One giant leap: Devin Whitlock’s high jump win gives BVA another Track Classic crown
By JOSE NEGRON
jnegron@yourmvi.com
When last year’s Scott Frederick Mid-Mon Track Classic was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Belle Vernon Area boys track and field team missed out on a meet circled on its calendar each year.
The Leopards had won 11 of the previous 14 team titles and were looking forward to continuing their success.
Fast forward a year and BVA has added yet another championship trophy to its collection.
A victory in the high jump by Devin Whitlock helped the Leopards clinch their 12th team win with a 139-point performance Monday at Ringgold’s Joe Montana Stadium.
Whitlock won the final event with a jump of 5-8, while Elizabeth Forward’s Rob Hrabosky finished tied for second with a leap of 5-6. EF finished just short of pulling off the win, collecting 137 team points. Ringgold placed third with 105 points.
“I’m excited that I could come out here and win for my team,” Whitlock said. “With it just being my first year with track, it’s all fun to come in here to compete. It wasn’t just me, though. Everyone contributed to this.”
The high jump win wasn’t Whitlock’s only contribution on the day.
The multi-sport standout collected a fourth-place finish in the 200-meter dash and was a part of the 4×100-meter relay team that placed second. He added a win in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.93, beating out teammate Dylan Timko, who finished in 11.98.
“I’m not gonna lie, I thought he had me today,” Whitlock said. “You gotta love when you and your teammate finish 1-2. It feels good to compete against your own team and know you’re not the only one winning competitions.
“It means a lot to come out and show the whole Mon Valley that Belle Vernon is still on top and that we do still have some of the fastest kids around.”
To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Tuesday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.
