SLIPPERY ROCK — Fresh late-season legs led to history for the Knoch boys cross country team.

Led by four runners who placed in the top 20, the Knights captured the first WPIAL cross country title in school history, edging second-place South Fayette at the WPIAL Class AA Cross Country Championships at Cooper's Lake Campground Thursday.

“It meant a lot. I've been on this team for five years and I've been waiting for something like this,” said senior Preston Carlsson, who began running cross country in the eighth grade. “We had a little change of strategy this season. We ran in as few races as possible. I feel like that may have been a contributing factor in us winning it.”

Sophomore Max Freyermuth was the top finisher for the Knights, placing 10th with a time of 17 minutes, 32 seconds.

He was followed by Brandon Grumski (11th), John Ejzak (13th) and Carlsson (18th) in the top 20.

Knoch had seven runners in the top 63.

“It was a total team effort,” said Knoch boys and girls cross country coach Wess Brahler. “This has been a goal going all the way back to last year when we finished fifth and just missed out on going to the state meet. We had a motto: 'Together. Unfinished Business.'”

Brahler said it was only the third WPIAL championship won by Knoch, along with football in 1978 and golf in 1992.

For Carlsson and Grumski, it will be their third trip to the state meet, which will be held Nov. 1 in Hershey.

“A state medal is not out of reach,” Carlsson said. “We're going to go and give it our best shot.”

Mars placed third and will also send its entire team to the PIAA championships.

Nathan Mrdjenovich placed sixth with a time of 17:22 to lead the Mars effort.

Freeport was 26th as a team.

In Class AAA, Seneca Valley placed fifth and Butler sixth as a team.

Mike Kolor finished in fifth place with a time of 16:38 to lead the Raiders. Tanner Quiggle placed 18th for Seneca Valley.

Josh Rader (12th place) and Noah Beveridge (19th place) led Butler.

In Class A, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic finished 23rd and had no runner in the top 50.

WPIAL Class AAA

Boys

Team results

1-North Allegheny 47, 2-Canon-McMillan 105, 3-Mount Lebanon 135, 4-North Hills 180, 5-Seneca Valley 203, 6-Butler 212

Individual Top 10

1-Matt McGoey (North Allegheny) 15:57, 2-Hunter Wharrey (North Allegheny) 16:13, 3-Jake Susalla (Plum) 16:26, 4-Ethan Linderman (Canon-McMillan) 16:33, 5-Mike Kolor (Seneca Valley) 16:38, 6-Scott Seel (North Allegheny) 16:39, 7-Jason Krist (Hampton) 16:42, 8-Jacob Heinauer (North Hills) 16:44, 9-Ian Baun (Mount Lebanon) 16:45, 10-Nick Wolk (Peters Township) 16:50

Local team results

(bold advance to PIAA meet)

Seneca Valley: 5-Mike Kolor 16:38, 18-Tanner Quiggle 16:59, 51-Clay Taylor 17:51, 62-Andrew Kearney 18:04, 67-Grant McCarthy 18:08, 93-Michael Baxa 18:29, 116-Trey razanauskas 18:49

Butler: 12-Josh Rader 16:51, 19-Noah Beveridge 17:01, 42-Patrick Fullerton 17:35, 53-Adam Knauer 17:53, 86-Chris Boyd 18:24, 106-Travis Braund 18:39, 114-Ethan Linnon 18:45

WPIAL Class AA

Boys

Team Results

1-Knoch 104, 2-South Fayette 139, 3-Mars 167, 4-Uniontown 170, 5-Hopewell 186, 26-Freeport 670

Individual Top 10

1-Zach Skolnekovich (Quaker Valley) 16:45, 2-Noah Smith (Ringgold) 16:54, 3-Sean Hilverding (Waynesburg Central) 17:02, 4-Samuel Lenze (Indiana) 17:12, 5-Ben Beckerton (Southmoreland) 17:18, 6-Nathan Mrdjenovich (Mars) 17:22, 7-Aaron Pfeil (South Fayette) 17:24, 8-Billy Lott (Ellwood City) 17:27, 9-Braden Carei (Uniontown) 17:29, 10-Max Freyermuth (Knoch) 17:32

Local team results

(Knoch and Mars advance as a team to PIAA meet)

Knoch: 10-Max Freyermuth 17:32, 11-Brandon Grumski 17:32, 13-John Ejzak 17:39, 18-Preston Carlsson 17:44, 52-Aidan Neigh 18:29, 54-Nathaniel Pettit 18:32, 63-Paul Kasunic 18:41

Mars: 6-Nathan Mrdjenovich 17:22, 25-Ben Luce 17:54, Jacob Porter 17:58, 49-Brendan Knox 18:27, 55-Evan Deddo 18:33, 60-Zack Hunkele 18:39, 65-Lukas Johansson 18:43

Freeport: 50-Noah Bowser 18:27, 142-Tyler Ben 20:21, 146-Caleb Bowser 20:26, 151-Nathan McCombs 20:33, 181-Nathan Shaffer 21:15, 201-Owen Parks 21:55