Track and field traditionally is an individual sport.

It takes a talented group of individuals to make up a team.

And it takes a team of experienced champions to form a dynasty.

The Norwin girls track and field team has become a dominant dynasty after winning its third straight WPIAL Class AAA championship last week.

And despite featuring some of the top individual athletes in the WPIAL, it took a true team effort to conquer the WPIAL crown in convincing fashion.

"These kids want to win. The coaches want to win," coach Trinity Morgan said after the victory.

"You can't ask for anything else. They did a great job."

There were several examples of a team-first attitude at the rainy WPIAL championship.

In the 800-meter run, sophomore Shelby Haitz felt a knot form in her calf muscle halfway through the race. Knowing that the event was crucial to the team's chances at victory, she painfully finished the race in second place.

"Watching her gut it out like that says enough about the type of competitor she is. She knew she had to get at least second in the 800. She gutted it out," Morgan said.

"She did it for her team, not for herself. That's why these girls are so successful. They do it for the people next to them, not for themselves."

North Allegheny always has been strong in the field events, but the Norwin girls were up to the challenge and gained a significant advantage in the discus, long jump, javelin, high jump, triple jump, shot put and pole vault.

"The field really stepped up, all around," Morgan said. "Our kids -- to perform in the rain like that was phenomenal."

In the 3,200-meter run, junior Leslie Kovach, who has won nearly every race this season, battled through the flu to take second as freshman Jenna Gigliotti stuck by her side the entire race and garnered a first place for Norwin.

"It feels pretty good. We have a strong team again this year, and we're very blessed with that. I'm just really happy everyone could do as well as they did," Kovach said.

"(Jenna) has come along pretty well. I'm glad we have some younger runners to help us out."

Their finish in the two-mile run locked up the victory, as Norwin defeated North Allegheny, 94.5-55.5, Seneca Valley, 91.5-58.5 and Laurel Highlands, 111-39.

"It's something you never expect when you come into a program that's set up for you," the fourth-year coach said. "You get one, and you're ecstatic. You get two, and you're even more ecstatic. You get three, and it says a lot about your coaching staff and a lot about the attitude of your athletes."

First-place winners included Shannon Abraham in the 100 (12.77), 200 (25.51) and 400 (57.25); Haitz in the 1,600 (5:12.47), Gigliotti in the 3,200 (11:41.44) and Amanda Ponsonby in the pole vault (10-6).

In addition, the 4x100-meter relay of Amanda Cotherman, Ali Mols, Chrissy Marcius and Abraham (50.19), and the 4x400-meter relay of Marcius, Tina Nyberg, Cotherman and Mols (4:03.65) each finished first.

Earning second-place finishes were Stacey Weitzel in the discus (99 feet, 3 inches), Dana DelleFemine in the 400 (58.26), Mols in the 300 hurdles (47.05), Haitz in the 800 (2:21.86), Kovach in the 3,200 (11:49.67) and the 4x800-meter relay of Gigliotti, Kovach, Maria Layni and Haitz (9:50.02).

"For the weather and everything, I'm pretty proud of how I did. I just focused a lot and worked on my steps," said Weitzel, a senior.

"It feels so good, because it's the third time in a row. It's so exciting to be a part of everything. It's a good way to end it. Going out on top is always the best."

Taking third were DelleFemine in the 100 (13.17) and 200 (26.54), Cassie Palmer in the long jump (15 feet, 11.5 inches) and Amanda Romansky in the javelin (106 feet, 9 inches).

"Our javelin thrower, Amanda Romansky, really stepped up. She did really well for us. Our discus throwers did awesome. Our shot putters did really well," Morgan said.

With only five seniors leaving, the future looks bright, and the prospects of a continuing, dominant dynasty look like a sure thing.