North Allegheny, Seneca Valley and Laurel Highlands each qualified for the WPIAL Class AAA girls track and field championships last week.

Their reward for the accomplishment is a meeting with two-time defending champion Norwin, which looks as strong as ever after dominating semifinal victories last week over Chartiers Valley, 108.5-41, Uniontown, 123-27, and Fox Chapel Area, 133-17.

The Lady Knights will take on the three other semifinal winners today, Thursday, in the WPIAL finals at West Mifflin High School Stadium, at 3 p.m

"I think it's going to be close. This will be their third attempt in a row at the title. I know they'll be focused. How focused will be the important factor," coach Trinity Morgan said. "North Allegheny looks really good. Seneca Valley looks supper."

Both the Class AAA and Class AA races will be held at the same site this year.

"There's going to be some different strategy because there's going to be more rest, which I'm not sure I like," Morgan said.

Norwin hopes to have a distinct advantage on the track where it has dominated all competition during the last four undefeated section seasons, and most notably in the past two WPIAL championship seasons.

"We have good sprinters, middle distance and milers all around," sophomore Shelby Haitz said after the semifinal win. "I know we're going to have competition, but we have to stick it out."

Earning first places for the girls last week at the semifinals held at Norwin were Shannon Abraham in the 100, 200 and 400; Haitz in the 800 and 1,600; Leslie Kovach in the 3,200; Ali Mols in the 300 hurdles; Jessica Sharik in the shot put; Cassidy Kravec in the discus; Kendra Swinston in the high jump; and Amanda Ponsonby in the pole vault.

The girls 4x800-meter relay also finished first to start the meet.

"It feels good. We worked hard," Abraham said of the team's performance. "We practiced really hard during the week."

The Norwin boys also took part in the team semifinals last week but were edged in the final event by Canon-McMillan, which moved on to the finals, 77-73.

Norwin, which did defeat Uniontown and Mt. Pleasant, came in second in the 4x400-meter relay, which allowed Canon-McMillan to advance. Norwin's unit set a season best by 6 seconds with a time of 3:25.00, but the Canon-McMillan squad was one second faster.

"Those are the No. 1 and 2 times right now in the WPIAL. I can't complain," Morgan said. "They PR'd by six seconds. I can't ask them do any more. Every leg of that race was their fastest time."

After Rob Zazac, Andy McHugh and Nick Revis stayed close to the C-M sprinters, Norwin's anchor man, Dave Farina, tried to make up 20 meters in the final leg but finished less than 5 meters behind.

"It was his fourth event, and he still ran a 49," Morgan said of Farina's 400 split time.

Norwin had a strong meet despite the loss, but Canon-McMillian earned the victory with impressive runs in the sprint events and two-mile.

"Everyone stepped up. We told them what they had to do, and almost everyone did it. We knew it would come down to the mile relay. They were ready. That was an awesome race," Morgan said.

Earning first-place finishes for the boys were Tyler DeAntonis in the long jump and 110 hurdles; Ryan Slack in the discus; Farina in the 800 and 1,600; Mike Steffenino in the 300 hurdles and pole vault; Luke Doney in the shot; and Nate Harriger in high jump.

Baldwin Invitational

A limited crew from Norwin participated in the Baldwin Invitational on Friday, while many teammates attended the prom.

Earning medals were: Haitz, who finished first and set a meet record in the 800 (2:13.44); Abraham, who was first in the 400 (57.45); Dana Dellefemine, who placed fourth in the 400 (59.28); Harriger, who was sixth in the high jump (6 feet, 2 inches); Kerri Morgan, who was tied for third in the pole vault (10 feet); and Jenna Gigliotti, who finished seventh in the 3,200 (11:34.64) and eighth in the 1,600 (5:16.26).