Brad Hough has done his track homework.

After winning the 1,600-meter run in a less than sparkling time of 4 minutes, 38.01 seconds at the Midwestern Athletic Conference championships at Mars last week, he talked about how fast he would like to do the race.

More to the point, it is how fast he will probably need to run the 1,600 at the WPIAL Class AAA championships to earn a trip to Shippensburg University for the PIAA meet.

"I've run a 4:32 at the Center Invitational," he said. "To qualify for the states [PIAA championships] you need to run a 4:24. The WPIAL is loaded [with really good distance runners] this year. There's [Baldwin's] Bobby Bishop, [North Allegheny's] Ryan Gil, [North Hills'] Joe Kush and [Canon-McMillan's] Nick Gibson. That's four right there and the top four [at the WPIAL championships] usually go. So that means I have to hit that time."

The top four in every event at the WPIAL Class AAA track championships automatically qualify for the PIAA meet. Those who finish fifth through eighth also qualify for the PIAA championship if they meet the predetermined standard.

A problem for Hough, a senior at West Allegheny High School, is that he missed a couple of names on his list of people to beat. It should have included Mt. Lebanon's Rad Gunzenhauser, Penn Hills' Charles Anderson and Central Catholic's Bob Gasior, who is a Robinson resident.

There is a good chance all of those runners will not compete in the 1,600 at the WPIAL meet. Some may decide to just run the 3,200 and on their school's relay team. If that happens, Hough will have a better chance of making it to Shippensburg.

"He's got a good chance," West Allegheny coach James Hamilton said when asked about Hough. "He was eighth in the WPIAL in cross county. He has the ability."

Hough wasn't pushed much in the 1,600 at the MAC meet. Quaker Valley's Nat Fox was second in 4:41.05.

"Omar [Hyjek] of Quaker Valley and Evan Miller [from Laurel] are both saving themselves for the 3,200," Hough said after the race. "Omar ran a leg on the 3,200 relay, but so did I, and I don't think Evan has run anything yet. So, it's going to be tough for me [in the 3,200] but I'll try to stay with the leaders as long as I can."

Still, Hough managed to finish third in the 3,200 behind Hyjek, who set a meet record of 9:32.32, and Miller, who ran a Laurel school record of 9:44.61. Hough was third in 9:55.25.

Last year, the 3,200 was Hough's race. He trained to do well in the event and finished ninth at the WPIAL championships. This season it was decided he should focus on the 1,600.

"We just decided to switch things up," he said. "I've still been running four events -- the 3,200 relay; 1,600; 800 and 3,200 -- in dual meets, but I've been working more on the 1,600."

It is not as if he has to do well at the WPIAL championships to earn a spot on a college team. Hough will run for Division I Akron in the fall.

"My dad did a good job reaching out," Hough said. "You get the mail from Waynesburg and a lot of Division III colleges. I had aspirations for a bigger school and I wanted to get a good coach and see how far I can go with this.

"Akron is a pretty big school. I liked the coaches and I liked the food."

Not a lot of high school athletes make their college decisions based on food. But there is a reason Hough checked out the food service staff at Akron.

He has celiac disease, a digestive disorder that has to do with gluten intake. He can't eat anything with wheat, rye, barley or triticate. If he does, he has a problem with his small intestine.

"It's tough because all of those have carbs, which are supposed to be good for runners," he said. "I like rice and potatoes and eat a lot of those to make up for the other. My mom bakes bread for me and uses potato starch to hold it together. Going out to eat is tough."

He was diagnosed with the disease as a sophomore. He said celiac disease can stunt an individuals growth and a number of other problems if not watched and regulated because it prevents the body from getting nutrients that it needs.

"They're working on a pill but who knows how long that will take," he said. "It makes it tough when you go to states because not only do I have to worry about what I'm going to eat but my race the next day, which might be affected by what I eat."

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NOTES -- Hopewell's Elise Farris was first in the 800-meter run and second in the 400 at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association championship this past Saturday at West Mifflin. Those places came after she won both races at the MAC championships, setting a record in the 400. ... Freedom's Zane Zeigler was second in the 110 hurdles at the TSTCA meet. ... At the Mars Invitation last Friday, Quaker Valley's Tabitha Bemis set a meet record in the long jump, going 18 feet, 1 inch. She also won the triple jump and the 100 hurdles. ... On the boys' side at the Mars Invitational, Quaker Valley's Omar Hyjek won the 1,600 and was second in the 800. South Side Beaver's Kevin Gergen was first in the triple jump, going 43-61/4. ... The Norm Crawford memorial 100-meter dashes for boys and girls took place at the Mars Invitational in memory of the late track official from Coraopolis. Plaques were presented to the winners. ... At the Tri-County championships Saturday at Shenango High School, Ellwood City's Bobby Hozick won the discus and the javelin and was third in the shot put to earn field MVP honors. Teammate Shayne Nauman was the co-track MVP with a first in the 200 and seconds in the 100 and 400.

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