Photos by Phil Grove
It's a common refrain every fall. Like the leaves changing, pumpkin spice lattes, and Eagles/Steelers football, there's North Allegheny cross country somewhere near the top of the state rankings.
On Saturday, at NA's first invitational appearance of the 2016 XC season, the Tigers were on top of the team standings at the conclusion of the Red, White, and Blue Classic at Pittsburgh's Schenley Oval. There were plenty of western PA's preeminent squads on the line with them---Mount Lebanon, Fox Chapel, Seneca Valley, District 8's Taylor Allderdice.
But alone up top was North Allegheny---by 52 points.
The surprising stat wasn't that 42 point victory. But rather it was that spread. 7.6 seconds through five runners. Anyone trying to calculate a team champion on the fly at the meet got their answer very quickly upon seeing five NA runners, sporting sharp new black tops, come in one after another.
Watch highlights from the Red, White, and Blue Classic AAA boys race below:
That gap didn't come as much of a surprise to Tigers' coach John Neff.
"The guys have been training together, they've been working together, they've come through the program together, and they were together across that line today, too," he told us after the race.
The squad, comprised of senior Clark Smith, Luke Turkovich, Jacob Greco, Dan McGoey, Cam Phillips, TJ Robinson, and Mark Hartigan took 14th, 18th, 18th, 21st, and 22nd on Saturday, respectively. They averaged just over 17 minutes on a very hot day. It's a tremendous start to what could be another big season in Wexford.
Clark Smith led the way for NA at Red, White & Blue (Photo by Phil Grove)
This 2016 NA team looks (in the early part of the season, at least) a lot like the 2013 NA squad that took second to West Chester Henderson at states. That'13 team packed its top five in between spots 22 and 45 at the state meet for a 23 second gap. There may not be a true frontrunner on this team...yet.
We'll get a better look at the Tigers as the season progresses. Next up for them is Boardman in Ohio, followed by the pre-state meet at Hershey before they go for a 12th straight District 7 AAA crown. It's going to be an interesting fall for sure.
Watch Phil Grove's full interview with North Allegheny coach John Neff below: