North Allegheny’s Jack Bertram leaves with record-setting run

By: John Grupp
Saturday, May 31, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Jack Bertram will have to settle for being the fastest distance runner in North Allegheny history.

The Notre Dame-bound senior ran gold medal-worthy times at the PIAA Class 3A track and field championships May 23-24 but met opponents just a little bit faster.

“I’m not too disappointed with how the races went,” Bertram said, “but I was definitely looking for one of the titles.”

One week after winning three WPIAL gold medals, Bertram finished second in the 3,200-meter run with a school-record time and third in the 1,600 in the final high school meet of a highly decorated career.

“He had a great weekend,” NA coach John Neff said. “He ran two times that are at the top of the charts for any NA Tiger in history. I couldn’t have been more proud of him. … We always talk about you get as good as you can, and you see where that puts you and, boy oh boy, did he get good.”

Bertram was better than good in Shippensburg. His times in the 1,600 (4:07.81) and the 3,200 (8:52.28) were good enough to have swept both races in nine of the past 12 state championship meets and, incredibly, 36 of the previous 40.

Bertram’s 3,200 time was the sixth-fastest in PIAA Class 3A championship history and broke North Allegheny’s school record of 8:56.43, set by Matt McGoey in 2015.

Unfortunately, Manheim Township senior Adam Kingston ran even faster, edging Bertram by a little more than a second (8:51.25).

“I was not expecting him to be able to kick that hard,” said Bertram, who placed third in the 3,200 each of the past two seasons. “He had stuff left in the tank, and I didn’t. He outkicked me at the end.”

Bertram led the 1,600 on the final lap but was passed by Mifflin County junior Carter Smith (4:01.54) and Hershey senior Vinay Raman (4:05.30) in the final 200 meters. Bertram’s time nearly broke his school record of 4:07.17 set last year.

A pair of NA girls also brought home PIAA medals. Junior Lindsay Breneman placed third in the pole vault with a height of 12 feet, and senior Izzy Costa took seventh in the 400 with a time of 57.37 seconds.

Breneman’s performance was the best finish at states by an NA pole vaulter since Brooke Mancuso won the PIAA title in 2013. Breneman broke Mancuso’s school record earlier this season, clearing 12-8 against Butler.

“It’s one thing to do it in a dual meet,” Neff said. “It’s another thing to do it in front of thousands of people at states. She really came through and did a nice job.”

Costa also finished ninth in the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 0.5 inches — missing a top-eight medal by one inch — and tied for 14th in the high jump (5-2).

She had a busy Saturday. During one juncture, the Duquesne recruit did the long jump preliminaries, then raced in the 400 finals and returned for the long jump finals. The public address announcer was calling her name for the long jump while she was on the medal stand for the 400.

“She has pulled the rope for us all year,” Neff said. “She was our top point-scorer by far. She is a really special kid.”

WPIAL champion shot putter Taylor Neese, a junior, placed 12th at states.

Bertram also had a memorable WPIAL meet. He won gold medals in the 1,600, the 3,200 and was part of the first-place 3,200 relay team.

Toss in his exploits in cross country, and Bertram was a 17-time medalist (top-eight finish) at the WPIAL and PIAA championships.

He was scheduled to run the 3,200 at the Music City Track Carnival outside Chattanooga, Tenn., on May 30 for his final race of the season. He arrives in late August at Notre Dame, where he will compete for the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams.

“I couldn’t be more excited, especially coming off this season on a pretty high note,” he said. “I have a lot to look forward to in the next four years.”

Tags: North Allegheny