Abington Invitational - Meet Recap
Kelly Murray of Gwynedd-Mercy Academy opened up her season with a win on Saturday at Abington. The sophomore, who won a District 1 Class AA title last fall, ran 19:48 to take the win over Cardinal O'Hara's Christine Mancini, who was second in 19:56. Mount Saint Joseph, led by Megan Ciasullo's fourth place finish, took the team title with 82 points, just ahead of second place Methacton.
Great Valley showed off its depth in the boys race. The Patriots put five inside the top nine and scored just 31 points to take the team win. Seth Hoffritz paced GV with a runner-up finish in 17:03. The individual win went to Council Rock South's Collin Ochs, who went 16:59 for the top spot. CR South was second as a team with 45 points.
Big Red Invitational - Meet Recap
Gianna Labbiento's 2018 XC season has started just as it did last year: with back-to-back invite wins. Only this year, the Sharon sophomore has been much faster. On Saturday at West Middlesex, Labbiento rolled to another victory in 18:23, 36 seconds faster than her winning time a year ago. In a top-heavy AA, Labbiento is making her case for greatness.
Poland Seminary from Ohio won the team race with 78 points. In second was Union City Area, a rising 1A squad from PA, which was led by Abby Anaya's ninth place finish on Saturday. Individually, Grace Mason of Wilmington was second in 19:33, a second ahead of third place Meaera Shannon of Conneaut Area.
North East's Josh Lewis also won his second race in as many weeks. After winning at McDowell last week, Lewis went 15:54 to win at Big Red, his first time under 16 minutes. He won by 45 seconds. The New Castle boys put together a great race to earn the team win with 66 points, led by Anthony Litrenta's second place run.
Centaur Invitational - Meet Recap
Christina DiFalco of Pine Grove Area won in her season debut. The senior took home the win on DeSales University's challenging 5K course in 19:46. It's a good start to the season for the former 1A state runner-up She held off Northern Lehigh's Reagan Pender, who was second in 19:56, a second straight strong race for her. Exeter captured the girls' team title with 56 points to defeat second place Owen J. Roberts. Exeter put three in the top ten, two of which are freshmen.
Linus Blatz ran well in his first race as the top runner on the Owen J. Roberts squad. Blatz went 16:54 to take the win. Freshman Alex Kane of Southern Lehigh stayed hot, taking second in 17:04. In a close race for the team title, OJR edged out Twin Valley for the win, 48-55. Dylan Servis led TV with a third place finish in 17:08.
Cherokee Challenge - Meet Recap
BOYS: The fastest PA times of the day went to the North Penn duo of Samir Razi and Noah Demis. Razi went 10:33 for 3,200 meters and placed 11th in the Junior Race. Demis was 13th in the Junior Race in 10:36. The lone boys winner of the day from PA was Penn Charter's Oliver Leedale-Brown, who ran 10:42 to win the Freshman Race.
GIRLS: Nia Goddard of Conestoga posted the fastest PA girls' time of the day, taking second in the Senior Race in a time of 12:24. Annika Marcelis of Germantown Friends was third in the Freshman Race, running a quick time of 12:29. Conestoga's Molly Ryle was fifth in that Freshman Race in 12:36.
Lackawanna County Commissioners Invitational - Meet Recap
Scranton's Josh Christianson continued his winning ways, claiming his second victory in as many weeks. After winning at Cliff Robbins last week, he followed that up with a win at the Lackawanna. Christianson went 16:49. Wyalusing Valley Area won the team title with 50 points, paced by Kevin Heeman's second place finish (16:58).
Elk Lake's Krista Jones went 20:26 to take the win in the girls' race. The freshman was sixth at Lock Haven last week, so this is back-to-back strong performances for her. Forest City's Rachel Korty took second in 20:42. Valley View, with three freshman, ran away with the team title, putting five girls in the top 12.
LVC Dutchmen Invitational - Meet Recap
Makenna Krebs won the LVC Dutchmen Invite for a second straight season, only this time the Central Dauphin East senior was much faster. Krebs went 18:43, 53 seconds faster than her winning run from a year ago. Her teammate Delaney Line placed second in 19:38. Northeastern, led by a pair of freshmen, took the team title with 67 points, 6 ahead of second place Oxford Area.
Palmyra's Jakolby Fackler took home the boys' race win in 16:20, a big PR for the emergent sophomore. Ethan Knoebel of Southern Columbia placed second in 16:34. Int he team race, Oxford Area put its whole top five in the top 20 and won the team title with 54 points by 10 over Palmyra.
Mill Street Run - Meet Recap
Jack Miller captured the individual win, reversing his fortune from last year's meet over George School's Jeffrey Love. Miller went 15:35 on Saturday, while Love settled for second in 15:57. Miller and the Jenkintown boys were dominant in the team race, scoring 27 points for the title; four Drakes placed inside the top six.
Caroline Arena won the girls' race in 20:59, followed closely by her Jenkintown teammate Emma Pizer. Archbishop Ryan, however, edged out Jenkintown in the team race, winning 32-35.
Unionville Two Mile Bash - Meet Recap
GIRLS: The race of the day came in the Freshman Race, as two rising stars in PA distance stars. West Chester Henderson's Jenna Mulhern went 11:45 to win the race over Blue Mountain's Olivia Haas, who ran 11:50 for second. Those were the two fastest times of the day, and a sign that the future of running in PA is in good hands.
Henderson proved to have some great depth, winning the meet overall. After Mulhern, Courtney Kitchen (second in the Senior Race) and Courtney Alexander (third in the Senior Race) also ran well.
BOYS: The Downingtown West boys showed off their depth in a great performance in Kennett Square on Saturday. Nine Whippets placed in the top 18, as D-West rolled to the combined team win. Isaac Valderrabano was the top D-West finisher. He was second in the Senior Race, followed closely by Kevin Wagner and Payton Sewall.
The fastest time of the day Cole Walker of Unionville, who won the Junior Race in 10:28, a sign of good things to come this season for the 11th grader.
XXXXC Invitational - Meet Recap
Methacton won the boys' race with a total time of 44:48, displaying some good depth up and down. Lenape (NJ) was second with a total time of 45:24. In the girls' race, