DiPietro validates US #1 high jump ranking with 5'10.50" personal best clearance Phil Grove Mar 14, 2014

Ellen Dipietro brought a little March madness Friday to one of the most storied venues in track and field. Already the national leader in the girls’ high jump, Dipietro captured the New Balance indoor title by making like a power forward looking for a rebound, adding to her 2014 US best with a winning clearance of 5 feet, 10.5 inches.

New Balance Nationals Indoor Girls Preview Phil Grove Mar 11, 2014

New champions will be plentiful in the girls’ events at the New Balance Indoor Nationals as only three individual champions return from 2013. And one of those former winners will move down in distance to contest a different event on the 200-meter oval.

PTFCA Indoor State Champs Featured Photos by fareast Phil Grove Mar 06, 2014

Phil's gallery features unique looks at different events, plus the immediate aftermath of Schwartz's mile and her obvious recovery waiting to receive her medal.

PTFCA Champs Feature Stories by Phil Grove (New added 3/3) Phil Grove Mar 03, 2014

Feature stories from the 2014 PTFCA Indoor Champs

River Crossing Worthwhile for Dent, WV Athletes Phil Grove Feb 18, 2014

Tori Dent of Hurricane was a double winner to lead West Virginia athletes in the Ohio River High School Invitational. 

Three D1 recruits vault to DIII Westminster for all the right reasons - and it's paying off Phil Grove Feb 17, 2014

For some, three pole vaulters with Division I scholarship-worthy credentials continuing their careers at a Division III school speaks of a landmark recruiting coup.

Good thing no one told Brianna Schwartz she couldn't set a state record in her first race of 2014 Phil Grove Feb 15, 2014

(File photo from 2013 PTFCA Indoor Champs)  It appears nobody told Brianna Schwartz that you shouldn’t run a PR, let alone a state record, in the opening race of your indoor season.

Brafford Adds to W.Va. Contingent at Oklahoma Phil Grove Feb 12, 2014

George Washington's Matthew Brafford joins a growing list of distance runners from West Virginia to sign with the University of Oklahoma.

Pennsylvania dominates at Youngstown State and shows the rest of PA the weather won't stop them Phil Grove Jan 28, 2014

It wasn’t a home meet or even their home state, but a snow-filled trek to the spacious indoor facility at Youngstown State appeared to make some western Pennsylvania track teams feel, well, right at home.

Foot Locker Teams: How the west was won Phil Grove Dec 15, 2013

The orange crushed, and the blue blazed.

A first in the history of Foot Locker - A Pennsylvania champ who just wanted to run Phil Grove Dec 15, 2013

Tessa Barrett concluded an undefeated 2013 season, responding to another late challenge from Connecticut's Hannah DeBalsi. 

A Battle for the Foot Locker Ages: Fisher, Dressel Trade Leads and More Phil Grove Dec 14, 2013

Separated by just seconds at the finish, Michigan's Grant Fisher and Washington's John Dressel were even closer in the closing stages of Saturday's Foot Locker national championship.

(Photo by Margot Kelly)

Balboa Park Course Walk Through Phil Grove Dec 13, 2013

Talent, determination, years of training and, finally, two fast laps around the winding figure-8 course at Balboa Park in San Diego. Follow along as Milesplit takes a trip in pictures and words around the layout that will determine the champions Saturday in the 35^th annual event.

Foot Locker Northeast Girls Race Story Phil Grove Dec 01, 2013

Nationally ranked heading into the Foot Locker Northeast Regional in New York City, Tessa Barrett had few external forces to move her along during a thus-far undefeated 2013 harrier campaign.

Foot Locker Northeast Boys Race Story Phil Grove Dec 01, 2013

On Saturday at Van Cortlandt Park, 10th was as good as first for those in the championship races of the Foot Locker Northeast Regional, with trips to the National Final in San Diego awaiting those finishers.

Amelia Paladino Headed to San Diego (Again) with 2nd at FL South (updated) Phil Grove Dec 01, 2013

Amelia Paladino Qualifies for 2nd Trip to Foot Locker National Finals!

Foot Locker NE Boys: Burke, Kroon, Alvarado and... Wide Open! Phil Grove Nov 28, 2013

With a certain runner from Newark, N.J., now competing in (and winning) national collegiate championships, Saturday's Foot Locker Northeast race can be summed up in two words - wide open.

