7.70 seconds, which milesplit.com ranked second among high school boys behind Eric Edwards of Houston, Texas (7.66). Third is Tre’Bien Gilbert of Judson, Texas (7.84).

Owens already owned the No. 2 spot nationally after he posted 7.77 at the TSTCA meet Jan. 20, but keeps improving his personal-best. He ran 7.71 on Feb. 11 at the Spire Scholastic Showcase in Geneva, Ohio, a mark he bettered by one-hundredth of a second at Edinboro.

The NA star also won the 200 meters (21.77 seconds) and the long jump Saturday. Owens’ winning jump of 23 feet, 3½ inches was within two inches of his WPIAL-winning outdoor-best from a year ago (23-5¾).

Upper St. Clair senior Savannah Shaw won both the 3,000-meter run (10:08.09) and the mile (5:03.99) Saturday.

North Allegheny, Hempfield and Seneca Valley each had multiple individual winners.

Hempfield’s Molly DeBone won the girls pole vault (11-4) and Mackenna Orie won the girls shot put (40-3½). Seneca Valley’s Seth Ketler won the boys 800 (1:58.7) and Sam Owori won the boys mile (4:22.64). Along with Owens’ wins, North Allegheny’s Daniel McGoey won the boys 3,000 meters (8:57.25).

Congratulations to the NA Boys Track Team: your 2018 #TSTCA #CHAMPIONS! pic.twitter.com/dKwt56s1fM

— John Neff (@natigerstrack) February 17, 2018

Other individual girls winners from the WPIAL and City League were Obama Academy’s Raven Haston in the 60 meters, Mt. Lebanon’s Molly Mangan in the 200, South Fayette’s Rachel Helbling in the 400, Greensburg Salem’s Malia Anderson in the 800, Bentworth’s Brenna Cavanaugh in the 60 hurdles, Latrobe’s Sadie Wetzel in the high jump and Oakland Catholic’s Jayla Ellis in the long jump.

Big day at 2018 TSTCA Championships – Butler Girls take the Team Championship! Start with 1st in 4×8 for Chesna, Maggie, Erin, Liz at 9:44 and end with 1st in 4×4 with Gabby, Maddie, Chesna, Liz! DMR 2nd & Liz 2nd in 800! Heading to Penn State next week! pic.twitter.com/s3uOh9khwA

— Butler Track & Field (@ButlerTandF) February 17, 2018

Winning individual boys titles were Bethel Park’s James Krandel in the 60 meters, Riverside’s Calvin Wetzel in the 400, Mt. Lebanon’s Mason Ventrone in the high jump, Penn Hills’ Jaden Rouse in the triple jump and Butler’s Jack Codispot in the pole vault.

Complete TSTCA results are available here .

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: North Allegheny