McKEESPORT — Happy birthday, indeed!

Knoch senior Mike Formica spent his 18th birthday running to victory Wednesday at the WPIAL Class AA Cross Country Championships at White Oak Park.

Formica won the boys race — topping a field of 206 runners — in 16 minutes, 15 seconds. He edged Ringgold freshman Ryan Pajak by two seconds. Greensburg Salem's Quintin Gatons finished third.

North Catholic won the Class AA girls team title at White Oak. Knoch's girls placed fifth.

“This was a great day to be a Knight,” Knoch cross country coach Wess Brahler said. “We had a fantastic day.

“Those two runners who finished behind Mike beat him at two invites this season. He was able to get past them this time.”

Formica said there were “10 of us running together in a pack after two miles. In the last mile, it was the three of us.

“The last 100 meters, it was me and (Pajak). I had to go hard to beat him. When I crossed the finish line, it felt amazing. I couldn't believe this was happening.”

Formica was undefeated in section meets this season. He placed among the top five in each invitational meet the Knights took part in.

“When our track season was canceled last spring, Mike dedicated himself to getting ready for cross country right away. Today, he reaped the benefits of that,” Brahler said.

Formica said the additional preparation definitely made a difference.

“I was able to train for six or seven months instead of three months,”he said. “That helped a lot.

“The course was sloppy and muddy in spots. That made it difficult at times, but the temperature (50 degrees) was perfect to run in.”

The top 15 boys and girls runners medaled. Knoch's Daniel Deal took 15th in the boys race in 17:08.

North Catholic's Ben Capozzi and Sam West finished 17th and 29th, respectively. Mars' Jack Olshenske finished 31st and Freeport's Ben Perka was 50th.

Greensburg Salem won the boys team title. North Catholic was fifth and Knoch eighth.

North Catholic's girls only began their cross country program in 2014. The Trojanettes placed second or third as a team in each of the last four WPIAL Championships before breaking through and winning this year.

Only the WPIAL boys and girls team champions and top seven individual finishers in each race advance to the PIAA Championships this year. The PIAA meet is Nov. 7.

The Trojanettes had 77 points. Montour was second with 87. North Catholic had five runners place among the top 30 in the WPIAL race.

“We only had five girls on the team when we started the program,” NC coach Stacy Kopchak said.

Freshman Grace Lazzara was fourth with a time of 19:35. Tara Lucot was 11th, Alaina Hicks 13th, Julie Zalenski 19th and Alex Gongas 30th.

“We had a lot of girls dealing with injuries over the summer,” Kopchak said. “Our team came together late this season. Our top runners ran solid today.

“This was a great year to break through and win it.”

Knoch junior Elyse Chess and freshman Emma Haugh finished seventh and eighth with season-best times of 19:49. Yumiko Kuo was 21st for the Knights.

Freeport's Maggie Hollobaugh was 25th, Anne Lindsey 26th, Anita Bhat 31st and Erin Schaeffer 37th as the Yellowjackets placed seventh as a team.

The WPIAL Class AAA meet is scheduled for Thursday at White Oak Park.