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Team of the Year: South Fayette girls cross country

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What’s the most important ingredient in winning a cross country team title? The running shoes or the teammates racing alongside you?

At South Fayette, the answer is “teammates” because the Lions carried each other to victory in the PIAA Championships. Even as one of their runners lost a shoe 200 meters into the five-kilometer race, the Lions rallied and defeated their nearest competitor by a scant five points.

South Fayette won the Class AA team title with 66 points. Northern finished as runner-up with 71 points and Warrior Run followed in third with 110 points.

The Lions celebrated their first state title in girls cross country because of the heroics of Hailey Poe and Steff Kozak. Poe lost her shoe early in the race when a competitor stepped on her heel.

Kozak stayed with Poe and the two negotiated their way to the finish line in 13th and 14th places overall.

Poe finished in 20:22 while Kozak shaved 20 seconds off her lifetime best, recording a 20:23 time.

“What an absolutely incredible story,” coach Joe Winans said.

The saga also featured another extraordinary tale as Lauren Iagnemma continued her rise in cross country circles. The sophomore took third overall in a bronze-medal time of 19:22.

Angelina Gabriel kept the heat on. The SF freshman finished ninth with a 20:04 time.

The Lions proved stronger than their stiffest competition because of their depth. Junior Emma Fleck and sophomore Gabby Baiano recorded 20:47 and 20:52 marks to place in the top 30. Sophomore Morgan Lukenich contributed a 21:16 time and 42nd place.

“The secret to our success was the collective team effort,” Winans said. “We always say that good teams run with each other, but great teams run for each other. Each one of the girls ran an inspired race to be the best that they could be for their team.”

The Lions also were WPIAL Class AA team champions for the third year in a row. SF accumulated 51 points to outdistance Greensburg Salem (111) and Knoch (131), The Lions placed three runners in the top 7 (Iagnemma, third, Poe, fifth, and Gabriel (seventh).

Chartiers Valley girls’ basketball

Canon-McMillan boys’ soccer

Canon-McMillan girls’ volleyball

Bishop Canevin girls’ volleyball and basketball

(All WPIAL champions)

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