St. John Kletter wins WPIAL title
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Logan St. John Kletter is all smiles as she reaches the finish line in first place during the 2022 WPIAL Class AAA girls’ cross country championship race. The Mt. Lebanon rising senior recently committed to North Carolina to continue her cross country and track career.
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mt. Lebanon finished runner-up to North Allegheny and qualified as a team for the PIAA Class AAA cross country championships to be held Nov. 5 in Hershey. Logan St. John Kletter (second from right) was the individual champion while Caroline Adams (third from left) was the bronze medalist.
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Jenna Lang of Bethel Park took the early lead in the WPIAL Class AAA girls’ cross country championship race before finishing fifth overall. The junior is qualified for the PIAA meet scheduled for Nov. 5 in Hershey.
The one-two punch of Logan St. John Kletter and Caroline Adams enabled Mt. Lebanon to bring home the runner-up team trophy during the WPIAL Class AAA girls cross country championships held Oct. 27 at Roadman Park on the Penn West University campus in California.
The Blue Devils finished second to North Allegheny, 39-107, which collected its fifth straight championship trophy. The Tigers have 16 team titles, most in WPIAL history.
St. John Kletter claimed the big prize. The junior poured on the “gas” and captured the individual title. She finished first overall with a time of 18:22.3.
“I felt great,” St. John Kletter said. “I am so proud of just being able to race. After being hurt last year, this is amazing.”
St. John Kletter wasn’t sure she would submit a significant time, especially when she and Pine-Richland rival Natalie McLean were forced into a conservative pace by a tight pack at the start of the race.
“I looked at my watch at the first mile. We went out six flat. So I was thinking I wasn’t going to run a PR with that,” St. John Kletter said.
The pace, however, quickened and the pack began to break up as the lead runners approached the course’s challenging hill. As St.John Kletter hit the hill, she was accompanied by McLean as well as NA’s Wren Kucler and Bethel Park’s Jenna Lang. Nuclear finished fourth with an 18:48 time while Lang finished fourth in 18:54.2
“We were battling and right there, I was debating whether I should make my move,” St. John Kletter said. “I didn’t know if I could get away but I surged and started charging and gave it my everything. I put a little gas in it and it started getting wider and wider as the race went on.”
Meanwhile, Adams attacked the course differently to take advantage of her track skills. She picked off runners after the hill and pulled into third place. Her bronze-medal time was 18:39.2.
“I went into the race with the mindset of taking the hill easier and picking it up for the last 1,200 or so,” Adams said. “I was fine with people getting a few steps on me but I made my move after the hill.
“I’m definitely more a middle-distance track person. So I knew that I would be able to kick it in and pass people at the end.”
While each runner achieved their individual objectives, they delighted in the team glory. St. John Kletter and Adams said the Blue Devils have been toiling toward this goal since summer workouts began in July.
”When we all got together we said that we wanted to be first or second,” St. John Kletter said. “It’s amazing we did it. Awesome for Mt. Lebanon. I am so proud of this because now we are all qualified for states.”
”The team finish is so important,” added Adams. “I’m so happy about it and thankful for everyone on my team. They are the best part of my day, when I’m going to practice and seeing them. They are my best friends. Watching us all improve so much this year is so rewarding and it’s exciting to be going to states.”
The other members of the squad that paved the way to Lebo’s travels to Hershey for the Nov. 5 PIAA Championships included: Phoebe McNeil, who placed 23rd (20:21.7); Justine Meta 26th (20:24.3); Kate Mooney 54th (21:30.8); Evelyn Smith 59th (21:40) and Emma McGreevy 23:38.6.
Peters Township finished fourth in the team standings, behind Pine-Richland, and missed qualifying as a group for the state championships.
However, Sydney Shock, Meagan McKenna and Grace Senneway all finished in the top 20 and gained PIAA berths for the Indians. Shock took 12th overall with a 19:39.2 time. McKenna followed in 16th place (20:02). Senneway finished 19th in 20:09.6.
South Fayette finished fifth as a team. Lily Colombo and Abby Poe were the top finishers for the Lady Lions, taking 17th and 24th places with respective times of 20:03.2 and 20:23.7. Colombo and Poe earned individual berths in the PIAA meet.
Meredith Rhodes finished 15th and helped USC to an eighth-place showing in the team standings. She qualified for states with her time of 19:54.2.
In Class AA, Lilah Turnbull from Chartiers Valley finished fourth overall with a 19:14.4 time. Eva Kulbago followed in 12th position with a 20:13 mark.