Runners from Woodland Hills, Quaker Valley, Carlynton race their way to WPIAL girls cross country titles
By:
Thursday, October 24, 2024 | 8:20 PM
Woodland Hills’ Annabel Johnson wins the WPIAL Class 3A cross country championship Thursday at White Oak Park.
Latrobe’s Emerson Skatel takes seventh at the WPIAL Class 3A cross country championship Thursday at White Oak Park.
Carlynton’s Bridget McNamara leads the WPIAL Class A cross country championship Thursday at White Oak Park.
Carlynton’s Bridget McNamara leads the WPIAL Class A cross country championship Thursday at White Oak Park.
The start of the WPIAL Class A cross country championship Thursday at White Oak Park.
Carlynton’s Bridget McNamara wins the WPIAL Class A cross country championship Thursday at White Oak Park.
Southmoreland’s Lexi Ohler takes fourth in the WPIAL Class 2A cross country championship Thursday at White Oak Park.
Quaker Valley’s Cecilia Montagnese wins the WPIAL Class 2A cross country championship Thursday at White Oak Park.
Woodland Hills is best known as a football school.
Junior Annabel Johnson is putting the cross country team on the map.
Johnson pulled away in the final half-mile to win the Class 3A girls title at the WPIAL cross country championship at White Oak Park on Thursday. Her time was 17 minutes and 57.10 seconds.
Moon’s Alyson Steep was second (18:00.10) followed by North Allegheny’s Robin Kucler (10:02.20), South Fayette’s Angela Zeng (18:16.10), West Allegheny’s Grace Fritzman (18:17.30), Pine-Richland’s Maren Iski (18:26.70), Latrobe’s Emerson Skatell (18:33.20), Norwin’s Annie Czajkowski (18:38.20), Fox Chapel’s Cecilia Ressler (18:48.40) and Kiski Area’s Lauren Ciuca (18:49.10).
North Allegheny was the team champion with 76 points followed by Norwin (121) and South Fayette (128). It was the Tigers’ seventh consecutive title and 18th overall.
“This is a dream come true,” Johnson said. “It was a dream to break 18 and I knew if I did, I’d be top three at least. I’m excited.
“I hope this motivates others to come out for track. We need more people. I had my doubts during the second lap, but I made my move on the last bend and decided to go for it.”
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 to break by personal record and came up short. Now my focus is on states and reaching the top 10.”
Montagnese breezes in 2A
When Quaker Valley’s Emily Babiak found out that her best friend and teammate Cecilia Montagnese won the WPIAL Class 2A girls title, her jaw dropped.
“Oh my God, she won,” Babiak said. “That’s awesome.”
Montagnese was also shocked. Not only did she win, running 17 minutes and 56.20 seconds, she blew away the field.
“I can’t believe I broke 18 minutes,” Montagnese said. “I’m stunned. This was my personal record by more than a minute. I did not expect this this at all.
“This is my last WPIAL race on this course. I just had a good mindset going in and I just left it all on the course. I felt good running.”
Uniontown’s Grace Trimmer placed second (18:15.20), Hampton’s Kevyn Fish was third (18:53.20), Southmoreland’s Lexi Ohler was fourth (19:32.70) and North Catholic’s Anna Morris was fifth (19:39.50).
Hampton won the team title with 65 points followed by North Catholic (75), Quaker Valley (127) and Uniontown (136).
Carlynton’s McNamara wins Class A
Last year, Bridget McNamara finished 14th in the Class A girls race representing Bishop Canevin.
She was in a Carlynton jersey Thursday with the merger this season of the two schools into one cross country team.
McNamara, a senior, made her final WPIAL race her best as her time of 19:11.70 put her at the top.
She said her summer training was key in her being able to make that leap to No. 1.
“I went with a coach this year, and I was out there training six days a week,” said McNamara, who was 13th in Class A as a sophomore.
“I was with him three days a week, and I had a training log. I was doing a lot of different workouts, a lot of speed work. I did a lot more miles than I did last year.”
During her summer work, McNamara said she envisioned herself taking home WPIAL gold.
“My goal was to win it this year, and I am really glad I did,” she said. “I felt really dead at the end. With a half-mile left, I was ready to fall on the ground. But I knew I had to fight through it because the Fort Cherry girl was right there. I knew she was fast and had a good kick.”
McNamara’s time Thursday was her second best on the White Oak course. She ran a 19:09.19 in placing second at the Bald Eagle Invitational on Oct. 5.
Fort Cherry senior Emily Frankovich took second in 19:12.30.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart claimed the Class A girls team title with 52 team points, 10 better than runner-up Winchester Thurston. Carlynton took third and Eden Christian was fourth.
The Chargers, fifth in Class A last year, had all five of their runners finish 18th or better.
Tags: Carlynton, Eden Christian, Fort Cherry, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Winchester Thurston
More Cross Country
• Latrobe runner Skatell chooses Lehigh• Quaker Valley cross country champ sets standard for siblings
• Riverview runners continue to find success at PIAA championships
• Hampton runners reflect on WPIAL championship season
• Quaker Valley cross country season builds to big finish at states
