Running free
JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch boys cross country coach Wess Brahler had everything mapped out in his head long before the postseason started.
Brahler took the Knights to a race Sept. 21 at the Parkview Cross Country Course in Hershey so they'd be familiar with the course the state championships would be held at.
The team finished sixth and saw what some of the preseason favorites, like Grove City, had.
For first-year runner Max Freyermuth, it gave him a measuring stick for how far he'd come.
And he learned a good lesson.
“There are some people that are a lot better than me,” Freyermuth said. “I have to do a lot of work if I want to get up there.”
Knoch's team put in the work and is riding some momentum heading into the PIAA Class AA Championships Saturday.
The Knights won their first WPIAL title in school history last week and gave Brahler, in his 26th year as coach between Moniteau and Knoch, his first district title.
“We were hoping this was going to happen this year,” Brahler said. “We prepared for this. We have experience running on the course.”
It's the first time the Knights qualified as a team since 2005, when they finished 12th.
Knoch had plenty of experience returning in two-time state qualifiers Preston Carlsson and Brandon Grumski.
Aidan Neigh, Paul Kasunic, Mike Renaud and Nathaniel Pettit are the other members of the Knights' team that qualified.
Grumski said that going as a team to the state course was good motivation.
“It's a lot of fun going as a team,” Grumski said. “Since it wasn't the state meet, I could focus more on points in the race I could use to improve my strategy.”
Despite that, the Knights never stopped trying to add more runners.
When they noticed Freyermuth, a sophomore, doing well during the spring track season, they tried to get him to come aboard.
“He was always an incredible runner and was good in the mile and 800,” Grumski said. “We wanted him to do cross country. We knew he could keep up from track. We were excited to get another guy into our top five.”
Freyermuth was Knoch's top finisher at WPIALs, coming in 10th place with a time of 17 minutes, 32 seconds edging Carlsson by a couple inches.
His best time this season was 17:08.
“Max has been following the leadership of our other top two runners,” Brahler said. “Him and John Ejzak have been training hard together.”
Grumski thinks this group will be competitive at state.
“Our top 10 guys, the whole team all they do is work hard and you can tell they really want it,” Grumski said.
Here’s a list of the Butler County boys cross country runners that will compete at the state meet Saturday in Hershey:<b>Class AAA</b>Noah Beveridge, ButlerJosh Rader, ButlerMike Kolor, Seneca ValleyTanner Quiggle, Seneca Valley<b>Class AA</b>Aaron Benka, Grove CityJohn Paul Depew, Grove CityBraydon Pyle, Grove CityDillon McConnell, Grove CityRyan Budnik, Grove CityBen McKnight, Grove CityJacob Powell, Grove CityJacob Hughes, Grove CityMax Freyermuth, KnochBrandon Grumski, KnochJohn Ejzak, KnochPreston Carlsson, KnochAidan Neigh, KnochNathaniel Pettit, KnochPaul Kasunic, KnochMike Renaud, KnochNathan Mrdjenovich, MarsBen Luce, MarsJacob Porter, MarsBrendan Knox, MarsEvan Deddo, MarsZack Hunkele, MarsCaleb Keys, MarsConnor Amsler, MarsAndrew Maxwell, Slippery RockNote: Grove City, Knoch and Mars qualified as a team.
