Photo by Mark Evans Sam Lindell (right), Warren’s track record-holder in the 1,600 meters who didn’t lose a single race in a region cross country or track meet to end his high school career, will continue to run for Edinboro University’s Division II cross country and track teams beginning this fall.

You don’t have to look far into the past for an example of greatness surrounding the Warren Area High School cross country and track programs.

Sam Lindell just graduated on Friday, and the region runner of the year in both cross country and track this season, as well as former state qualifier in both, hasn’t reached the proverbial finish line.

Lindell, Warren’s track record-holder in the 1,600 meters who didn’t lose a single race in a region cross country or track meet to end his high school career, will continue to run for Edinboro University’s Division II cross country and track teams beginning this fall.

“We have a fantastic men’s distance recruiting class coming into Edinboro this upcoming season and Sam is a large part of that,” said Jamison Dietrich, Edinboro’s director of cross country and track and field. “We have had many great runners come to Edinboro from Warren, including one of our most successful men’s distance runners in school history, Greg Beardsley (Warren County Sports Hall of Fame Class of 1994).

“I’m excited to have Sam continue the legacy Warren has in successful collegiate running,” said Dietrich. “I fully expect Sam to make a large impact in cross country right away. He’s a motivated individual who cares deeply about running. He will be a great fit at the ‘Boro.”

In addition to Lindell being named a District 10 first-team all-star by the Erie Times-News his senior season, he was voted Region 4 Cross Country Runner of the Year for the third straight year by the region’s coaches.

Qualifying for the PIAA XC meet all four years, Lindell had his best finish — 13th out of 249 individual finishers in the 3.1-mile race in 16 minutes, 35 seconds — to earn state medalist honors in Hershey. He was fourth individually out of 122 male finishers in a career-best 15:44 in the District 10 2A meet in Titusville.

Having not lost a region race, Lindell was again voted a Region 4 first-team cross country all-star.

In track, Lindell broke the longtime 1,600-meter school record this season, and then broke it again in 4:28.97 at the 90-team Butler Invitational. He missed the school record in the 3,200 (an event he qualified for states in as a junior) by one second.

“Sam is one of the most dedicated and hardworking student-athletes I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” said Warren cross country and track and field head coach Kevin Dustin. “He has really elevated the standard and expectation of the team and for those who will continue on running after him. Sam has truly earned his mile school record, state medal in cross country, and scholarship to compete at the next level. He has left behind a great legacy and a lasting memory for everyone who got the opportunity to run with or coach him.”

Lindell started running cross country in seventh grade.

“I really started liking it in ninth grade,” he said. “I realized I was good at it once I dropped two minutes in the 5K during my tenth-grade cross country season.

“I think I’m good at it because I try my hardest and work really hard and do everything my coach tells me to do,” said Lindell. “I think there is a combination of both physical and mental because, in a race, you start to feel the mental part when someone passes you or something that you don’t want to happen in a race ends up happening.”

He’s ready for the next step.

“What draws me to the sport is the hard work and dedication and the thrill of finishing a race, and running with even faster people makes me want to work harder,” he said.