Brentwood's Firecracker 5K celebrates 40th anniversary

The Brentwood Firecracker 5K Run always is a special event.

It was extra special this year.

The race, held annually on July 4 on Brownsville Road, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2023.

Well-known and longtime running enthusiast Rich Wright, who coaches cross country and track and field at Baldwin, served as race director for the second time.

Wright’s longtime friend Jim Rohm, the first Brentwood Firecracker 5K Run race director, started this year’s event.

“We gave out commemorative ‘40th year’ bags,” Wright said. “We also had two $500 raffle prizes in celebration of 40 years. Brentwood Borough donated money to the race and supplied water donated by Giant Eagle to all finishers. We also had new signage.

“The Priano family sang the national anthem and God Bless America. The Prianos are lifetime Baldwin and area residents.”

“Tim, the father, went to Baldwin and has lived here all his life. Tim and his brother and sons, Joey (Baldwin track) and Ryan (Baldwin cross country), also have sung at Pirates games.”

The affable Wright served as race director for a second straight year. He has been involved in countless area road races over the years.

“I’ve been involved with the Brentwood Firecracker 5K since it started,” Wright said. “Jim Rohm and Jim Joyce started the race. I’m proud to carry the tradition.”

Race committee members include Jeanne Berk, Laura Wenger, Steve Evans, Tina Famiglietti, Jim Zern, Anne Schmidt and Pat Cunningham.

“I’m race director by committee,” Wright said. “Our committee is fantastic. Without question, our committee is what makes it work. We all offer input and share ideas and duties.”

Nick Wolk, 25, of Canonsburg was the overall winner of this year’s race thanks to a 15:09 time, more than a minute faster than runner-up Drew Zundell, 17, who traveled from Morgantown, W.Va. to participate. Zundell posted a 16:13.

“Nick Wolk was a standout runner at Peters Township and continued his career at Pitt,” Wright said. “He is the best runner in the area and has won some of the bigger area races. He’s a great kid.”

Zundell broke the West Virginia state record for 1,600 meters with a 4:08 time and was named Gatorade Athlete of the Year in West Virginia. His mom, Kelly Maiden, who ran for Baldwin, and grandmother, Denise Maiden of Baldwin Council fame, were instrumental in revising the Baldwin Mile.

Another teen, 16-year-old Sawyer Weinmann of Pittsburgh, zeroed in on third place with a 16:18 performance while two other Pittsburgh-area runners, Steve Kirkland, 35, and Sean Battis, 41, rounded out the top five with times of 16:27 and 16:30. Battis ran for Canon-McMillan in high school.

Turning to the female division, 21-year-old Mary Borkoski of Pittsburgh took first place in 17:46, close to a minute faster than runner-up Ann Mazur, 37, of Charlottesville, Va., who crossed the finish line in 18:45.

“Ann Mazur from Seton LaSalle and Notre Dame was last year’s winner,” Wright said.

Sara Zambotti, 42, of Shelocta placed third in 19:39, followed by Pittsburgh residents Lydia Rhodes, 17, and Kristi Rhoa, 34, whose times were 19:51 and 19:52.

Mt. Lebanon native Ryan Clark (16:45), Andrew Barrett (17:03), Brett Mason (17:08), Sawyer Bonnett (17:10) and Jordan Allen (17:10) rounded out the top 10 in the men’s race. They were followed by Brian Bacik (17:11), Tim Danziger (17:30), Dom Ditoro (17:34), John Ziegler (17:36), Emery Strotman (1758), Matt Baird (17:59), Al Lindstrom (18:08), Neffali Jimenez (18:16) and Michael Faix (18:20).

“Andrew Barrett is heading to Campbell University (in North Carolina). Dom Ditoro is at IUP. John Ziegler just graduated from Point Park and is heading to UMass for law and for running. All three ran for Baldwin,” Wright said.

Also finishing in the top 40 were Devan Evanovich (18:21), Joe Winans (18:22), Joe Lamb (18:24), Adam Potter (18:26), John Ridilla (18:36), Logan Metzger (18:38), Charles Bizzarro (18:41), Evan Dawson (18:42), Hannes Gudlaugsson (18:43), Eric Shafer (18:45), Ryan Cawley (18:50), Ben Hinton (18:50), Mark Styler (18:50), Tripp Clay (18:51), Shepherd Butler (18:55), Paul DeGregorio (18:59), Connor Kuglar (19:04), Bob Teagarden (19:06) and Josh Gilberti (19:06).

“Joe Winans coached the South Fayette girls to a state championship a few years ago,” Wright said. “He is a Baldwin and Duquesne grad.”

Margaret Powers (20:07), Jill Leadbetter (20:10), Amy Focer (20:13), Rachel Hyzny (20:20) and Emily Sagun (20:24) finished in the top 10 on the women’s side. Mindy Sawtelle-Zottola (20:57), Teresa Duff (21:08), Maureen Chermak (21:24), Jenna Bielewicz-O’Malley (21:27), Bella Massaro (21:27), Kari King (21:29), Nicole Stockey (21:32), Elizabeth White (21:38), Lexi Mullen (21:42) and Cheyanne Trout (21:45), a seventh-grader in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District, rounded out the top 20.

“Maureen Chermak coaches at Upper St. Clair,” Wright said.

Also finishing in the top 40 were Ella Unice (21:57), Sharon Smith (22:05), Lindsay Bacik (22:09), Cassie Scarpino (22:22), Caroline Pangrace (22:29), Lauren Wentz (22:29), Stacey Falk (22:32), Tonya Bond (22:40), Caitlin Thomas (22:45), Mackenzie Hirt (22:46), Ava Barker (22:58), Kimberly Mauro (23:01), Sydney Hand (23:06), Jaclyn Mcdine (23:06), Katrina Kletzly (23:09), Mallory Mezeivtch (23:16), Jocelyn Sauers (23:17), Melanie DeMarco (23:22), Kristin Barbour (23:26) and Stephanie Teagarden (23:31).

Finishing first among males in each age division were Liam Seey, 10, (20:05); Butler, 13, (18:55); Barrett, 17, (17:03); Clark, 24, (16:45); Jiminez, 28, (18:16); Bacik, 32, (17:11); Kirkland, 35, (16:27); Battis, 41, (16:30); Mason, 47, (17:08); Shafer, 54, (18:45); Greg Mussitsch, 57, (19:51); Mike Romzy, 61, (21:29); Ronald Romanoff, 67, (24:47); and David Charlton, 70, (24:08).

The female age division titlists were Lennon Best, 11, (23:42); Trout, 13, (21:45); Rhodes, 17, (19:51); Hyzny, 22, (20:20); Thomas, 28, (22:45); Rhoa, 34, (19:52); Powers, 37, (20:07); Chermak, 44, (21:24); Duff, 46, (21:08); Sawtelle-Zottola, 50, (20:57); Amy Hutchison, 57, (25:39); Michele Organist, 61, (26:26); Scarpino, 69, (22:22); and Cynthia Rigby, 72, (35:11).

Battis, 41, and Sawtelle-Zottola, 50, also were the masters division champions.

The top five male runners from Brentwood were Neil Christopher, 28, (19:13); Seey, 10, (20:05); Scott Johnson, 26, (20:21); Devon Dale, 27, (21:50); and Chris Ritter, 40, (21:59).

Brentwood’s leading female finishers were Ava Barker, 19, (22:58); Meghan Schruben, 15, (24:51); Aliya Blount, 15, (25:51); Dorothy Rigby, 40, (26:38); and Skylee Dias, 13, (27:12).

Christopher has dominated the Brentwood division, finishing first for seven consecutive years.

As a senior at Brentwood in 2021-22, Barker won a host of honors, including the Booster Athlete Award and Female Scholar Athlete Award, and was voted as the girls’ most outstanding team member in track and field and tied with Martha Deng for the same honor in cross country.

Barker competed as a freshman on the Pitt-Johnstown women’s cross country and track and field teams in 2022-23.