Quaker Valley Cross Country Clinches Third Straight District Title
Senior Jonah Montagnese wins his second individual gold, and the team secures advancement to the state championship at Big Spring High School.
By Lorenzo Patterson ·
Quaker Valley High School cross country runners secured their third consecutive WPIAL Class 2A team championship on Oct. 29 at White Oak Park. The squad finished with 81 team points, a result that guarantees their participation in the PIAA state championships scheduled for Nov. 7 at Big Spring High School.
Senior Jonah Montagnese delivered the defining performance of the day. He won the individual race in 15 minutes, 12.5 seconds. That time placed him nearly 23 seconds ahead of the runner-up. The victory marks Montagnese’s second consecutive WPIAL individual title.
Montagnese described the final stretch of the race as a mental challenge. He noted that doubt crept in just before the two-mile mark. He acknowledged feeling pain and realizing that Jack Steineman, a junior from North Catholic, was closing the gap. Montagnese said he took a deep breath, recovered, and maintained his speed to the finish.
North Catholic’s Steineman finished second with a time of 15:35.3. That result improved his 2025 time by three seconds. His performance helped North Catholic finish second in the team standings with 127 points. Ringgold placed third in the team event with 154 points.
The Quaker Valley team relied on a young core to achieve the title. Sophomore Henry Howard finished fifth in 16:33.9. Freshman Leo Tyson placed 10th in 16:49.2, marking his debut in the WPIAL finals. Coach Ryan Kelly noted that only two boys, Montagnese and Howard, returned from the previous championship team. The rest of the scoring lineup consisted of freshmen and sophomores.
Kelly said the team expected to repeat as champions but recognized the depth of competition in the district. He praised the group for competing with maturity throughout the season. Montagnese plans to continue his running career at the University of Virginia. The team will continue training to compete at the state level.
In the Class 2A girls race, Riverside freshman Reese Anderson took the individual title. North Catholic dominated the team standings with 50 points. The Trojanettes placed three runners in the top 10. Their top finishers included freshman Nora Narwold in fifth, junior Caroline Sell in sixth, and junior Anna Morris in 10th.
Quaker Valley placed fourth in the girls team standings with 163 points. They finished behind North Catholic, Belle Vernon, and Hampton. Junior Lucy Montagnese finished fourth in the individual race with a time of 19:37.7. She and senior Maggie Doz qualified for the PIAA championships. Doz recorded a time of 20:57.50. The Quaker Valley girls will join the boys at the state meet to conclude their seasons.
