WPIAL cross country finals to be held over two days
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way the WPIAL will handle the district cross country championships, including the number of races and the host course.
The meet was moved to White Oak Park, the site of several invitationals this fall, including last week’s Tri-State Coaches Invitational, from California University of Pa.’s cross country course.
The race schedule was also altered with each of the three classifications split into two races for both boys and girls.
The Belle Vernon, Brownsville, Ringgold and Uniontown boys will be in the first Class AA race on Wednesday with a 9 a.m. start. The same girls teams will follow at 9:45.
The Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Southmoreland and Yough boys take to the district championship course at 11 a.m., with the same set of girls teams, plus Albert Gallatin, starting at 11:45.
The Class A meets start with the boys, including Waynesburg Central and California, at 1:30 p.m. The same set of girls teams follows at 2:15. The West Greene boys are in the 3:30 p.m. session, with the Lady Pioneers to follow in the final session of the first day at 4:15.
The Albert Gallatin and Connellsville boys run in the second Class AAA session on Thursday with a 3 p.m. start. The Connellsville girls follow at 3:45.
The opening session of Class AAA boys takes to the starting line at 1 p.m. and the same set of girls follow at 1:45.
The amount of qualifiers into the state meet has also changed because of the pandemic with only the WPIAL team champion in each of the three classifications earning a berth. The top seven non-team finishers in both Class AA and A advance to the PIAA Championships at Parkview Cross Country Course in the Hershey Giant Center. The top 10 non-team boy and girl finishers advance in Class AAA.
Brownsville sophomore Jolena Quarzo seeks to win the Class AA title after finishing second to her sister Gionna last fall. Belle Vernon’s Grace Henderson, who won the Tri-State Coaches Invite AA race last week on the same course, finished seventh last year. Uniontown’s Hope Trimmer, who did not finish last year’s race because of injury, finished second to Henderson last week and was third behind Quarzo and Henderson in the FCCA championship.
The Ringgold boys look to cap a remarkable fall season with a run at the Class AA title. The Rams are led by freshman Ryan Pajak, who held off Greensburg Salem’s Quinton Gatons last week to win the Tri-State Invite race, with older brother Lucas not far behind. Lucas Pajak placed third in the WPIAL last year.
Ben Daerr, Nick Whaley and Lorenzo Zeni give Ringgold a solid five runners for a shot at the team title.