Plum runners start strong at Gateway Invitational

By: Michael Love
Saturday, September 11, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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The Plum cross country teams are regular attendees of the season-opening Gateway Invitational at Boyce Park.

The Mustangs, junior Connor Pivirotto said, fared well on the always-tough course Sept. 4 and felt it was a springboard for both teams to bigger things this fall.

“I think overall, our teams had a really good start to our season, facing off against some really good runners and teams,” he said.

“That’s one of the toughest courses in the WPIAL, and it really gave us a lot to build on. Seeing the heart of our athletes was really nice.”

Pivirotto placed fourth overall (19 minutes, 5.67 seconds) in the boys varsity race behind the stout trio of Fox Chapel’s Jack Lorence, Gateway’s Brady Sundin and Riverview’s Parker Steele.

He was the lone Mustangs boys finisher in the top 20.

“I definitely think there is room for improvement,” said Pivirotto, who, along with his Plum teammates were to run at Saturday’s prestigious Red, White & Blue Invitational at White Oak Park.

“Everyone who has returned is really excited to have a great season.”

The Plum boys return six of seven runners who competed at WPIALs last year at White Oak Park. Junior Nate Mienke (135th) led the Mustangs at the championship meet, and he is another one who is expected to pace the boys team in 2021.

Mienke just missed out on a top-20 finish at the Gateway Invite, taking 21st overall and missing 20th by less than a second.

Other WPIAL veterans back for the Plum boys this season are seniors Ethan Jones and Jake George, junior Giustino Racchini and sophomore Gabriel Powell.

Pivirotto said it’s a good feeling to return to a sense of normalcy with race formats and locations. WPIALs will be back at its normal location at Cal (Pa.).

“We’re ready to compete at these big invitationals,” he said. “It just wasn’t the same atmosphere a lot of times last year. You could definitely feel that.”

Senior Tommie Marzina and junior Nate Beninati are among those who also hope to make an impact this season.

On the girls side, senior Ashley Persia paced the Plum varsity runners at the Gateway Invite with a fifth-place finish overall (23:39.76).

“I am pretty excited for this season,” she said. “Everyone has been focused on self-improvement for the good of the team. We have a lot going for us. With less (covid) restrictions, we have a lot more chances to show off our skills. (The Gateway Invite) was a good start.”

Sophomore Amelia Faust, the Plum girls’ leading finisher at WPIALs last year (94th), didn’t run at the Gateway Invite, but coach Stephanie Lednak likes how she has progressed to this point in the early season.

“At the end of our track season, she was dealing with some injuries, so she is back and as eager, if not more, than anyone else,” Lednak said.

“She’s itching to race, but we don’t want to over-race her. We have a plan in place for her. She’s excited and ready to see where she is over the course of the season.”

Junior Maggie Messina (38th) was the second of six Plum varsity girls finishers at the Gateway Invite. Also competing were senior Karolyn Nichols (41st), freshman Tatum Olczak (48th), sophomore Kaitlin Mascilli (53rd) and junior Mallory Lynch (56th).

Plum is gearing up for Friday’s Kiski Area Invitational at Northmoreland Park.

The regular race format returns after covid last year forced race officials to have teams compete separately in time trials and then have the times combined to determine place finishes.

“The Kiski Invitational is like the Gateway Invitational in that there are a lot of local teams there who we are more familiar with,” Pivirotto said.

“Northmoreland is one of my favorite courses to run. I’ve gotten a few PRs there. I am definitely excited to return there.”

Plum also will run at Northmoreland on Oct. 6 at the Division I, Section 4 championship meet.

“It’s a great feeling to be back racing against everybody,” Persia said of the Kiski Area Invite.

“Running by yourself for a time just isn’t the same as running competitively against other teams. You get better times when you push yourself against other people.”

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.

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