May 12, 2021 3 min read

WEST MIFFLIN – The lead between the third and fourth runner in the 1,600-meter relay was about 15 meters for Canon-McMillan, a breeze under most situations but not this one.

Taking the baton for Butler for the final lap was Guinness Brown, of whom it was rumored that he was so fast, he could turn the light out in his bedroom and be under the covers before the room went dark.

Brown caught Justin Egizio, the top sprinter for the Big Macs, on the final turn. Only 100 meters separated the two runners from the finish line. Brown took a slight lead at the 75-meter mark but a last burst by Egizio gave he and his teammates the gold medal.

By .11 of a second.

How quick is that?

You can’t blink that fast.

The race was a highlight for the WPIAL Class 3A Track Team Tournament finals at West Mifflin High School on a breezy Wednesday afternoon.

Butler made it a clean sweep, taking the boys and girls titles. The Golden Tornado defeated Canon-McMilan boys, 109-41. CM stopped South Fayette, 86-64 and fell to Seneca Valley, 94-56.

Oh yes, Canon-McMillan’s time was 3:22.56 and Butler’s was 3:22.67. They could not have been closer if they were holding hands across the finish line.

“Coming around that last bend, I saw his shadow and thought, ‘Aw crap, I have to kick it into another gear,” said Egizio, who laid sprawled out on the turn minutes after the race trying to catch his breath.

“Whenever we went into the turn, we were neck and neck the whole way. It was a painful race, but I’m glad I pushed myself.”

The reason Egizio had the 15-meter lead was Jadon Rahman, who burst out of the lane on the first handoff. He brought the baton to No. 3 man Blake Laupier, who did nothing to damage the lead when he handed the baton to Egizio.

“Brown did a good job of catching up,” said Egizio. “It was a really good race. The last few meters, I thought I was going to fall over. That’s the hardest I ever kicked. I was in a zone.”

Interestingly, that wasn’t the best time for this group. Their PR is 3:22.02.

“Our 1,600-meter team is undefeated,” said Egizio. “Most of the time, we don’t have much competition. But that was definitely the best competition we had and that was why I was pushed so hard.”

Grace Henderson was pushed too. But the tall – she’s 6-2 – graceful runner responded with aplomb while winning the girls 3,200-meter run in 11:41.37 and the 1,600 run in 5:17.49. The Belle Vernon senior almost seemed to glide along the track.

“I was about six seconds off my PR.” said Henderson, who will be running at the University of Akron next fall.

Henderson’s love for the sport was culled by her mother, also a runner who had little Grace jogging next to her on some of her runs. As Henderson grew, so did her expectations.

“My legs are 90 percent of my body,” she laughed. “It really helps me, especially in the high jump.”

Oh yeah, Henderson took second place in the high jump, hitting 5-3 in the event. She also ran in the 3,200 relay.

“It’s pretty tiring doing all those events before high jumping,” she said.

Usually, while running, Henderson thinks of a song to try to take her mind off the pain of the race.

“I have more efficiency with my stride because I can get more distance,” said Henderson. “I just try to keep my arms relaxed.”