The Monster

In Greek mythology, Hercules established himself as a true hero by completing difficult labors and conquering powerful beasts. One of the most significant was the Hydra, a multi-headed monster who was so dangerous that even its scent was deadly. But Hercules was a god (or at least a half god), so it was not crazy to think he had a fighting chance against such a creature. However, in 2010, the WPIAL was facing its own multi-head monster and (to the best of my knowledge) all the opposing high schoolers were mortal.

Zach Hebda, Juris Silenieks and Joe Kush, affectionately named “The North Hills Monster” by rival XC talent Wade Endress, was at the peak of its powers during the 2010 Cross Country season. But the story of this trio really begins in 2007, back before they were anything close to monsters. And before they were even a trio. Coming off a 15^th place finish in the WPIAL to end the prior season, the 2007 North Hills squad got a big lift when a pair of talented freshman joined an already crowded varsity contingent. At the Tri-State Championships, North Hills ran to second place overall behind only North Allegheny. Juris Silenieks and Joe Kush, as only 9^th graders, placed 7^th and 8^th in 16:52 to lead the way. Two weeks later at the State Championships, they doubled down on their success by placing 46^th and 47^th and claiming the top two freshman positions in the class of 2011. Alongside teammate Mike Vlah (45^th), the freshman helped North Hills place 7^th in the state.

With Vlah, Juris and Joe all back again in 2008, many people expected North Hills to continue their rise up the state ranks. And after Kush and Silenieks placed 5^th and 6^th at the Tri State Championships, it seemed like they were on a strong trajectory to do just that. However, things didn’t click for the squad in the final two races of the season. Kush finished 18^th and WPIALs and Juris finished 29^th. Then both boys went backwards at states with Kush taking 73^rd and Juris 140^th. Ultimately, North Hills placed 14^th in the state despite the fact that it was arguably their most talented team in boys three-year stretch.

Losing Mike Vlah to graduation would prove to be a big hit to North Hills’ state hopes in 2009. At meet #1, the Red, White and Blue Invitational, North Hills took 5-7-9 in the overall standings but finished just 6^th overall. When the team lined up at WPIALs, they out did themselves again with places 3, 4, 5 and 17, but were a distant 3^rd in the final standings behind North Allegheny and Baldwin. In Hershey, they finished a commendable 8^th in the final team standings, defeating the defending state champions in North Penn. Their top 3 came to play again with 4^th, 11^th and 18^th finishes in the team standings.

Individually, 2009 was undeniably a banner year for North Hills two former freshman sensations. Kush and Silenieks began the rise that many had projected for them two years earlier. They opened the season with sub 16 marks at RWB, took 3^rd and 4^th at Pittsburgh CC’s Invite and Kush dropped a 15:48 at the famed Coopers Lake course with Juris one spot behind him at 16:01. For the cherry on top, both boys earned their first ever state medals with Joe taking 5^th and Juris in 13^th.

But a duo does not make for a “monster”. There are many teams in the state who have multiple contenders for state medals. Yet North Hills hit hydra status in 2009 when Zach Hebda began to emerge as a third piece. Hebda had been around in 2008, running as the team’s #5 on districts and states. However, in 2009, he narrowed the gap to his two classmates. He was a consistent top 10 runner in the district and finished WPIALs with the same time as Juris. At the state championships, he earned 27^th place, just two spots off the podium.

Later that spring, Kush, Silenieks and Hebda all ran under the elite 3200m barrier of 9:20 at the Outdoor State Championships. With times of 9:12, 9:15 and 9:17, it seemed these three were poised to make serious noise their senior seasons on the XC trail. Hebda had proven he deserved to be in the same league with his two talented teammates. But what happened next was the true game changer.

For the Western part of the state, the Cross Country season truly begins at the Red, White and Blue Invitational. In the early part of the decade, all the best teams from the area would compete in a crowded field of big-time performers. Naturally, North Hills was among this group of competitors and Kush (the #2 returner from the prior year’s state meet) and Silenieks (#7) were among the big names looking to measure themselves against early state title favorite Ryan Gil of North Allegheny. Yet when the dust settled on race day, it was Zach Hebda who took down not only the rest of the field, but also the record books with a jaw dropping 15:16 winning time. It was the fastest mark since 2006 when Lucas Zarzeczny outdueled Scott VanKooten 15:13 to 15:14. Behind Hebda, PA’s #2 finisher was Joe Kush in 15:23 with Juris taking 6^th overall at 15:41.

At the beginning of October, the North Hills trio took to the course again, this time at the Pittsburgh Central Catholic Invitational. In this race, there was no one that broke up the monster. Hebda, Kush and Silenieks swept the top 3 spots in the meet, each running under 16 minutes. Hebda and Kush finished with identical 15:49 times and Juris once again roughly 10 seconds behind. But Silenieks would have his moment to shine a few weeks later.

When North Hills went back to Coopers, they were greeted by a new foe. Wade Endress of Altoona had risen up the rankings to the #1 contender for state gold after he was PA’s top finisher at PTXC and Carlisle. He was traveling all across the state to try and race the best competition. And at Tri States, he found just what he was looking for.

Juris Silenieks set the pace for the race, going through the mile in 4:54 and then through two miles in 9:57. Only Hebda could stay close as Endress began to slip back. Wade ran a fantastic time for the grueling Cooper’s Lake course, but the North Hills boys were too much to handle. Once again, North Hills swept the top three spots in the race. This time, Juris was the first to cross the line in 15:39 with Hebda just behind in the same time. Kush ran 15:50 to close out the sweep.

A week later, it was time for the encore performance. The WPIAL was arguably the best district in the state in 2010, even better than the powerhouse of District One. The region housed a plethora of current and future state medalists and would go on to account for 7 of the 25 state medalists. All eyes were on North Allegheny’s Ryan Gil. The senior had been struggling with a foot injury most of the season and missed Tri States as a result. But Gil was the defending WPIAL champion and the ultimate gamer, so most still thought he could win the championship. Or at least break-up the North Hills armada.

Yet when the gun sounded, it was another North Allegheny stand out who charged to the front. Junior Logan Steiner, a talented runner in his own right, powered out to the lead in 4:54 and dared the others to come with him. Gil, instead, sat back in 5:02 and waited for the race to come to him. Although Steiner did finish with an excellent time (15:54), he would eventually fade and that left the door open for Zach Hebda to leave his mark. Although Hebda had finished essentially dead even with his teammates in the previous two invites, Hebda left nothing to chance in the WPIAL final. He crossed two miles in 9:54 and ultimately galloped home in a previously unthinkable 15:29 at Coopers. Behind him Juris Silenieks (15:37) and Joe Kush (15:38) took 2^nd and 3^rd over Gil (15:39) and completed a truly epic sweep. Not only did they earn the top 3 spots in the field, but they also grabbed three of the quickest times ever in the course’s history.

North Allegheny and Baldwin dueled to determine who would become state title favorites in Hershey. Yet North Hills, despite their firepower out front, didn’t figure into the team title equation. In fact, they weren’t even in the mix to make it to qualify for the state meet. At WPIALs, despite a 1-2-3 finish, North Hills ended up just 12^th in the final standings. In dual meet scoring, of course, North Hills would have beaten all the other schools, but their 4 through 6 runners were just freshman and only 1 (future state qualifier Anton Martinez) was able to crack 19 minutes.

Although they wouldn’t count in the team standings, the North Hills monster entered the state meet as title contenders all the same. They had already proven they could defeat two of their top competitors in Ryan Gil and Wade Endress the prior two weeks. Lurking in District One was Chris Campbell, who had been 7^th the year prior, two spots behind Joe Kush. But ultimately, it felt like one of the hydra heads would lean across the line first.

The most likely candidate was Hebda, the consistent and strong leader for the monster in 2010. On State Championship Saturday, he went to the lead early and controlled the race. Juris followed in second through the mile. Kush ended up back in the pack, on the more conservative side in 19^th place. The familiar foe Wade Endress stalked the North Hills lead duo most closely. Gil, once again, sat back. At two miles, it still felt as though no one had truly grabbed the championship. Hebda and Juris and event surrendered their lead. The usual front runners were in 4^th and 5^th at two miles, but still well within striking distance. Kush, about 3 seconds back, sat in 14^th. While in previous seasons, the pack had been splintered late in the race, it was still almost anybody’s race coming back out from the Aloha Hills.

While it was anybody’s race, it ultimately proved to not be North Hills’. Familiar foes in Ryan Gil and Wade Endress stormed through the race’s final stages to take the top two spots in the meet. Hebda valiantly kicked home in 3^rd, just 3 seconds away from state meet glory. The two most experienced heads of the monster, Kush and Silenieks, ended up in 10^th and 11^th. Overall, despite a truly remarkable season, it seemed as though the North Hills monster had been slain by the mere mortals in Hershey.

And that could have been it. However, Juris Silenieks, 11^th at states, wanted more. He convinced his two counterparts to train the extra three weeks for Footlocker Northeast Regional in Sunken Meadow, New York. By all indications, Hebda was ready to be finished, but the trio continued to train hard for one another. The monster was more than just three heads. They were united by a common heart.

When the chance for redemption finally came, North Hills reminded us once again why they owned the 2010 Cross Country season. Hebda sprinted home in 9^th place, booking a trip to Footlocker (where he would finish 18^th in one of the highest finishes in the decade), Juris took 11^th and Kush took 13^th. Out of the PA contingent, they were 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th, nearly completing a third sweep (only being denied by Chris Campbell). Although we have seen some unbelievable duos and some incredible team performances, there has been nothing else like this trio in this decade of Pennsylvania Cross Country.

Hercules may have ultimately won the battle, but he was not a true hero until he defeated the monster.

https://www.milesplit.com/videos/13838