GROVE CITY — Wolf Creek runs through the Grove City College campus.

The Wolf Creek Track Club just runs, period — and does so quite well.

Seneca Valley graduate Andrew Mascio and Grove City High grad Brandon Wise ran cross country and track at GCC for four years. When Mascio was a junior there, they co-founded the club.

“We knew we wanted to continue running after college and didn't know of another running club in the area,” Mascio said. “We decided to form one and it's grown quickly.”

Only in its third year, the WCTC claimed its sixth team title last weekend, topping a strong field of Midwestern clubs at the Van Wert 4 Mile Post Collegiate Border Battle in Van Wert, Ohio.

Depth won the team championship for WCTC. Its highest individual finish was fifth — by North Hills graduate Juris Silenieks — but three other team runners placed among the top 10.

They included Grove City High grad Dan Jaskowak (7th), Mars graduate Nick Edinger (8th) and Slippery Rock High grad Ryan Thompson (10th).

“We have 15 male runners on the team and most of them are from this area,” Mascio said. There a few female runners as well.

Edinger and Thompson have been elite runners for quite a while. Thompson set school records at Slippery Rock University while Edinger is three-time defending Butler Road Race champion who placed eighth in May's Pittsburgh Marathon.

Edinger joined the WCTC in January.

“Running is a big-time sport in high school and college,” he said. “You miss that type of atmosphere when you run by yourself post-collegiately.

“It's been fun being part of a team again. The club has helped me out and I want to help them out. They've helped support my running efforts financially along with the added encouragement and motivation that comes with running as part of a team.”

Edinger plans to run the Akron Marathon in September. He plans to run five marathons a year before heading to the Olympic Trials slated for Feb. 29, 2020, in Atlanta.

“Nick is one of the elite runners in this region and it only adds to our credibility when someone of that caliber joins up with us,” Mascio said.

The Van Wert event was the first Thompson has run for WCTC. It likely won't be his last.

WCTC runners will be competing in a number of local 5k races before they team up again at the Strides for Students 5k and Club Challenge Aug. 12 in Grove City.

“This club does have a number of different type runners and that's beneficial to everyone,” Thompson said. “Nick is a marathoner, I'm more of a 5k and 10k guy.

“It was fun running with those guys. I figured I'd try it out and it was cool.”

Thompson works with a safety management team for a manufacturing company in Greentree. He graduated from SRU in 2017.

“I don't run as much as I used to, but I still get in 50 to 60 miles a week,” he said. “Trying to stay at a peak level running post-collegiately is difficult. Being part of a team helps.”

WCTC runners train on their own, for the most part before coming together at team races. There are occasions when team members will work out and run together.

WCTC has won the relay portion of the Pittsburgh Marathon twice in three years.

“We're continuing to grow the club, and grow the sport at the same time,” Mascio said. “Running is something an athlete can do for a long time.”

Edinger said winning events like the Van Wert last weekend doesn't hurt, either.

“It's huge,” he said. “This club is very competitive and it's gaining momentum. Running as a team makes me enjoy the sport that much more.”

Visit info@wolfcreektrackclub.com or call Mascio at 724-831-9485 for more information or to inquire about joining the club.