The North Allegheny cross country teams opened their 2025 campaigns in dramatic fashion at the HOKA Kickoff Classic Showcase Meet in Painesville, OH. Racing after dark on a course lit by string lights and finishing under stadium lights, both the girls and boys delivered strong performances against some of the region’s top competition, highlighted by breakout races from two freshmen.

On the girls’ side, Samantha Strelick made an immediate statement in her varsity debut, racing to a 4th-place finish in 18:47.37. Strelick ran with the poise of a seasoned veteran, steadily moving up through the field and establishing herself as one of the night’s brightest young talents. Behind her, the Tigers packed up well to secure 6th place as a team with 245 points. Sophomore Gabriela Pizon (48th, 20:03.97) and senior Teresa Pagnotto (61st, 20:20.86) provided steady leadership, while sophomores Juliet Forrest (71st, 20:37.21) and Lydia Stuart (74th, 20:38.90) rounded out the scoring five. Sophomore Elizabeth Richmond (104th, 21:10.30) and senior Elinor Handel (118th, 21:24.89) completed the varsity lineup.

The boys were led by a standout performance from freshman Gatik Hirwani, who stormed to a runner-up finish in 15:51.44 on the 5k course. Hirwani’s fearless effort set the tone for the Tigers, who placed 8th overall with 303 points. Junior Wyatt Case (21st, 16:17.66) provided valuable support up front, while sophomore Sam Patterson (84th, 17:18.45), senior Jack Curren (89th, 17:20.44), and sophomore Nathan Hou (125th, 17:48.81) rounded out the scoring five. Seniors Justin Peoples (136th, 17:54.09) and Sidath Perera (142nd, 17:59.43) also competed well for the varsity squad.

With the emergence of young standouts in Strelick and Hirwani, paired with the depth and experience of their supporting packs, both North Allegheny teams showed they are poised for another exciting season.  Both teams return to action this Wednesday at Mingo Creek County Park for a multi-team scrimmage.