McKeesport, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) handed out championships in the sport of girls’ cross country on Thursday at the WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Girls’ Cross Country Championships. Held at White Oak Park in McKeesport, the day saw a pair of repeat champions in Class 3A and new individual winners in Class 1A and Class 2A.
At Class 3A, North Allegheny won its sixth consecutive team title and league-high 17th overall, while Mt. Lebanon senior Logan St. John Kletter repeated as the individual champion. The Tigers’ current run began in 2018, and they also won titles in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1987, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004. St. John Kletter is one of two Blue Devils to claim individual gold, previously joining that group with Wendy Riker in 1992 last season.
In Class 2A, North Catholic collected individual and team gold. The Trojanettes’ team title is their second overall, with their first coming in 2020. Sophomore Madeline Meeuf is the school’s first WPIAL girls’ cross country individual champion, and breaks up a seven-year run between Brownsville and Quaker Valley for gold medalists at the classification.
At Class 1A, Mohawk captured its second team title in four seasons, while Riverside senior Lexi Fluharty took home the individual gold. Like the aforementioned North Catholic, the Warriors’ two team championships have come in 2020 and 2023. Fluharty is Riverside’s first individual champion, as the Panthers are now the seventh different school to produce a gold medalist at the classification.
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Girls’ Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Parkview Cross Country Course in Hershey. The WPIAL qualifiers include the top three teams and top 15 individual runners outside of those teams in Class 2A and Class 3A, and the top four teams and top 20 runners outside of those teams in Class 1A.
CLASS 3A RECAP
Two reigns continued in Class 3A, as North Allegheny won the team title and Mt. Lebanon senior Logan St. John Kletter repeated as the individual champion.
North Allegheny scored 62 points on the afternoon, besting runner-up Mt. Lebanon total by 82 points. The Tigers’ scorers were junior Robin Kucler (17:53.6) in second, senior Eva Kynaston (17:56.3) in third, senior Erin McGoey (18:36.4) in fifth, junior Camille Swirsding (19:18.9) in 15th, and senior Maia Getz (20:11.5) in 37th.
St. John Kletter finished the course in 17:47.4 to clock in 6.2 seconds quicker than Kucler. The remainder of the top 10 featured Kucler in second, Kynaston in third, Kiski Area senior Eliza Miller (18:04.0) in fourth, McGoey in fifth, Bethel Park senior Jenna Lang (18:48.7) in sixth, Greater Latrobe junior Emerson Skatell (18:49.2) in seventh, Penn-Trafford senior Amelia Barilla (18:53.3) in eighth, Peters Township senior Sydney Shock (18:55.5) in ninth, and Mt. Lebanon senior Caroline Adams (18:59.5) in 10th.
Mt. Lebanon’s scorers included St. John Kletter, Adams, junior Maeve McNamee (19:51.2) in 24th, sophomore Lyra Stiglitz (20:48.4) in 54th, and senior Grace Goslin (20:53.0) in 55th.
Norwin finished third at 148 points and claimed the final PIAA team qualifier spot, with its scorers being sophomore Annie Czajkowski (19:27.7) in 17th, senior Julia Walk (20:01.4) in 31st, freshman Addison Farrah (20:03.2) in 32nd, senior Rosemary Gaydos (20:04.2) in 33rd, and freshman Jillian Ryba (20:06.8) in 35th.
CLASS 2A RECAP
North Catholic completed a sweep of the Class 2A girls’ cross country hardware, as the Trojanettes won the team championship and sophomore Madeline Meeuf claimed individual gold.
North Catholic scored 80 points to top reigning champion Montour by 19. In addition to Meeuf, the Trojanettes’ scorers were freshman Gracie Plastino (19:36.6) in eighth, senior Grace Lazzara (19:39.9) in ninth, sophomore Sydney Dunn (20:47.7) in 19th, and senior Alex Gongas (22:26.0) in 49th.
Meeuf completed the course in 19:01.1, crossing the line 3.2 seconds ahead of West Allegheny sophomore Grace Fritzman in second, and 4.5 seconds ahead of Uniontown junior Grace Trimmer in third. The remainder of the top 10 consisted of Woodland Hills sophomore Annabel Johnson (19:08.3) in fourth, Montour senior Lakyn Schaltenbrand (19:24.2) in fifth, Montour sophomore Tiffany Miller (19:33.1) in sixth, Burrell senior Grace Nesko (19:34.8) in seventh, Plastino in eighth, Lazzara in ninth, and Belle Vernon senior Tessa Rodriguez (19:43.9) in 10th.
Montour’s scorers included Schaltenbrand, Miller, junior Joelle Ludwick (20:51.0) in 21st, senior Amelia Trevenen (21:29.6) in 30th, and sophomore Mackenzie Keating (22:17.2) in 45th.
Uniontown recorded 131 points to finish in the final PIAA team qualifier spot, with its scorers being Trimmer, senior Emily Angelo (20:28.1) in 15th, sophomore Arington Scott (21:33.4) in 31st, sophomore Paisey Murtha (21:59.7) in 38th, and freshman Saide Hostetler (22:29.9) in 52nd.
CLASS 1A RECAP
In Class 1A, the team title came down to a single point, with Mohawk edging out Riverview and Winchester Thurston to claim its second championship since 2020. On the individual side, Riverside senior Lexi Fluharty brought home her school’s first WPIAL cross country gold.
Mohawk tallied 127 points to capture the trophy over Riverview and Winchester Thurston at 128 points. The Warriors’ scorers were senior Natalie Lape (20:24.9) in seventh, senior Lillian McClain (21:37.2) in 26th, junior Ellie Whippo (21:53.9) in 30th, senior Evelyn McClain (22:02.3) in 33rd, and freshman Audrey Whippo (24:14.9) in 68th.
Fluharty crossed the line in 18:54.5, besting Shady Side Academy senior Chelsea Hartman by 22.4 seconds and Aquinas Academy senior Alexis Abbett by 23.6 seconds. The remainder of the top 10 featured Our Lady of the Sacred Heart junior Gianna Mosca (19:38.7) in fourth, Eden Christian Academy junior Hope Haring (19:48.4) in fifth, Seton LaSalle senior Danielle Tomley (20:03.5) in sixth, Lape in seventh, Trinity Christian junior Teresa Conway-Phillips (20:33.0) in eighth, Ligonier Valley senior Clara Wallace (20:34.5) in ninth, and Winchester Thurston sophomore Abigail Weinstein (20:45.4) in 10th.
Riverview’s scorers were junior Lily Bauer (20:48.0) in 12th, sophomore Grace Johnson (21:30.3) in 23rd, senior Gwyn Fichte (22:06.7) in 34th, freshman Hannah Hudack (22:43.3) in 45th, and sophomore Rosa Lascola (23:20.6) in 51st.
Winchester Thurston had Weinstein in 10th, junior Sarah Nixon (20:54.4) in 15th, freshman Indie Pascal (21:15.5) in 17th, junior Delia Brown (21:25.4) in 20th, and Julia Sayette (26:31.5) in 103rd as its scorers.
Shady Side Academy was the final PIAA team qualifier with its scorers being Hartman in second, freshman Nola Vadnais (21:27.2) in 21st, sophomore Evelyn Smith (22:33.7) in 41st, junior Maggie Marquette (23:21.6) in 52nd, and junior Elsa Blodgett (23:30.6) in 55th.
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