Every fall, the colors of cross country season return — and so does Northwestern Lehigh’s steady, familiar stride under longtime coach Chris Stitzel.

This year, that rhythm reached a rare milestone. Stitzel surpassed 1,000 combined career victories with the Tigers’ boys and girls programs — a total that now stands at 1,008 wins — while continuing to lead one of the region’s most respected and consistent distance-running programs.

For Stitzel, who just completed his 27th season at the helm, the number isn’t what matters most. It’s the people behind it.

“It’s not something you plan for,” Stitzel said Saturday at the PIAA Cross Country Championships in Hershey. “It just shows the amount of dedication and effort our kids have put in year after year. I’ve been blessed with great kids and great coaches who love the sport and work hard every day.”

The Tigers once again capped their season at the state meet, where Rosy Nestor and Noah Griffith represented Northwestern in Class 2A competition.

“I’m blessed that every year, I get to come here with either teams or individuals,” Stitzel said. “Some coaches don’t get that opportunity, and I don’t take it for granted. It just shows all the hard work pays off.”

That work has translated into one of the most successful programs in District 11 history.

Since 2009, Northwestern has captured 12 district titles combined between its boys and girls teams — including a girls Class 2A crown in 2022, the program’s most recent. The Tigers swept the boys and girls championships in both 2012 and 2013, and repeated the dual-title feat in 2019, marking eras of dominance built on balance and depth.

The boys have also enjoyed tremendous success within the Colonial League, winning three straight team titles from 2020 through 2022. This fall, the Northwestern girls finished 20-8 in league competition, while the boys went 22-6, continuing the program’s tradition of excellence.

That success has extended to individual accolades as well.

From 2022 through 2024, Northwestern produced three straight Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Girls Cross Country Athletes of the Year — Angelina Klein (2022), Sophia Cornell (2023), and Rosalia Nestor (2024).

The Tigers also had a remarkable earlier run of six consecutive girls winners from 2008 through 2013, led by Lindsay Kerr (2008-09), Emma Kemmerer (2010), and Haley Yost (2011-13) — a span that showcased the program’s lasting impact on area distance running.

The boys have built an equally impressive résumé. Sam Bower (2020) and Matt Santana (2021-22) gave Northwestern three straight TN/LVHN Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors, following a similar stretch by Tyler Stelmack, who earned the award three consecutive years from 2010-12.

Stitzel has guided the program through decades of change while maintaining the same principles — hard work, respect, and resilience.

He credits his success to a loyal and experienced staff that includes assistant coaches Matt Fritz, Gene Tapper, and Lizzie Fornauf, along with strong support from athletic director Jason Zimmerman and the program’s booster club.

Fritz and Tapper guide much of the boys’ training and pacing, while Fornauf — a former Northwestern runner and volunteer assistant — works closely with the girls’ team, often joining them for workouts and races. Her brother, Jonathan Fornauf, also ran for the Tigers, adding another family link to a program built on lasting relationships.

“I couldn’t do this without them,” Stitzel said. “It’s a team effort. I’ve had great assistants over the years and great kids who buy in. The community support is incredible — parents, boosters, everyone. It really feels like a family.”

That family connection runs deep. Both of Stitzel’s children — Jared and Paige — ran for Northwestern, and the 27-year veteran still measures his career by their connection to the program.

“I started coaching the same year my daughter was born,” Stitzel said with a smile. “She’s 26 now, so that’s how I keep track — it’s been 27 years already. Time flies. I’ve been lucky to coach both my kids, and to be part of something that means so much to so many people.”

From summer trail runs and scavenger-hunt workouts to post-meet breakfasts at Cracker Barrel, Stitzel has kept cross country at Northwestern as much about shared experiences as competition.

“We try to mix things up and keep it fun,” he said. “Trail runs, team trips — that’s what builds the memories and keeps kids coming back.”

The program’s reach now extends beyond current athletes. Former runners often return to volunteer, cheer, or help mentor younger teammates – such as Klein, who can often be seen at leagues and districts, which is held where she now runs at DeSales University – continuing a tradition that Stitzel and his staff have built through years of consistency and care.

With a deep returning group and promising middle-school talent on the way, Stitzel hopes the Tigers will soon return to Hershey as a full team — and perhaps add to their impressive championship total.

“We’re hoping to get full teams back here in the next few years,” he said. “We have some good young runners coming up. That’s the goal — to keep competing, to keep getting kids here, and to keep the program strong.”

For now, the milestone serves as both a reflection of his past and a motivator for the future.

“The championships are nice,” Stitzel said. “But what really matters is the kids — watching them develop, seeing their work pay off, and knowing they’ll carry those lessons with them. That’s what keeps me going.”