PREVIEW: 2022 District 7 Championships

• Girls Preview

• Boys Preview

Some of the most spirited rivalries in the WPIAL in recent years have been seen in the Class A boys ranks, with tight team battles the norm more than the exception. Also the norm recently is success in the WPIAL Class A final resulting in success at Hershey, at least over the past four years. 

Starting with Winchester Thurston's runner-up finish at Chocolatetown in 2018, at least one WPIAL Class A boys team has finished in the top three overall, including a 1-2 finish by the Bears and rival Riverview in 2019. A year ago, Winchester Thurston and Riverview were 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively. 

Add Eden Christian into the top spot mix this year, and Thursday's final WPIAL final could be the best in the past decade. The Warriors feature a strong 1-2 punch in senior and defending champion Sean Aiken, who continues to move closer to the form that won the AA 3,200 meters last spring, and junior Ethan Haring. Last year's final standings had Riverview stopping Winchester Thurston's win streak by 14 points, with Eden Christian another 18 back. 

Individually, Aiken is the fastest heading to CalU. Expect him to be at the front from the starting gun. 

Ryan Pajak is not one to back away from a challenge. Whether it's a time or a place or another competitor, the Ringgold junior laces his spikes up tight and is all in. That mentality, plus lots of talent and mileage, leaves Pajak with an almost full minute gap on WPIAL Class AA in terms of fastest times in 2022. 

The only blemish on his record this season was a third at the Lehigh Paul Short Run, where he was aiming to run sub-15:00. He emphatically checked that box with the No. 4 time in Pennsylvania this season. 

Pajak will be out to defend a title that he won in 2021 by almost 35 seconds. He should be surrounded by plenty of familiar faces as only Deer Lakes standout Carson McCoy graduated from the 2021 top 10 in AA. Hopewell's Dominic Flitcraft, Blackhawk's Ethan Papa and Quaker Valley's Matthew Otto are among the top returnees, while Dale Hall of Hampton, Patrick Burgos of Elizabeth Forward and Mason Stewart of Uniontown have gone sub-16:15 and/or claimed invite wins. 

The Talbots of Hampton started the season strong with a big win at Red, White & Blue and claimed the unofficial WPIAL preview a week ago at TSTCA. In between, Hampton tested themselves against a tremendously strong field at the Boardman Invite and fared well. 

With four team berths up for grabs, it should be interesting to watch the XC mathematicians at work at CalU before the official results are announced. It will be a tight team battle. 

The most senior-heavy WPIAL finale in 2021 was the Class AAA boys race, with nine of the top 14 finishers competing in their last district race a year ago. 

It didn't take long for Butler's Drew Griffith to solidify himself as the gold medal favorite this year from the handful of AAA returnees, winning major invites throughout the year and taking down a rock-solid course record at CalU in the TSTCA meet last week. A junior and last year's PIAA runner-up to former teammate CJ Singleton, Griffith has raced sparingly to keep his legs fresh for a deep run in the post-season, but when he has raced, he has been spectacular. 

A near-course-record 14:49 at the Carlisle Invitational and venue best of 15:31 at CalU each had Griffith at least 35 seconds ahead of the next finisher. The only thing getting in the way of a second consecutive record performance at Roadman Park might be course conditions made softer by a soaking rain this morning throughout southwestern PA. 

Expect senior Brett Kroboth of Peters Township and sophomore Jack Bertram of North Allegheny to battle a step or two behind Griffith, while Moon Area's Jacob Puhalla will roll out his 800 speed in the final mile to move up toward the top. 

On the team side, North Allegheny is riding a two-year winning streak in Hershey and a four-year roll at the district level. In fact, rival Seneca Valley's team crowns in 2016 and 2017 are the only times the AAA boys race was not won by the Tigers dating back through 2005 - 15 of the past 17 D7 meets. 

This year, the Tigers feature a tight grouping of their top 5. In mid-September at the always ready-for-racing Boardman (OH) Invitational, the gap between race-winner Bertram and NA's No. 5 was 48.5 seconds. In last week's district preview, the scoring margin was 58 seconds, while only 53 seconds separated Nos. 1 and 5 at the PIAA Foundation meet.  

Only one other PIAA team berth is available from this race. Expect Seneca Valley, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair and Fox Chapel Area all to have a say in the matter. Each has a solid 1-2 punch as the No. 2 slot will come down to the better team, as it should.