Franklin Regional junior Sean Cartwright was not pleased with his second place in the 110-meter hurdles Thursday.
But that early disappointment quickly dissipated shortly afterwards.
Cartwright rebounded by winning the Class 3A high jump and 300 hurdles at the WPIAL track and field championships at Mihalek-Thompson Stadium in Slippery Rock.
He was not the only big winner on the boys side.
Belle Vernon senior Ryan Kent won the shot put and discus.
Hempfield senior Jonathan Stetchock won the 1,600 and 3,200.
Greensburg Central Catholic senior Jerry Davis used a strong lean to nip North Catholic senior Logan Schade in the 400.
Davis became the second runner in the WPIAL to win the Class 2A 400 three times, joining Rochester’s Derek Moye (2005-07), who played football at Penn State. Davis placed third in the 200.
Cartwright won the 3A high jump by clearing 6-foot-9 and added gold in the 300 hurdles.
“Finishing second kind of motivated me,” Cartwright said. “I guess I cannot complain about that.
“I wanted to get first in the 110s and place in the high jump. It was a great day. I cannot put it into words.”
Kent’s grin expressed how he felt about winning both throwing events.
“I am so happy,” Kent said. “I broke my record (180-1) in the discus on my final throw. It was a great day. It was surprising because I did not have a good week of practice. I had to go back to the basics, and it worked.”
Stetchock dominated the distance runs despite the cool and damp conditions.
“I am really happy I got both of them,” Stetchock said. “That 3,200 was definitely tough. It was windy and cold being out there for 10 minutes. It was a mental battle leading the entire race.”
Stetchock set the pace in both races and used a strong final lap to hold off his competition.”
Hempfield’s 3,200 relay team of Isaiah Bittner, Ryan Ewling, Jake Halsted and Troy Payne placed third.
Latrobe junior Preston Miller just missed qualifying for the states in the 100 and as part of the 400 relay team. But he used those losses to motivate himself to win the 200.
“I was doubting myself,” Miller said. “I wanted to win the 100, but the 200 is sweet. It gave me confidence.”
Davis said he did not mean to fall at the finish line.
“That was a great race, and Logan (Schade of North Catholic) is a great competitor,” Davis said. “He pushed me. I was battling a little bit of a cold last week, and it slowed my training. It is great to be tied with a former NFL player.”
Norwin senior Jeremiah Francis placed fourth in the 110 hurdles, and junior Tyler Beck placed fifth. Beck placed third in the 300 hurdles.
Sophomore Benjamin McBride placed third in the 3,200.
Hempfield junior Luke Harster placed seventh in the 110 hurdles.
Franklin Regional senior Anthony Petrucci placed fourth in the discus.
Kiski Area sophomore Nicholas Anderson placed fourth in the shot put, and junior Braden Miller finished second in the 300 hurdles and third in 110 hurdles.
Derry senior Jeremiah Gess, a two-time Westmoreland County champion, placed third in the pole vault.
Greensburg Central Catholic sophomore Blasé Bugosh finished second in the high jump.
Ligonier Valley senior Alec Brisendine and Mt. Pleasant junior Gage Sowers tied for second in Class 2A pole vault.
Mt. Pleasant sophomore Bryson Bankosh placed fifth in the 2A long jump (21-61⁄2).
Southmoreland junior Dawson Wolfe placed fourth (47-3) in Class 2A shot put, and Mt. Pleasant sophomore Andrew Brodak was fifth (44-73⁄4) in the shot put.