McKeesport, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) crowned boys’ cross country champions on Thursday at the WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Boys’ Cross Country Championships. Held at White Oak Park in McKeesport, the afternoon saw repeat winners in Class 2A and Class 3A, while a new individual champion was crowned in Class 1A.
At Class 3A, North Allegheny collected its sixth straight team title and league-best 33rd overall, while Butler senior Drew Griffith defended his individual championship. The Tigers’ current streak started in 2018, and their trophy cabinet also includes titles from 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1974, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Griffith makes it four consecutive years with a Butler runner finishing first, as his back-to-back titles match CJ Singleton’s from 2020 and 2021. The Golden Tornado has eight individual titles from five different runners, with Griffith and Singleton joined by Noah Beveridge (2017), Howard Hammonds (1961), Brian McCullough (1989), and Darin Mellinger (1992).
In Class 2A, Hampton won its third straight team championship and Ringgold senior Ryan Pajak became the second three-time individual champion in league history. The Talbots’ current streak began with their first in school history in 2021. Pajak joins Quaker Valley’s Zach Skolnekovich (2014-16) as the only boys’ cross country student-athletes to win three gold medals and remains the second individual champion in Ringgold history with Melvin Boyd in 1972.
At Class 1A, Riverview made it two team titles in three years, while Mohawk junior Jaxon Schoedel is his school’s first student-athlete in 48 years to win individual gold. The Raiders previously won in 2021 and are one of five schools to claim a team championship at the classification. Schoedel’s winning effort is the Warriors’ first since Dave Spears in 1975, and Mohawk is now the sixth different school to produce a gold medalist at the classification.
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Boys’ Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Parkview Cross Country Course in Hershey. The WPIAL qualifiers include the top two teams and top 10 individual runners outside of those teams in Class 3A, and the top four teams and top 20 runners outside of those teams in Class 1A and Class 2A.
CLASS 3A RECAP
Class 3A saw a pair of successful title defenses, as North Allegheny captured the team championship and Butler senior Drew Griffith repeated as the individual champion.
North Allegheny scored 59 points to edge runner-up Butler by eight points. The Tigers’ scorers consisted of junior Jack Bertram (15:31.7) in second, senior Michael Gaunter (16:16.7) in sixth, senior James Behrend (16:22.0) in eighth, junior Anthony Miklos (16:50.1) in 19th, and senior Connor Williams (16:55.5) in 24th.
Griffith crossed the finish line in 15:05.2, besting runner-up Bertram by 26.5 seconds and Fox Chapel senior Rowan Gwin (15:57.0) in third by 51.8 seconds. The remainder of the top 10 was made up of Butler senior Owen Dresser (16:07.9) in fourth, South Fayette senior Alaa-Eddine Guetari (16:16.7) in fifth, Gaunter in sixth, Plum senior Gabriel Powell (16:17.7) in seventh, Behrend in eighth, Fox Chapel junior David Black (16:23.1) in ninth, and Gateway senior Kefimba Cisse (16:24.4) in 10th.
Butler’s scorers included Griffith, Dressler, freshman Brendan Eicher (16:32.2) in 13th, junior Zachary Slear (16:51.6) in 22nd, and sophomore Ethan Thomas (16:57.2) in 27th.
CLASS 2A RECAP
There were a pair of three-peats in Class 2A, as Hampton won its third straight team title and Ringgold senior Ryan Pajak captured his third consecutive individual championship.
Hampton tallied 59 points, claiming the crown by 52 points over Beaver. The Talbots’ scorers included senior Dale Hall (15:37.1) in second, senior Christopher Belch (16:03.1) in fourth, senior Jacob Bonnar (16:12.3) in sixth, freshman Josh Wukitch (16:44.7) in 14th, and junior Nathan Gardner (17:20.7) in 33rd.
Pajak won a historic third title by completing the course in 15:04.0, topping runner-up Hall by 33.1 seconds and Montour senior Julian Kletz (15:41.3) by 37.3 seconds in third. The rest of the top 10 consisted of Belch in fourth, Laurel Highlands junior Matt Schwertfeger (16:10.3) in fifth, Bonnar in sixth, Freeport junior Michael Braun (16:19.1) in seventh, Quaker Valley junior Clark LaLomia (16:26.6) in eighth, Elizabeth Forward senior Patrick Burgos (16:27.0) in ninth, and North Catholic junior Giacomo Lepore (16:29.4) in 10th.
Beaver’s scorers included junior Tyler Biss (16:36.9) in 12th, senior Elijah Bechdel (16:48.0) in 15th, senior Connor Young (16:59.4) in 20th, sophomore Isaac Burtt (17:22.0) in 34th, and senior Domenic Bumblis (17:30.3) in 38th.
Quaker Valley finished third with 129 points, as its scorers were LaLomia, sophomore Tyler Bell (16:39.7) in 13th, freshman Jonah Montagnese (17:12.8) in 26th, sophomore River Capek (17:27.5) in 36th, and junior Jackson Pethel (17:44.0) in 46th.
Montour claimed the final PIAA team spot with 155 points, as its scorers included Kletz, senior AJ Miller (16:48.0) in 16th, senior Nick Martelli (17:32.4) in 39th, senior Michael Bill (17:35.2) in 40th, and sophomore Gavin Decour (17:58.5) in 57th.
CLASS 1A RECAP
In Class 1A, Riverview won its second team championship in three seasons, while Mohawk junior Jaxon Schoedel topped the field for individual gold.
Riverview recorded 64 points to claim the number one spot, besting runner-up Eden Christian Academy by 16 points. The Raiders’ scorers were junior Holden Deasy (16:54.6) in seventh, junior Christopher Barnes (17:03.6) in 11th, junior Micah Ivy (17:13.5) in 13th, freshman Ashton Saunders (17:23.4) in 16th, and senior Cohen Hoolahan (17:30.5) in 21st.
Schoedel finished the course with a time of 15:40.9, clocking in 28.6 seconds quicker than Eden Christian Academy senior Ethan Haring (16:09.5) in second and 47.0 seconds ahead of Greensburg Central Catholic senior Nick Szekely (16:27.9) in third. The remainder of the top 10 consisted of Winchester Thurston junior Eli DeSimone (16:38.8) in fourth, Neshannock junior Brendan Burns (16:42.2) in fifth, Eden Christian Academy senior Nate Gray (16:51.2) in sixth, Deasy in seventh, Riverside junior Devin Montileone (16:55.7) in eighth, Eden Christian Academy senior Nathan Garrett (16:58.3) in ninth, and Freedom Area senior James Couch (17:00.9) in 10th.
Eden Christian Academy’s scorers were Haring, Gray, Garrett, junior Jacob Marshall (17:17.6) in 15th, and junior Gavin McLean (18:43.4) in 56th. Ellwood City placed third with 133 points, scoring with junior Drew Steffler (17:24.5) in 17th, senior Nick Wise (17:41.5) in 26th, junior Bradley Custer (17:43.7) in 27th, senior Colten Crizer (17:48.5) in 29th, and freshman Dante Venezie (18:13.9) in 42nd.
Winchester Thurston’s 146 points were good for the final PIAA team qualifier spot, with its scorers consisting of DeSimone, junior Peter Heintzleman (17:48.7) in 30th, freshman Jack Iyer (18:03.2) in 38th, junior Charlie Routledge (18:05.4) in 41st, and junior Mamadouba Sylla (18:24.7) in 45th.