Sewickley Academy sophomore Zachary Sharara took top honors in Class A at the WPIAL boys cross country championship Oct. 23 at White Oak Park.
Sharara breezed to the title, running a time of 15:41.60.
“I am so happy for Zak after the consistent daily commitment that he has shown over the past year,” Sewickley coach Mark Shelley said. “He is certainly talented, but only hard work and thoughtful training can turn that talent into a WPIAL champion.
“He ran very smart at the meet — running his pace for the first mile and then seizing control during the second mile to win by over 20 seconds.”
Consistency was a key for Sharara from the start of the season until he crossed the finish line first at the district meet.
“I was confident I was going to win,” Sharara said. “I have not been beaten by any Class A runners this season.
“I had trouble breathing during the race, but I was able to fight through.”
Shelley believed Sharara had a great chance of winning the race.
“We certainly knew that he was among the favorites based on his performance as a freshman and his results throughout this season,” Shelley said, “but we really focused on his training rather than any specific competitors. He has been remarkably consistent this year, so we certainly expected a great performance.
“Zak’s season has been one of consistent excellence in which he set an incredibly high bar. While he has not always hit his personal goal for any particular meet, he has learned from each experience — whether that involves race strategy, mental toughness or pacing. He is smart and reflective, always seeking to improve his approach.”
Mohawk senior Scott McConnell placed second in Class A and Riverview junior Ashton Saunders was third. Saunders finished strong but just missed earning a silver medal.
“I am semi-pleased,” Saunders said. “I was hoping for second place.
“It was kind of a weird race, but it ended up being good at the end. I thought the pace would be a lot harder and it was not.”
Winchester Thurston’s Jack Iyer, who won this year’s Tri-State title, finished fourth at WPIALs.
Shady Side Academy (35 points) edged Winchester Thurston (48) for the team title. Also qualifying for the state meet were Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (64) and Eden Christian (121).
“In our program, we focus on process, so our goal is simply for Zak to run his best race of the year and to trust his ability and his training,” Shelley said. “We know there are some outstanding runners in Class A boys from across the state, but he is excited to test himself against them.”
Paul Schofield contributed.