Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Hopewell's Becky Novacek smiles after getting the gold medal in the Class AAA high jump yesterday at Shippensburg University. Click photo for larger image. Related coverage 2007 PIAA Track Chamionships Boys' Class AAA Boys' Class AA Girls' Class AAA Girls' Class AA

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- It was the last time Hopewell senior Becky Novacek would clear a high-jump bar. While her leap of 5 feet, 5 inches yesterday gave her a PIAA title, it did so much more.

Novacek's jump raised the all-around athlete bar to a height that rarely has been seen in Pennsylvania high school sports.

Novacek, competing in her final high school event, won the Class AAA high jump title at Shippensburg University. It also made her a golden girl for all seasons.

Three sports. Three PIAA gold medals. One special athlete.

At the minimum, the 6-foot-2 Novacek is one of the few in PIAA history to win gold medals in three sports. No one keeps records on such things, and some longtime observers of Pennsylvania athletics believe she might be the first to accomplish the feat.

Novacek won a PIAA title in volleyball as a sophomore (she has a full scholarship for volleyball to the University of Dayton). She also was a starter and key player on two PIAA championship basketball teams (2006 and '07). Now this golden moment.

"I can't think of someone who has won in three different sports," said PIAA executive director Brad Cashman, who has been involved with the organization for almost three decades. "The thing is, you have to consider two of her championships are in team sports. What makes it difficult to win three is that in the team sports not only does she have to rely on her talent, but she has to rely on her teammates."

The magnitude of the feat was lost on Novacek, who giggled at the notion that she should be considered one of the all-time great athletes in Pennsylvania history.

"I don't think of myself that way," she said.

She also said no one told her how unusual it would be to win three PIAA titles in three sports.

"It's exciting, but I don't know if it's going to sink in for a long time," Novacek said, shrugging her shoulders.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Hempfield's Weston Banks won the Class AAA discus with a throw of 180-5. Click photo for larger image.

The PIAA title put an exclamation point on a strange season for Novacek. She took a few weeks off after a long basketball season and wasn't going to compete unless her father, Jim, was able to coach her. That got worked out, but Novacek missed some meets and practice time because of Junior Olympic volleyball.

At the recent WPIAL championships, she placed third with a leap of only 5-2, after winning the title a year ago. But things came together at the PIAA meet for Novacek after finishing second, fifth and eighth in three previous seasons.

It was a nice way to end her track and field career, as she will play only volleyball at Dayton. But her high school legacy should live for a long time.

Novacek was one of two WPIAL athletes to win a gold medal on the first day of the two-day PIAA meet. Half of the field events and preliminary heats for running events were held yesterday. The rest of the field events and the running finals will be today.

The other winner from the WPIAL was Hempfield's Weston Banks, who won the Class AAA boys' discus with a throw of 180-5. Defending champion Andrew Fahringer of Whitehall was second at 178-8.

"My senior year goal was 190," said Banks, a University of Louisville recruit. "I didn't get it, so I am a little disappointed. But winning is what mattered."

In running events, Laurel Highlands sprinter Breehana Jacobs had the fastest times in the 100, 200 and 400 preliminary heats. Jacobs is attempting to become the first female in PIAA history to win the three sprinting events in the highest classification. Her 400 time was the fastest in WPIAL history, bettering the mark of 55.07 by Candy Young in 1980.

"I feel pretty good, better than I thought. So I guess that's a good sign," Jacobs said. "The 200 was hard because of the wind. The wind was like a brick wall. That might have tired me out, trying to push it through the wind. But my legs feel good. I'll take a nice ice bath and I'll be good."

The Norwin girls' 1,600 relay team ran 3:53.81, the fastest time in WPIAL history. It broke the previous best of 3:54.50 by North Hills in 1977.