In baseball, there is an unwritten rule -- actually one of many -- that nobody mentions the fact that a pitcher has a no-hitter going during the game.

In track and field, Monessen's standout sprinter, Tarelle Irwin, had a no-hitter of sorts going in the 200-meter dash, his best event, and his coach Ramont Small did his best not to bring it up.

Irwin, a senior at Monessen, went from dual meet to dual meet and from invitational to invitational, outrunning his competition each time in the 200. He took first place at the Westmoreland County Coaches Invitational and at the Monessen Invitational along with winning that race in every dual meet.

He remained undefeated at the WPIAL Class AA championships, claiming the boys' individual title, running a 22.56.

All the while, much like in baseball, no one said anything to Irwin about his run at perfection. And unlike a pitcher in the midst of a no-hitter, Irwin didn't have the slightest idea of the kind of streak he was on. Irwin routinely ran the 100-meter dash as well and took part in team relays, sometimes losing, so he had tasted defeat before, just never in the 200.

Irwin completed the perfect season Saturday at Shippensburg University with a gold medal run of 22.25 in the 200. It was the first individual PIAA track championship in Monessen history.

"I am not sure if I was beaten this year," Irwin said thinking out loud the day after his state title triumph. "Now that I think about it, I didn't lose. That is crazy."

Even Irwin's mother was unaware of the feat her son had accomplished this season as were many around the Monessen track program ... just as Small wanted it.

"I saw it right away at the beginning of the year that he was capable of going all the way," Small said.

"I never wanted to mention it while he was going undefeated in the 200 meter. I knew about it through the whole year but I don't think he even knew about it -- he was busy concentrating on all his events."

Irwin is not exactly a one trick Greyhound. He also won gold at WPIALs in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.14 and at states took home the bronze in the same event with a time of 10.89.

The historic season by Irwin was made even better because a majority of it was actually able to occur on his home track, at Monessen. This is the first year Monessen was able to play host to meets after having to travel to neighboring schools often to compete. Monessen had work done so it could accommodate other events such as long jump and javelin that it previously could not.

"It was excellent timing this year," Small said. "I think Tarelle showed all our kids, freshmen, sophomores and juniors, that with hard work and determination you can do well. Community-wise, seeing Monessen up there, it just feels good."

Using athletic ability for a chance at higher education is often a goal of high school athletes but at Monessen, in a sport such as track and field, it is usually not a reality. Irwin took a chance anyway, temporarily giving up a source of income, a part-time job at a local Pizza Hut, to pursue track full-time this year.

"My job was not going to fully cover college but if I got a scholarship from track, that will cover it," Irwin said.

"Two weeks before track season I had some heavy work with classes and running track and the two-hour practices. It was pretty hard juggling that, but track and field is my love and passion and I had a pretty good relationship with my boss and they let me go on my three-month leave."

Even with state championship times, it is still a challenge for Irwin to get noticed at Monessen.

"If he gets with a good [collegiate] program, he can become a very good sprinter," Small said.

"It someone takes a shot on him he will do great. He is willing to work hard. By the time he gets to be a junior or senior, you will be hearing his name again at whatever school is trying to give him a shot. He is a diamond in the rough."