Mike Vukovcan On Saturday, the Hopewell Track and Field team traveled to Butler High School for the 61st annual Butler Invitational- one of the largest and most competitive meets of the year- to test themselves against the best of the WPIAL and District 10.
The highlight of the meet was senior Bryce Ray’s breakout performance in the long jump.
Coming into the meet with a 20’7″ personal best and a Beaver County championship from last week, Ray uncorked two 22+ foot jumps in the prelims and finished with a silver medal and a new PB of 22’2″.
That jump ranks him 4th in the WPIAL for AAA and will secure him a spot in the WPIAL Individual Championship on May 31st.
Ray was the only Viking to make the podium at Butler, but several others had big days personally as they continue to improve.
*Sophomore Skylar Elias broke under the 6:00 mark for the first time, running the 1600m in 5:57.36.
*Sophomore Harley Hample delivered two new PBs in the 200m (26.66) and 400m (1:01.00).
*Sophomore Tre Cameron also sprinted to two PBs in the 100m (11.45) and 200m (23.32).
*Sophomore Jack Biega won his heat of the 400m in a personal best 51.43.
*Senior Antony Flitcraft took 20 seconds of his best 3200 time and finished in 10:35.15.
*Junior Luke McGrail made the finals of the 110m hurdles in an ultra-competitive field with 15.59.
*The girls 4×800 relay (Madi Inderelst, Keira Mann, Skylar Elias, and Caylee Sundy) took 7 seconds off their season best time to finish in 10:48.77.
The meet ended with everyone losing their voices and soaked to the bone as the boys and girls 4×400 relays sprinted around the track in a torrential downpour.
All of the performances will be improved on as these athletes continue to work and grow, but memories like that will last forever.
