Wolk, Grudi win at Washington County meet
Peters Township’s Nick Wolk leads the pack during the Washington County Coaches Cross Country Meet at Mingo Park Monday afternoon.
Canon-McMillan’s Morgan Grudi takes first place at the Washington County Coaches Cross Country Meet at Mingo Park Monday afternoon.
Peters Township’s Chloe Grzyb (863), Canon-McMillan Morgan Grudi (990) and Ringgold’s Sarah Lucas (1480) keep pace during Washington County Coaches Cross Country Meet at Mingo Park Monday.
MONONGAHELA – Nick Wolk had his compression socks and Morgan Grudi had Killer Hill.
Those things seemed to help each runner to victories in the Washington County Coaches Cross Country Meet at Mingo Creek County Park on a perfect fall Monday afternoon.
Wearing compression socks is just one of a number of prerace routines of Wolk, a senior from Peters Township, and it seems to work. Wolk came in with the best time in the WPIAL this season and finished with a 28-second win over Cody Divecchio of Burgettstown in the boys race. Wolk crossed the finish line of the 3.1-mile course in 15:59.4. He ran 15:44 here last week in the Mingo Classic for the top time in the WPIAL.
“I was trying to work the hills a little bit to emulate the state meet,” said Wolk. “I need to work on the hills.”
Grudi, a junior from Canon-McMillan, had a nearly identical run in last year’s race, shaking Peters Township senior Chloe Grzyb over the final 800 yards and winning her second straight title with a career-best time of 19:19.3, 13 seconds faster the Grzyb.
“It was a repeat of last year,” said Grudi of beating Grzyb. “She’s a great runner. We’ve been going back and forth all year. We’re really good friends and run together a lot.”
Grudi’s previous PR was a 19:20, set against Bethel Park in a regular season match two weeks ago.
“It was difficult (breaking free of Grzyb). I’m usually good on hills but she stuck with me. I was getting a little nervous,” said Grudi. “She’s strong, a strong runner.”
Grzyb finished in 19:32, 39 seconds faster than her second-place finish last year here, 20 seconds off her personal-best of 19:12 set at last year’s Mingo Classic.
“It was the same thing last year,” said Grzyb. “It’s always just that back hill. I definitely struggle on that hill every time.”
Grzyb finished ahead of Grudi at the Mingo Classic last Thursday, taking third while Grudi was eighth.
Both girls will be at it again Oct. 29, when the WPIAL Championships will be held at Cooper’s Lake in Slippery Rock. Then, maybe again at the PIAA Championships, which will be held Nov. 7 in Hershey.
“It’s gone back and forth,” Grudi said. “She beat me a couple times and I beat her a couple times. It evens out.”
Wolk had Divecchio and Washington’s Ben Heim at his heels for much of the race. But the hills separated the group.
“I’ve raced Ben a couple times but I haven’t raced Cody,” said Wolk. “I was pretty confident but you can always be surprised. Those guys have had breakout runs before.”
Wolk has won every race but one: the PIAA Foundation Invitational, where Jake Brophy of Central Bucks East turned in a 15:53 for first place and 15 seconds ahead of Wolk two weeks ago.
“There are some really good runners in the East,” said Wolk. “I’d like to try to win the WPIAL and race at states.”
Divecchio reset the Burgettstown record with a 16:27.5, 28 seconds behind Wolk and 14 ahead of Heim. Divecchio broke his mark of 16:28, set last season.
“I didn’t expect that because of my times this year,” said Divecchio, a senior. “They have been in the high 17s. I didn’t start out the year with the team. I had strep throat. I’m back into it. This is the first time my time drop significantly. It surprised me a little bit. I always run better against good competition. It was a good day to run and my body was feeling good.”
In the team results, Canon-McMillan defeated Peters Township 20-41, thanks to placing five runners in the top 10. Jonas Wudkwych was fourth, Matthew Mansfield was fifth, Jonah DeCortie eighth, Damon Gall ninth and Michael Cappelli 10th.
Trinity won the Class AA-A team event with Jackson MacTaggart taking sixth and Stephen Day 12th.
On the girls side, Peters Township stopped Canon-McMillan, 26-57, in Class AAA as Grzyb was second, Sydney Wehn third, Jennifer Massucci sixth, Ally Spalaris seventh and Giana Pugliano eighth.
Washington won the Class AA-A division with top 35 finishes from Alivia Montgomery, Frankie Stofan and Maria Sova.