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Prom keeps South Fayette champion out of PIAA track

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California’s Ashley McIntosh took second in the semifinals of the girl’s Class AA 300-meter hurdles at the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University Friday. McIntosh advanced to today’s finals.

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Bentworth’s Brenna Cavanaugh competes in the girl’s Class AA long jump at the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University Friday.

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Bentworth’s Brenna Cavanaugh competes in the girl’s Class AA long jump at the PPIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University Friday.

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Fort Cherry’s Devon Brown competed in the boy’s Class AA javelin at the PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University Friday.

SHIPPENSBURG – The first day of the PIAA Track & Field Championships was just as notable for who wasn’t there as it was for who competed.

Courtney Phoennik of South Fayette, who won the WPIAL Class AAA triple jump title last week with a leap of 38-2 ¼, skipped the state meet in order to go to the prom, which also was held Friday night.

“We talked about it before,” said South Fayette coach Scott Litwinovich. “It was a tough decision for her. When it comes down to it, it’s disappointing as a coach to have that happen. I also understand the kids’ aspect of it, too. She’s a girl, she’s a senior and she wants to go to her prom.”

Litwinovich said Phoennik is currently not planning to compete in college.

“It doesn’t (hurt) her in that way,” Litwinovich said. “It’s something we have to deal with every year with the way the schedule is. Prom is the same day every year and we have kids who have to make that decision.”

It was a light first day for the area as only one athlete, Brenna Cavanaugh of Bentworth, won a medal. And she was not pleased with her third-place finish in the Class AA long jump with an 18-3 ½ effort.

“I’ve been jumping 19 (feet) in indoor and high 18s in outdoor,” said Cavanaugh, who came in with the second-best jump in the state at 18-9. “I don’t know what happened today. I wanted to do better than I did.”

Cavanaugh, Chyna Beck of Canon-McMillan, and Ashley McIntosh of California put on an impressive showing in the hurdles. Beck in Class AAA and Cavanaugh in Class AA each won their respective preliminary races and advanced to the semifinals this morning.

Cavanaugh’s time of 14.63 was slightly under her qualifying time of 14.64. It was .25 seconds better than the time that earned her a silver medal in last year’s state tournament. She was sixth in this event two years ago as a sophomore.

“I definitely got a good start,” said Cavanaugh. “I slowed down a little at the end because I knew I didn’t need it. I’ll save that for (Saturday). I had a little bit of nerves but I’m more excited to be back here again.”

Beck’s time of 14.73 was about a quarter second slower than her qualifying time.

“I got to the starting line and noticed there were different blocks,” Beck said. “They were bigger and shorter. I focused on what I needed to do and put everything in the past. I worked on getting out of the blocks and staying low to the hurdle. I wanted to make everything smooth.”

McIntosh advanced in the Class AA high hurdles and 300 hurdles, taking second in each of her heats.

“I’m real excited. This is my first time at states and I’m excited to be here,” she said.

“I didn’t have a great start (in the 100 hurdles) and I felt like I was really high going over the first hurdle. I relaxed, zoned in and pulled through to take second. I’m pretty sure I was in fourth at the start.”

McIntosh is prepared to shave some time off the 45.75 finish in the 300 hurdles, her stronger event.

“I most definitely think I can do better,” she said. “The reason I think so is that I was right with the leader (Heather Grober of Hickory) and I eased up at the end. At least, I know I can be consistently around that time.”

South Fayette’s Rachel Helbling, who failed to defend her WPIAL title last week by taking second, looked strong in her prelims, winning her heat with a time of 56.29.

“I was just looking to win the heat and get a good seed for (Saturday’s) finals,” said Helbling. “I was a little nervous but definitely excited because I had run here before.”

Helbling took fifth in last year’s state tournament.

“I’m just going to relax now, and maybe play some mini-golf,” she said.

Among those eliminated on the first day were Laura Ehrenberger of Peters Township in the Class AAA 3,200 run; Lexie Marchando of Beth-Center in the Class AA 400 dash; Sam Snodgrass of South Fayette in the Class AAA 1,600 run; Beck in the Class AAA triple jump; the Canon-McMillan girls 400 and 1,600 relay teams; the Fort Cherry girls 1,600 relay team and the McGuffey Class AA 3,200 relay team.

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