close

Ringgold’s Pajak leads local boys into state meet

By Jim Downey jdowney@heraldstandard.Com 4 min read
1 / 5

Jim Downey | Herald-Standard

Ringgold’s Lucas Pajak opens his stride as the race moves into the home stretch during Thursday’s WPIAL Class AA Cross Country Championship at California University of Pa.’s Roadman Park.

2 / 5

Uniontown's Sam Killinger (right) keeps pace with the pack in the first mile of Thursday's WPIAL Class AA Cross Country Championship at California University of Pa.'s Roadman Park.

3 / 5

Laurel Highlands' Brendan Kopich picks up his pace as he nears the finish line of the WPIAL Class AA Cross Country Championship Thursday.

4 / 5

California's Charles Roberts leads a pack of runners in the first mile of Thursday's WPIAL Class A Cross Country Championship at California University of Pa.'s Roadman Park.

5 / 5

Ringgold's Ethan Gamble (right) battles to keep in front as he nears the finish line in Thursday's WPIAL Class AA Cross Country Championship at California University of Pa.'s Roadman Park.

CALIFORNIA — Lucas Pajak led a trio of Ringgold runners, Uniontown’s Sam Killinger and Laurel Highlands’ Brendan Kopich into next week’s state meet after earning berths Thursday at the WPIAL Cross Country Championships.

All five runners qualified in Class AA with Pajak seventh, teammates Ethan Gamble 15th and Eric Obringer 28th, Killinger placing 23rd and Kopich finishing 27th.

The top 15 runners received medals and the qualifying berths extended to 29th place in Class AA.

Pajak was sixth at the two mile splits, slipping to seventh in a time of 17:21.

“I had a good pace. If not, I wouldn’t have made the top 15,” said Pajak, a sophomore. “The Greensburg Salem and Indiana kids pushed us.”

The course features a big hill in the middle, the key point of the race.

“If I get up this hill faster, I won’t be on it as long,” said Pajak of his approach. “I was looking for states. I’ve never been there. I’m proud we made it.

“You don’t want to say after the race you didn’t give it your all.”

Gamble finished in 17:42, working his way up from 24th at two-mile mark.

“I went out so hard in the first mile. My time was 5:19. I never went out that fast,” said Gamble. “I was excited.

“I didn’t have a good race last year and I was thinking about the team, too. We had a shot.”

Obringer finished with a time of 18:09, moving up nine spots in the final mile.

Killinger was 15th after the first mile, but slipped to 28th at the two-mile mark. He crossed the finish line in 17:58.

“I wanted to hold the top 10. I should be able to hold it, but I fell hard after the first mile,” explained Killinger, a senior. “I got midway up the hill and pushed it hard to finish the hill. I wanted to crest (and hold his speed).

“I got to a point where I tried to get forward and couldn’t. I got to the place I wanted and held my spot.”

Killinger’s teammat Riley Gilleland had the unkindest finish of all, placing 30th overall in 18:12, one spot and one second behind the final qualifying berth.

Kopich felt he had missed the cut, but his demeanor did a 180-degree change when he found out he slipped into the PIAA Championships. He shared an emotional moment with coaches and teammates when he heard the news.

“I thought I wouldn’t make it by five people,” said Kopich.

Kopich said he got caught up in the torrid start, noting, “I wanted to go out in 5:30, but ended up at 5:22.”

He broke the course into three parts, saying, “The beginning loop I wanted to get ahead. The second part I wanted to maintain and work that third one. I did pass a few guys.”

The course was muddy, but that’s nothing new to Kopich and his Fayette County running mates.

“It’s nothing like we’re not used to,” said Kopich.

Kopich was in position to earn a berth last year, but physically broke down with the finish line in sight. The same plight happened to California’s Charles Roberts in the Class A race.

Roberts was eighth after the first mile and ninth after the second, but was unable to push the final ¼-mile, falling to his knees as he approached the final sprint.

The senior managed to get up and stagger to the finish line in 65th place.

SPIKE MARKS: Brownsville’s Ray Brumley finished 40th in the Class A race in 19:02, six spots and 17 seconds behind the last qualifying spot. … West Greene’s Levi Corbly was 58th in the same race in a time of 19:32. … Belle Vernon’s Noah Lerner was 74th in Class AA in 19:16. … Yough’s Levi Gebadlo was 72nd in Class AA in 19:12. … Southmoreland’s Jake VanArsdale finished 202nd in Class A in 27:30. … Connellsville’s Dominic Prestipino was 86th in Class AAA in 18:43, while Albert Gallatin’s Gary Breakiron was 204th in 21:15.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today