IAN FITZGERALD

SCHOOL: North Hills.

	Ian Fitzgerald: impressive at Penn Relays. (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)

WHO IS HE? One of the top distance runners in PIAA track and field. He specializes in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races.

THE PAST WEEK: Fitzgerald, a senior, won the scholastic 3,000-meter race at the prestigious Penn Relays Friday at Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus.

His time of 8 minutes, 22.42 seconds was the fastest for a high school runner this year and eighth best in the 110-year history of the relays.

Fitzgerald, the runner-up in 2003, held off a late challenge from Mohamed Khadroul of John F. Kennedy (N.J.), who finished second in 8:25.2.

"Ian ran a perfect tactical race," said John Wilkie, boys' distance coach at North Hills. "We knew if he was ahead with a lap to go, no one could finish with him."

CAREER: This is Fitzgerald's fourth season with the North Hills varsity. Last year, he won WPIAL Class AAA championships in the 1,600 and 3,200 and the PIAA 3,200 title.

OVER HILL, OVER DALE: As if he didn't get enough running ... Fitzgerald also competes in cross country. He was the WPIAL Class AAA runner-up as a senior and junior. Last fall he led the Indians to a WPIAL championship and second place in the PIAA.

LIKE THE MAILMAN: Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor inhuman windchills keep Fitzgerald from running at least 2 miles a day. He has no trouble recalling the last time he didn't.

"June 16, 2002," he said. "I got lazy on a Sunday and just took it off for some reason."

FRONT-RUNNER: Fitzgerald has had a lot of success, but the best might be ahead. "He has been running considerably better this year," Wilkie said.

That doesn't mean Fitzgerald will defend his WPIAL titles in the 1,600 and 3,200. For one, James O'Toole of Mt. Lebanon is an outstanding distance runner, the one who edged Fitzgerald for the WPIAL cross country title last fall. For another, Fitzgerald might not compete in both grueling events.

"I'm not sure if he's going to double at the WPIAL meet or just run the 3,200," Wilkie said. "He's going to double at the Baldwin Invitational [May 7], and we'll make a decision after that."

FUTURE: Fitzgerald recently committed to William & Mary College, where he will run track and cross country.

-- By Rick Shrum

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KATIE FRANCART

SCHOOL: Valley.

WHO IS SHE? A 5-foot-4 senior and one of the top softball pitchers in the WPIAL.

LAST WEEK: Francart pitched a two-hitter and struck out 19 in a 3-0 victory April 21 against Highlands. One day earlier, she pitched a no-hitter and struck out 16 in a 2-0 victory against Kittanning.

SEASON: Francart is tied for seventh in the WPIAL in victories with an 8-0 record. She is third in strikeouts (121). She has been Valley's No. 1 pitcher since her freshman year.

ZERO TOLERANCE: Valley has played eight games, and Francart has pitched all but three innings. She has three no-hitters and has allowed only three runs and eight hits in 32 innings.

Francart has not allowed a run in four consecutive games. The Vikings need the stellar pitching because they have had trouble scoring. They have scored two runs or less in five of eight games.

"But she has a good defense behind her," said Valley coach John Lewis. "We're just an average hitting team. I think every game we play in our section is going to be close."

CHANGE OF PACE: Francart, whose father, Bryan, is a Valley assistant coach, credits much of her success this season to the development of a variety of pitches.

"I like to mix things up. I have a lot of breaking pitches that I use," she said. "I pitch with decent speed, but breaking pitches are harder to hit, so why not throw them."

Lewis said: "Her big advantage this year is her ball is moving a lot more. She has a great fastball, but she has some other pitches that can move upward or side to side. She's very good at hitting the corners."

THE OTHER STUFF: Francart isn't all about softball. She played on Valley's tennis team last fall. She also was a manager for the wrestling team and filmed basketball and football games for the "Viking Video Club."

"I just thought tennis would be a nice thing to pick up as a senior," she said. "It was fun, and I didn't too badly, either."

THE FUTURE: Francart has a scholarship to California University of Pa. The Vulcans are a perennial national power in NCAA Division II.

-- By Mike White