Quaker Valley runner serves notice with win at Hershey meet

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, October 5, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Quaker Valley’s Jonah Montagnese enjoys running.

And winning.

Montagnese zeroed in on first place in the 1,600-meter event at the PIAA Class 2A boys track and field championships in the spring.

His latest victory was attained Sept. 20 in Hershey at the 19th annual PIAA Foundation XC Invitational.

“We are extremely proud of Jonah for winning the race,” said Quaker coach Ryan Kelly. “His training throughout this season has been outstanding, and his race strategy (in Hershey) was executed to perfection.

“We look forward to seeing his continued progress this season and beyond.”

A junior on the boys cross country team, Montagnese finished first in the boys Class 2A race with a time of 16:14 — 16 seconds ahead of runner-up Jack Steineman, a North Catholic sophomore.

“I think my performance at Hershey was a very good benchmark for what the state meet will look like later this season,” Montagnese said. “This meet contained most of the competition in the state, so it felt awesome to be able to come home with the win and set the tone for what I want to do at states this year.

“The course there is one of the more difficult ones we will run this season. There are a lot of ups and downs, which adds a unique challenge to the race. This was definitely one of my best races so far this season. Being able to win at the highest level is always an amazing confidence boost.”

Other QV runners at the invitational included seniors Tyler Bell, Ryan Kempton and Michael Minnock, freshman Henry Howard and juniors James Irwin and Giovanni Ramella.

Quaker Valley’s girls team was paced by junior Maggie Doz with a 21:30.47 performance.

Doz was joined at the race by several teammates including senior Mia Gartley, juniors Kate Steinfurth, Rose Cline and Fiona Mikita and freshmen Abby Yates and Alexis Kempton.

This season, Montagnese led QV’s boys team to its first section championship in cross country in almost a decade.

“This is the first for the boys team since 2016,” Kelly said. “We are especially proud of this team.”

Montagnese also crossed the finish line in first place at the Youthtown course in Clinton. Other top 10 performances for QV were achieved by Howard (fourth), Bell (fifth) and Kempton (ninth).

Irwin, Ramella and Minnock also represented the Quakers at the race.

“To win the section is an incredible achievement that we haven’t done in nine years,” Montagnese said. “All of us were very excited to win in dominant fashion.

“This was definitely the start to what we hope to be another special season.”

QV was followed in the final Division II Section 2 standings by Winchester Thurston, South Side, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Eden Christian Academy, Sewickley Academy, Northgate, Hillel Academy and Brentwood.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart won the girls section title ahead of Winchester Thurston, Carlynton, Eden Christian, Hillel Academy, QV and Northgate.

“We are quite proud of both of our boys and girls teams on their progress this season,” Kelly said. “All of the student-athletes have been working hard and training to the best of their abilities.”

QV had nine runners at the girls sectional event: Doz, Steinfurth, Cline, Yates, Kempton, Mikita, sophomore Keira Watson, senior Kendra Hines and junior Maggie Watson.

Doz ended up in eighth place.

Tags: Quaker Valley