A Final Take on Ona 2013 - Merinar, Bridgeport Dominate AA-A Boys Phil Grove Nov 15, 2013

Merinar Tops Field, Leads Bridgeport to State Championship

Morgantown, Philip Barbour Put Win Streaks on Line Phil Grove Nov 01, 2013

After a team wins a game or championship, it wants to win again. And then again.

Morgantown and Philip Barbour will look to extend state championship winning streaks today as West Virginia’s top cross country runners converge on Cabell Midland.

Class A Boys Preview: Saegertown or Masterman? Or NE Bradford repeat? Individual race wide open. Phil Grove Oct 29, 2013

The boys’ AA race was hit hard by graduation as the top four, eight of the top 10 and 16 of the top 20 were in the Class of 2013.

Class A Girls Preview: Weisner remains unbeaten|Elk Lake v Holy Cross v Central Cambria Phil Grove Oct 29, 2013

Year No. 2 of three classifications for cross country might be as historic as the one that ushered in the new era last year. The key figure - Elk County Catholic senior Kennedy Weisner.

DISTRICTS Feature: Grove City's girls showed a season's worth of resolve on Saturday in D10 Phil Grove Oct 28, 2013

In pursuit of what would have been the school’s first-ever state qualifying berth for its girls’ team, Grove City Area showed as much resolve, commitment and dedication on the last Saturday morning in October as most coaches hope to get from their teams during an entire season.

At Cooper's Lake - The North Allegheny guys and Shaler's Brianna Schwartz are a sure thing. Phil Grove Oct 27, 2013

It might not be up there just yet with death and taxes, but a North Allegheny victory in the Class AAA boys’ race at the WPIAL championship meet is getting close to being a certainty. The same may be said for Brianna Schwartz of Shaler when racing at Cooper's Lake.

Districts Week Feature: D8 had the Pittsburgh skyline as a backdrop at the first qualifiers Phil Grove Oct 21, 2013

With the skyline of Pittsburgh looking over their shoulder, Obama Academy’s Elena Woodworth and Carrick’s Zackary Wierzchowski decided it was a good time to sneak a peek back at their competition.

Nothing seemed to match Ann Arbor for the Martin twins... so Michigan it is... Phil Grove Oct 20, 2013

During the past year, many of the top distance runners in Pennsylvania tried – with little success – to break up Fox Chapel Area’s front-running tandem of Colin and Ethan Martin.

Conferences Weeks - Feature: Full Tri-States Coverage w/interviews & Boys/Girls Meet Story Phil Grove Oct 19, 2013

Shaler Area’s Brianna Schwartz and Fox Chapel Area’s Ethan Martin warmed up for next week’s district competition by taking individual gold at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association championship meet on a rainy, muddy layout at Cooper’s Lake. Fox Chapel's Ethan Martin needed an all-out sprint over the final 200 meters to catch and slip past Grove City’s Aaron Benka for the victory.

10/5 WKND Feature: Lauren Gronbeck takes down Grove City CR-Aaron Benka extends win streak Phil Grove Oct 06, 2013

According to the pop hit from the 1960s, “One” is the loneliest number, but all the “One(s)” – as in No. 1s – at the Grove City Invitational were wearing big smiles and far from sad Saturday.

Mary Jaskowak knows the pain all too well. You have no idea how well. Phil Grove Sep 26, 2013

One of the top runners in District 10, the Grove City Area senior has qualified for the state cross country and track championships despite injuries that have forced her to watch instead of race for months at a time.

9/21 Feature: Welcome to Sharpsville - home of Buhl Park pond Phil Grove Sep 23, 2013

Ok, so it isn’t the proverb you learned as a child, but it was quite appropriate for the 2013 edition of the Sharpsville Blue Devil Invitational as heavy morning rain turned a dry circuit into a sloppy one once hundreds of harriers took the starting gun.

Hadley Edges Elswick at Boardman Spartan Invitational Phil Grove Sep 16, 2013

Anyone who witnessed last year's Division I boys' race at the Spartan Invitational more than likely had a course-side seat for the 2013 edition on Saturday.

And after watching hometown star Mark Hadley of Boardman and Nick Elswick of Chardon battle it out once again over 5,000 meters, those same people probably are staking out their spots for October 26 when the OHSAA regional meet is run over the double-loop course.