Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Breehana Jacobs: Sophomore speedster. Click photo for larger image.

SCHOOL: Laurel Highlands.

WHO IS SHE? A 5-foot-2 sophomore and one of the fastest sprinters in the state.

LAST WEEK: Jacobs finished first Friday in the 100-meter dash (11.75 seconds) and the 200 (24.71) at the Baldwin Invitational, one of the largest meets in the eastern part of the country. She also was third in the long jump (17 feet 9 inches).

NO. 1 FOUR TIMES: Jacobs has the best times in the WPIAL this season in three running events, and the best distance in one jumping event. She has run the 100 in 11.6 seconds, the 200 in 24.6, the 400 in 56.2 and long-jumped 18-10.

AMONG THE BEST: In only two seasons, Jacobs has made quite an impact on WPIAL track. She is among the top five all time in the WPIAL in three events. Her 11.6 100 time and her 24.6 200 time ties her for fourth in both events. Her 56.2 in the 400 ties her for fifth.

Jacobs said her goals this season are to win WPIAL and PIAA titles in the 100 and also run an 11.5 in the 100. If she gets to 11.5, she would be tied for third all time in the WPIAL and be only 0.1 second behind the best time of former Rochester star Lauryn Williams, who won a silver medal in the 100 at the 2004 Olympics.

ON THE MOVE: Jacobs won the WPIAL Class AAA 100 championship as a freshman at Uniontown. But she transferred to Laurel Highlands after her family moved.

Laurel Highlands and Uniontown are archrivals. They met each other in a dual meet this track and field season.

"I was nervous for that meet," Jacobs said. "Not that I wouldn't do well, but because some Uniontown people were calling me a traitor. The two schools are rivals, and the Uniontown people were saying, 'How can you use us and then go to Laurel Highlands?' But I just said, 'I can't help it. My family moved.' "

THE COUSIN OF: Jacobs said athletic ability runs in her family. One of her cousins is Clairton football star Dana Brown, who will play at the University of Iowa next season.

-- By Mike White

SCHOOL:Chartiers Valley.

WHO IS HE?: One of the top pitchers in WPIAL baseball.

PAST WEEK: Gielarowski, a right-hander, struck out 14, walked one and delivered the winning hit May 3 in a 3-2 victory against Montour. He had 11 strikeouts Monday but lost for the first time this season, 8-5 to Ambridge.

SEASON: Going into the Colts' Section 3-AAA finale at Keystone Oaks yesterday, Gielarowski had a 5-1 record and was among the WPIAL strikeout leaders with 84.

He also is a second baseman and designated hitter who is batting over .400.

A senior, Gielarowski is in his second varsity season. Pitching for a 7-12 team last year, he had a 4-3 record, a 1.26 ERA and 61 strikeouts.

MULLIGAN: After playing baseball continuously for nearly a year, Gielarowski said he was "burned out" and did not to go out for the Chartiers Valley team as a sophomore. He focused, instead, on golf, his other athletic specialty.

About halfway through the 2003 season, Gielarowski said, "I realized I missed baseball. I wanted to come back." So he talked to Colts coach Frank Brown and rejoined the team the following autumn.

SPEED THRILLS: A fastball consistently in the 87 to 88 mph range is Gielarowski's trademark. But he also throws an effective curveball and split-finger fastball.

"His curveball is 100 percent improved from last year," Brown said. As for the split-finger, Gielarowski said it worked for him last year, but he has better control of it now.

DETERMINATION: Successful pitchers have more than strong arms. Brown said Gielarowski has the comportment necessary to win.

"He's so much tougher mentally this year. He wants to pitch in big games and is at his best when things are at their worst. Twice this season, he's had a bases-loaded, nobody-out situation and got out of it without a run."

FUTURE: Gielarowski will play for Greentree in the semipro Greater Pittsburgh Federation League this summer. He will attend Marshall University, which has a Division I baseball program that will switch from the Mid-American Conference to the more prestigious Conference USA next season.

-- By Rick Shrum