ABBEY WAY
SCHOOL: Mount Pleasant.

WHO IS SHE? A WPIAL champion in track and field and also a standout basketball player.

THIS WEEK: Way, a junior, won two gold medals at the WPIAL Class AA track and field championships Tuesday at South Side Beaver.

She won the pole vault for the second year in a row, clearing a personal-best 11 feet.

IT'S IN THE POLE: Way used a 12-foot pole for her first four jumps at the WPIAL championships.

But then she used a 13-foot pole to clear the 11-foot mark.

"That's the first time I've ever used that pole in a competition," Way said.

"I used it in practice a couple days ago and cleared 11 feet.

"We brought the 13-foot pole [to the championships] in case I was running fast. I felt I was going pretty fast and I felt pretty strong, so we decided to give it a try. It worked."

POLE-VAULT MENTALITY: Way knows pole-vaulters are thought to be a "little different."

But the event is something that caught her attention years ago.

"I remember when I was little, I went to a meet and saw the pole vault," Way said.

"I remember saying, 'I'm going to do that someday.' I've always liked to do things that take it to the limit."

-- By Mike White

COLE TAYLOR
SCHOOL: Burrell.

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

THE PAST WEEK: A left-hander, Taylor struck out 17 and allowed four hits last Wednesday in a 5-1 victory at Valley, a Section 3-AA opponent. The Buccaneers (14-1), the section champ, will face Neshannock (10-9) in a WPIAL first-round playoff game at 4 p.m. today at High Field, Butler.

SEASON: In 38 innings, Taylor has a 6-0 mark, 0.54 ERA and 77 strikeouts and has allowed 11 hits. He has struck out 14 or more four times.

Taylor also provides a quality left-handed bat. The Buccaneers' No. 3 hitter has a .500 average (23 for 46) with 15 RBIs, 20 runs scored and 15 stolen bases.

CAREER: This is Taylor's fourth season as a varsity pitcher. His cumulative record is 21-3.

SPEED THRILLS: Taylor has a vast repertoire of pitches that has enabled him to average nearly two strikeouts per inning the past three seasons. His trademark, though, is the fastball, even though he stands 5 feet 9 and 170 pounds. "I don't know where he gets that fastball, to tell the truth, " said Burrell coach Mark Spohn.

OTHER POSITIONS: Offensive proficiency keeps Taylor in the lineup when he is not on the mound.

"He's pretty good in center field," Spohn said. "He made a catch out there that was probably the best I've seen in high school baseball, stretched out and parallel to the ground."

-- By Rick Shrum