Butler County Classic results: Top performances from first major track meet of PIAA season

March 28, 2026 Last Updated: March 28, 2026 07:06 PM Sports

JACKSON TWP — It felt like athletes were battling the elements more than their rivals Saturday during the Butler County Classic and Seneca Valley’s NexTier Stadium.

Here are some of the highlights from the first big meet of the outdoor track and field season that gave a glimpse of what’s to come in 2026 despite the cold and wind:

Butler’s Jason Wick celebrates after breaking the meet record and vaulting 15 feet in the Butler County Classic track and field meet Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Butler’s Jason Wick flips out in pole vault

Vaulting 15 feet in the air upside down is hard enough. Backflipping on the vault pad immediately after sticking a PR might be harder.

Jason Wick couldn’t contain himself after he easily cleared 15-0 on his first attempt at the height in the pole vault, letting out an amped-up shout and flipping head over heals immediately after he landed. It was one of the most enthusiastic celebrations of a cold and grueling day for the athletes, and the final one, too.

“I was pretty nervous with the conditions,” the Butler senior said. “We made the right adjustments.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster.”

He attempted 15-2, which is a national-qualifying height, but came up short on three attempts. It didn’t matter, he easily won the event and has his sights even more firmly set now on breaking the Tornado record of 15-7.

“The plan is always the same to keep going higher and higher,” Wick said.

Butler’s Kevin Shriver took first place in the boys 100-meter dash with a time of 11.43 in the Butler County Classic track and field meet Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Butler boys relays, Shriver cruise

The Golden Tornado’s 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800 show no signs of slowing down after last year’s strong outdoor season and another dominant indoor campaign.

Landon Slear anchored the opening 4x800 that won in 8:27.21 and the 4x400 that closed the meet in 3:34.02. He also won the 800 (2:02.52) to establish a strong starting point despite the conditions.

“We came and performed, we did what we needed to do,” the freshman said. “It was good day for me, good strength-builder.”

Carter Ekas, another newcomer to the relays, ran a leg of the 4x100 that crossed the line in 44.83. Braden Slaughenhoup ran the 4x1 and 4x4. Ekas also won the 400 in 50.48.

Junior Kevin Shriver, one of the WPIAL’s fastest sprinters, won the 100 in 11.43 but sat the relays to rest for Monday’s big dual-meet with North Allegheny. He set a PR, though, in the long jump with a 20-1 to finish second.

North Catholic’s Audra Lazzara took first place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.57 in the Butler County Classic track and field meet Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

North’s Lazzara twins back to old ways

Like most of the competitors at the meet, North Catholic juniors Anna and Audra Lazzara were not seeking personal bests because of the cold and wind. But they still came home with four combined golds and a few more medals.

Anna, who is working her way back from a hamstring injury during the indoor track season, won the shot put in 31-5. Twin Audra won the long jump (16-7.50) and 100 hurdles (16.57) and helped the 4x100 relay win in 51.07.

The two are focusing only on track this season — they played other sports before this year — and hoping to compete with a Division I program in two years. Anna is building up to being a heptathlete, while Audra’s specialty is the hurdles. They came away with a bag full of WPIAL and PIAA hardware as sophomores.

“I definitely think after last year it really opened my eyes how successful we could be, especially collegiately,” Audra said. “I think in this day and age, you kind of have to focus on one sports.”

“Just kind of realized our potential,” Anna said. “I think junior year, it gets more real, it’s ... always known as your big track year, big for recruiting.”

Seneca Valley’s Monteleone, Wolfe do enough for gold

Again, no real shot at PRs while trying to keep warm and bundled between attempts. Raiders field standouts Jordan Monteleone (high jump) and Audrey Wolfe (javelin) still took care of business with relative easy.

Monteleone won in 5-3, and Wolfe battled the wind all afternoon for a 126-10. Nearly 25 feet better than Knoch’s Neah Ewing.

“When the weather gets nicer and it’s sunny outside, I would like to hit Seneca Valley’s No. 1 all-time girls high jump, which is 5-7,” said Monteleone, whose personal best is 5-6 coming into her senior season.

“It really wasn’t my best. I was a little disappointed, actually — I thought I would throw a little better than I had been,” said Wolfe, who has set a goal of winning the WPIAL championship in her senior season after consecutive sixth- and fifth-place finishes the last two years.

Butler County Classic event winners

GIRLS

4x800 relay: North Catholic (S. Dunn, M. Killian, M. Meeuf, Annie Puhalla) 10:17.13

100 hurdles: Audra Lazzara (North Catholic) 16.57

100: Madelyn Primer (North Catholic) 12.84

1600: Avery Sintz (Butler) 5:32.29

4x100 relay: North Catholic (A. Eiler, Au. Lazzara, Madelyn Primer, C. Kandravy) 51.07

400: Alexa Stoltz (North Catholic) 1:01.38

300 hurdles: Emily Matz (Moniteau) 50.23

800: Macie McLister (Butler) 2:28.00

200: Madelyn Primer (North Catholic) 27.31

3200: Zari Golojuh (Butler) 12:09.27

4x400 relay: Freeport (M. Sleppy, M. Magness, P. Cene, P. Bhat) 4:18.27

High jump: Jordan Monteleone (Seneca Valley) 5-3

Pole vault: Mackenzie Magness (Freeport) 11-0

Long jump: Audra Lazzara (North Catholic) 16-7.50

Triple jump: Sienna Bernardi (Grove City) 34-11

Discus: Julianna Lockwood (Butler) 99-10

Javelin: Audrey Wolfe (Seneca Valley) 126-10

Shot put: Anna Lazzara (North Catholic) 31-5

BOYS

4x800 relay: Butler (L. Rogers, J. Sellinger, J. Kauffman, L. Slear) 8:27.21

110 hurdles: Brady Dumbaugh (Butler) 15.83

100: Kevin Shriver (Butler) 11.43

1600: Brendan Eicher (Butler) 4:26.22

4x100 relay: Butler (C. Ekas, K. Wiley, B. Slaughenhoup, I. Miller) 44.83

400: Carter Ekas (Butler) 50.48

300 hurdles: Brady Dumbaugh (Butler) 42.13

800: Landon Slear (Butler) 2:02.52

200: Austin Friedline (Knoch) 23.40

3200: Jack Steineman (North Catholic) 9:32.74

4x400 relay: Butler (M. Saspe, L. Slear, B. Slaughenhoup, A. Motonis) 3:34.02

High jump: Max Walker (Butler) 5-9

Pole vault: Jason Wick (Butler) 15-0

Long jump: Ryan Snyder (North Catholic) 20-8.5

Triple jump: Eddie Strong (Seneca Valley) 43-5

Discus: DeLathian Boanes (Grove City) 155-4

Javelin: Nicco Baggetta (Butler) 162-1

Shot put: DeLathian Boanes (Grove City) 59-3.5

Rob McGraw

Seneca Valley’s Mitchell Everly competed in the wheelchair 100-meter race in the Butler County Classic track and field meet Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

North Catholic’s Audra Lazzara took first place in the girls long jump (16-7.50) in the Butler County Classic track and field meet Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw