Waynesburg senior rare threat in pole vault, hurdles
Daniel Layton’s parents are both teachers, albeit in contrasting subjects — his mother teaches high school language arts and his father middle school math.
Layton is a little bit different, too, as he excels in two track and field events that go together about as well as reading the The Great Gatsby and solving a linear equation.
Layton, a senior at Waynesburg High School, is one of the top pole vaulters in the state, which is odd only because he’s also one of the state’s best hurdlers.
“The only similarities are you have to be able to count your steps,” Layton said. “In the pole vault, they are even, consistent steps, slowly getting faster. In the hurdles, you have to have a set number of steps between the hurdles. It’s just form.”
He then added, “But once you’re in the air, there are no similarities.”
Layton will be the favorite to win the 110-meter hurdles and pole vault at the WPIAL Class 2A championships. He’s the defending champion in the hurdles and was the runner-up in the pole vault last season, finishing only behind Waynesburg teammate Will Behm, who has since graduated.
“They are two of the most technical events and he took to both of them very well,” said Layton’s father, Rick, who is also Waynesburg’s coach. “He’s a hardworking kid. Very coachable kid. Wants to be successful. He has the right skill set and the right drive.”
Also a four-year starter on Waynesburg’s soccer team, Layton holds the school record in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.65 seconds. His leap of 14 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault ranks second in outdoor competition. He jumped 153¾ and placed second in the “emerging elite” division at the New Balance Indoor Nationals last month in New York.
One of Layton’s goals is to win both events at the PIAA championships. At last year’s state meet, he placed third in the pole vault. He was the top seed in the hurdles going into the final, but fell after crashing into the first hurdle and finished in last place.
“That’s been a really big goal of mine. I want to make up for how I did last year,” he said.
A 4.0 student, Layton ranks No. 1 in his class and plans to major in biochemistry in college. He is considering William & Mary, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Seton Hill. Schools have been recruiting him to compete in both events.
Oakland Catholic
When the WPIAL Class 3A championships are contested in May, there’s a chance Oakland Catholic athletes could go 1-2 in the 100 hurdles.
Senior Jayla Ellis is the defending champion and set a meet record last year when she finished in 14.12. But the Eagles also have another excellent talent in junior Macey Crawford, who finished in fifth place last year and is off to a great start this season.
“I’m not bragging here, but I am very happy to have those two,” Oakland Catholic coach George Rudolph said.
Crawford finished in first place in the 100 and 300 hurdles last Saturday at the Mt. Lebanon Invitational. Ellis did not participate because she was visiting her future school, Purdue.
Ellis plans on competing in the heptathlon in college and Rudolph said she will do most of those events this season, including the shot put.
Blackhawk
Blackhawk junior Jack Aulbach set a school record in the 1,600-meter run last Thursday when he ran a 4:27.7 in a tri-meet against Moon and New Castle. Aulbach, who also runs the 3,200, is one of the best distance runners in Class 2A. In October, he placed fifth at the WPIAL cross country championships.
Aulbach is running among family this season. His sister, Mady, decided to run track for the first time. A senior, Aulbach is a basketball standout who will play at Youngstown State. She has picked up the sport quickly, winning the 800 in that tri-meet.
Up next
Three invitationals are scheduled for Saturday: South Hills Classic, Knoch Relays and Monessen Invitational. The South Hills Classic, which will be held at Baldwin, has a strong field. Among the schools expected to participate are Baldwin, Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, Erie Cathedral Prep, Riverside and Aliquippa.