Records are meant to be broken
When Usain Bolt broke Michael Johnson’s world record in the 200-meter dash at the 2008 Summer Olympics, NBC announcer Ato Boldon emphatically stated: “The world record that I thought would be the record at 200 meters on the day I died is gone in 12 years.”
Bolt flew off the turn and sprinted down the straightaway to cross the finish line in 19.30, which topped Johnson’s mark of 19.32.
The moral of the story is that records are meant to be broken, and such is the case, whether it be at the highest level of competition, or at a local high school competition.
Two records were broken, although one by the same athlete, on Friday in the Fayette County Coaches Association (FCCA) Track & Field Championships at Uniontown’s Bill Power Stadium.
Laurel Highlands’ Sahayla Dues won the girls 100-meter hurdles in 15.05, which was not only a PR (personal record), but broke the county record of a fellow Mustang in Melanie Cluss, who had the record for 26 years after running 15.4 in 2000.
Geibel Catholic’s Emma Larkin already had the FCCA record in the 300 hurdles at 46.62, which she set two years ago, but the senior lowered her mark in running 46.55 to win the event. Larkin, who was seventh in the 300 hurdles at last year’s state meet in Class 2A, has a PR of 46.15 in the event. She also placed seventh in the 400-meter dash last season.
The remainder of the records at the county meet, which was held for a number of years before being put on hiatus in the mid-1970s, date back to the 2000 season, as the current version of the event was first held at Laurel Highlands, and has been running strong since. The lone exception was the 2020 meet because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Albert Gallatin, Connellsville, Laurel Highlands and Uniontown take turns in hosting each year.
As Boldon and the rest of the world learned in 2008, you never want to say a record won’t fall, but there are several long-standing marks at the FCCA Track & Field Championships in the boys 3,200 relay that is held by Connellsville. The quartet of Justin Metzger, Zach McCoy, Justin Hayes and Rory Eutsey completed the eight laps around the Mustangs’ track in 8:16 to set the bar high during the 2000 season.
Connellsville’s Marcus Furman has records at the 100 and 200 in times of 10.7 and 21.8. Furman, who set both marks in 2001, shares the 100 record with Laurel Highlands’ Jack Macioce, who also ran a 10.7 during the event in 2004.
The Falcons hold the record in the 1,600 relay after finishing in 3:30 in 2002. The team consisted of B.J. Straughters, John Tremba, Paul Micklow and Brian Burden.
The girls shot put record has stood for 21 years, as Connellsville’s Amanda Sines threw 39-05 in 2005. Another Falcon thrower, Madison Wiltrout set the girls javelin mark in 2015 at 162-05. Wiltrout, who would win four state titles before competing for the University of North Carolina, has a good chance of keeping her record for many years to come, as she is currently competing on the world stage, and recently had the year’s best throw in the world this past Thursday in the Drake Relays.
Before he was coaching Belle Vernon to state championships in football and handling duties as an athletic director, Matt Humbert was dominating on the track in the hurdles. The 2003 graduate of Laurel Highlands High School remains the record holder in the boys 110 and 300 hurdles in times of 14.9 and 39.3.
Connellsville’s Ken King still holds the FCCA record of 4:26 in the 1,600-meter run that he set in 2004.
Breehana Jacobs, who won multiple state championships before competing for the University of South Carolina, set FCCA records in the 100, 200 and 400, and was the anchor leg on the Laurel Highlands’ 1,600 relay team that holds the record in the event. Meg Mahoney, Aliana Vignali, Molly Macioce were also on the squad that ran 4:08 in 2006.
Jacobs completed the 100 in 11.8 and the 400 in 55.6 during the 2006 event as a junior with the Mustangs. Jacobs set the 200 mark as a night grader while competing for Uniontown after finishing in 24.5.
Brownsville’s Jolena Quarzo has three individual records in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 with times of 2:20.43, 5:03.11 and 10:57.22. Qurzo ran all three times in 2022.
LH has the top time in the 400 relay at the FCCA meet in 50 seconds, as Ashley Galderisi, Aaliyah Howell, Annika Baermann and Erica Tarr set the record in 2016.
Breehana Jacobs’ brother, Dontay Jacobs, has the FCCA record in the 400 after flying around the track for the Mustangs in 49.8 during the event in 2015.
Connellsville and Laurel Highlands share the record in the 400 relay, as the Mustangs set the initial standard in 2002 before the Falcons equaled the feat in 2009, as both squads finished in 43.6.
Brian Florkevich, Garrett Brain, Corey Nesser and Jack Rose made up the squad for Laurel Highlands, while Connellsville was represented by Rich Miller, Sean Keffer, Mason Leos and Jarrett McCutcheon.
Albert Gallatin’s Xavier Stevens broke the county record in the 800 in 2016 after running 1:58.2.
Uniontown’s Mason Stewart has the top performance in the 3,200 after finishing in 9:48.13 in 2023.
Laurel Highlands’ Zane Breakiron, who tragically passed away as a result of an automobile accident on June 3, 2023, has the FCCA record in the boys javelin at 177. Breakiron, who went on to compete at the University of Florida, set the mark in 2008.
Connellsville’s Rodney Richter holds the top spot in the discus (167-02) and shot put (57-11), which he set in 2009.
A pair of Colonials make up the best performances in the high and long jumps in Anthony Stevenson and Greg McKoy.
Stevenson cleared 6-06 in the high jump in 2008 and McKoy leaped 22-03.5 to win the long jump in 2012.
Uniontown’s Josiah Davis has the triple jump record after landing in the sand from his take off 45-4.25 feet away in 2016.
Laurel Highlands’ Jacob Hensh holds the boys record in the pole vault after landing from 15-06 feet above in 2011. Cassandra Phelan provided the Mustangs with another pole vault record after clearing 12-07 in 2017.
Belle Vernon’s Gianna Gaul holds the record in the girls discus after throwing 131-05 in 2015.
Brownsville’s Maris Seto set two all-time marks in the 2016 in the high and triple jumps at 5-06 and 36-02.75.
The Red Raiders’ Dellecia Francis jumped 18-04.75 in the long jump in 2016.