About 10 years ago, the cross country coaches from WPIAL Class 3A Section 4 got together and decided on a format that differed greatly from all other sports. Based upon how colleges run their programs, the coaches determined their high school athletes would only compete at invitationals and multiteam meets during the regular season. It’s a formula that’s worked out well for everyone.
In keeping with that tradition, the Foxes kicked off their 2023 season with two annual invitationals, both of which are important for different reasons, followed by a third multiteam competition in mid-September. The annual Gateway Invitational has traditionally been a very successful one for the Foxes, and they go into it every season with high expectations. A week after that is the Red, White, and Blue Classic, a highly competitive meet that draws most of the region’s best runners. The latter race serves as an early indicator for athletes to see how they stack up against each other and who might land in the top echelon of WPIAL and PIAA qualifiers at the end of the season.
Coach Tom Moul is pleased with what he has seen from his racers. Junior Ethan Vaughan, a cross country WPIAL medalist last year, took home gold at the Gateway Invitational, and the boys team as a whole placed first.
Coach Moul says, “We started off the season on a high note that kept with tradition, and that is satisfying. Ethan Vaughan’s individual win at Gateway was especially nice to see because he joins a group of some of our top runners from the past who also won that race – Jack Lorence, Christian Fitch, Ethan Martin, and Colin Martin.”
At that initial race, Ethan wanted to gauge how his body would respond to pressure. As it turned out, he did great and then followed up that performance with a fifth-place finish amid a field of 243 boys at the Red, White, and Blue. In both events, he far surpassed his times from last season. He attributes his improvement to enhanced training.
“The big reason I am better is because of the much higher mileage we are doing,” says Ethan, who is also a member of the outdoor track 4 x 800 relay team that also went to WPIALs. “That extra boost in endurance and speed really helps in races.”
As a general rule, the mileage increases each year throughout high school, unless there has been a setback and it might be best for the runner to keep the training mileage the same.
“Ethan is impressive and a very smooth runner,” coach Moul says. “At the Red, White, and Blue, he paced himself well and had a great finish. It was great to see him finish with that top group of runners.”
The team also had another impressive result at the Red, White, and Blue with their fifth-place finish. In addition to Ethan, varsity team members include senior Max Kaizer; juniors David Black, Nicky Clump, Doug Lisotto, and Josiah Rivera; and sophomores Michael Costello and Gavin Youkers.
“This is a mentally tough group,” says the coach. “Their finish was significant because almost every top school in the WPIAL sent teams to that tournament.”
David, a 2023 WPIAL outdoor track qualifier in the 3,200 and also a member of the 4 x 800 relay, is a key member of the team and has built upon what he achieved last year. Coach Moul describes him as someone who “keeps improving incrementally, week by week … a very patient athlete who keeps chipping away at his pace and is continuing to improve.”
David is upbeat about what he believes the boys cross country team can do this year.
“I am very happy with where our team is currently,” David says. “We definitely have the potential to be one of the best teams at the WPIAL championships. Ethan has been doing incredible this season. I think the competition among the other contenders for our varsity team should end up leading to a really solid team by the end of the season.”
Senior Rowan Gwin, the Foxes’ top runner last year, has not participated in any races yet. He has been nursing a hip injury since track season but is expected to return to action soon.
There also were some ninth-grade boys who did well in the Red, White, and Blue freshmen-only race. Harrison Parker, Nolan Gwin, and Victor White all finished in the top 15.
Girls Team Also Has Experienced Runners
The girls team has some experienced runners and a large group of freshmen who show good promise.
“Senior Clara Kelley is our No. 1 girl so far this season and has been a very good leader,” says coach Moul. “Also, sophomore Marin Airik was a good runner for us last fall as a freshman, but she is also in the midst of gaining back her strength and endurance after some tough circumstances. I’m proud of how hard both of them have worked, and I think they will see a big upside to the commitment they have shown.”
Rounding out the current girls varsity lineup are senior Emily Harajda and juniors Sara Michalak and Yuki Zhou. Coach Moul plans to add three freshmen to the varsity lineup in the coming weeks.
While Sara wasn’t particularly pleased with her own performance at the Gateway Invitational, she says she learned a few lessons, applied them at the Red, White, and Blue, and improved by a good amount.
“There’s a lot more work to be done the rest of the year, but I think (Red, White, and Blue) set the tone for how my season can go,” she says.
With regard to the team, Sara adds, “I think the girls team has a lot of potential this year if we all focus on completing our season goals. We definitely have some freshmen who I think will positively impact the team, as well as experienced upperclassmen.”
The Lady Foxes had several runners participate in the ninth-grade race at Red, White, and Blue. Cecilia Ressler stood out in helping the team take second place, just behind powerhouse North Allegheny. In addition to Cecilia, Maggie Carter and Iris Minturn all earned varsity spots for the next race as a result of their top 15 finishes at Red, White, and Blue.
Coach Moul says, “There’s a lot of potential in that group. Cecilia looks very good. Sometimes you can’t really tell from practices how well they will do until they get in their first race. She looked very smooth and impressive. Overall, it’s a big class and they are very coachable. The more they race, the more confidence they will get. Getting the younger kids some experience is a good thing.”