Norwin boys win 2nd WPIAL cross country team title in school history

By: Michael Love
Thursday, October 24, 2024 | 8:42 PM

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All season, Norwin cross country coach Brian Fleckenstein kept telling his runners they could beat North Allegheny.

On Thursday, that’s exactly what they did.

The Knights won their first team title since 1977, second in school history, by edging the Tigers for the WPIAL Class 3A boys title at White Oak Park. Norwin edged North Allegheny, 80-90. Fox Chapel (122) was third, led by first-place finisher Ethan Vaughan.

Norwin was led by Thomas Gaydos in fifth, Enzo Jiancristoforo in eighth and Luke Simpson in ninth. The Knights’ other two scorers were Benjamin McBride (25) and Alexander Barrett (32).

“We definitely knew we had a team that could do it,” Fleckenstein said. “We had four solid seniors coming back, and we had real surprises with the younger kids stepping up.

“It really took a whole program. We had alumni here and from all over the country rooting for them. Even guys from the ’70s team. It’s been awesome, and our guys fought. I have nothing but respect for North Allegheny because they do it every year.”

Gaydos said it took a team effort to pull it off.

“I think every workout in the summer helped,” Gaydos said. “We’ve been thinking about this and making states and winning. I think we all ran a great race, and we were able to accomplish our goals.”

The Norwin girls made it an even greater day by finishing second to North Allegheny and qualifying for states.

“The girls did their best,” Fleckenstein said. “I cannot be prouder.”

Woodland Hills’ Annabel Johnson won the girls Class 3A race in 17 minutes and 57.10 seconds. Latrobe’s Emerson Skatell (18:33.20) was seventh, and Norwin’s Annie Czajkowski was eighth.

Skatell broke out early and was the leader after one lap. But she admits that was a mistake.

“I placed seventh, so I’m happy for that,” Skatell said. “But I was trying to break by personal record and came up short. Now my focus is on states and reaching the top 10.”

Skatell will have company in Hershey. Teammate Carly Berk placed 13th. Her goal in the states is to finish top 50.

“Top 20 would be great, but I’m satisfied going back to states again for the third time,” Berk said.

The other girls on the Norwin team to qualify are Anna Dansak, Addison Farrah, Emily Dansak, Jillian Ryba, Anna Rakvic and Kaelyn Lazar.

In boys Class 3A, other Westmoreland County runners to advance include Hempfield’s Ryan Ewing (13th) and Latrobe’s Charlie Heese (16th).

In the girls Class 2A race, won by Quaker Valley’s Cecilia Montagnese (17:56.2), Southmoreland’s Lexi Ohler finished fourth (19:32.70).

“I’m happy with a top-five finish,” Ohler said. “I did a good job and did what I planned. I wanted to be conservative, and I kept in control for the first mile.”

Other county runners to advance to states include Belle Vernon’s Brooklyn Steeber (14th), Greensburg Salem’s Regan Kerr (16th) and Derry’s Jane Huss (20th).

In Class A girls, Greensburg Central Catholic freshman Ainsleigh Stickle punched her ticket to states with a 20th-place finish (20:44.70) in her WPIAL championship debut.

Centurions junior Lukas Czegan finished in 17:01.90 in the Class A boys race and placed 18th to earn a trip to the PIAA championships.

Greensburg Salem teammates, seniors Owen Noel and Nick Reinhart, will be traveling to states together after both qualified with top-25 finishes in boys Class 2A.

Noel took 20th overall (16:47.40), and Reinhart placed 24th (16:52.30).

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.