HERSHEY, PA. – The Aquinas Academy boys cross country team capped off an impressive 2026 season with a 13th-place finish in Class A at the PIAA State Cross Country Championships in Hershey. Under head coach Mike Grese, the Crusaders entered the fall with a young roster and hopes of qualifying for the state championships. They accomplished that goal, finishing fifth at the WPIAL Championships before closing out the season among the top Class A programs in Pennsylvania. The Aquinas roster included Regan Carroll, Peter Koble, Lucas Kibler, Luke Schellhaas, Roman Spagnolo, Andrew Deem, Isaac Vangura, Giancarlo Josephs, David Howes and Max Predis. The team's success was particularly impressive considering the number of freshmen and sophomores who contributed throughout the season. A YOUNG TEAM WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS Entering the 2026 season, Aquinas faced the challenge of replacing Brad Moore, one of its top runners from the previous year. However, Grese was optimistic about the talent returning to the program and the addition of several promising freshmen. Sophomore Andrew Deem and freshmen Isaac Vangura and Max Predis emerged as three of the team's top runners. The trio pushed each other throughout the preseason and continued to improve as the season progressed. "They compete hard against each other in workouts, but as soon as the workout is done, they're the best of friends," Grese said before the season. "Each is more concerned about the team than individual accolades." Sophomore Roman Spagnolo also played an important role after spending much of the summer recovering from an ankle injury. Giancarlo Josephs, one of the team's most improved runners in 2025, continued his development and contributed to the Crusaders' success. The team also received contributions from Lucas Kibler, Regan Carroll, Peter Koble and David Howes, giving Aquinas a group of runners capable of competing throughout the lineup. VANGURA BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD TWICE One of the biggest individual stories of the season was the emergence of freshman Isaac Vangura, who broke the Aquinas Academy boys 5K school record twice. The previous record of 17:05 was established by John Griffith in 2021 and had stood for five years. Vangura first broke the mark at the Aquinas Section Invitational, running 16:54 on Chatham University's challenging Eden Hall campus course. The performance made him the first Aquinas runner to complete a 5K in under 17 minutes. He followed that performance with an even faster race at the Tri-State Invitational, finishing third overall in 16:41 and lowering his own school record by another 13 seconds. In total, Vangura improved the previous school record by 24 seconds during his freshman season. His accomplishments also included a 10th-place finish at the Red, White & Blue Invitational and a 15th-place finish at the PIAA Foundation Meet. His performances placed him among the top freshmen competing in WPIAL Class A. Grese credited Vangura's approach to training and his willingness to learn as major factors in his success. "A key to Isaac's significant improvements as a freshman is his curiosity," Grese said. "He's always asking great questions about how to improve his training, strength, tactics, and mental toughness. He takes those answers and applies them." Grese also praised his competitiveness. "Isaac is super competitive. We've had workouts where he's barely missed an assigned pace, and he's been so frustrated by it that he asks to run the rep again. That's the kind of drive that makes an outstanding cross country runner." FROM WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS TO HERSHEY Before the season began, Grese believed his young team had an opportunity to accomplish something special. The Crusaders set their sights on earning a trip to the PIAA State Championships. With strong competition from programs including Eden Christian, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Riverview, Neshannock, South Side and Winchester Thurston, reaching Hershey would require a strong team effort. "There's a really good chance for this young group to do something special," Grese said in the preseason. "We plan to run our hardest this season and let the chips fall where they may." Aquinas finished forth at the WPIAL Class A Championships and advanced to compete at the state championships in Hershey. At the PIAA Championships, the Crusaders finished 13th in Class A, bringing an impressive season to a close. For a program featuring so many underclassmen, the experience of competing at the state level should prove valuable in the coming years. Aquinas will return much of its young talent in 2027, including Vangura, Deem, Predis and Spagnolo, who will look to build on this season's accomplishments. The 2026 season will be remembered for Vangura's two school records, a fifth-place WPIAL finish and a 13th-place finish at the PIAA State Championships. With much of the roster returning, the Crusaders will enter next season looking to build on one of the program's strongest years. --- Follow Aquinas Athletics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquinascrusaders/ Follow Aquinas Athletics on X: https://x.com/AquinasAD For the latest Aquinas Academy Athletics news, schedules, results and more, visit: https://aquinascrusaders.org/ #GoAquinas #AquinasAthletics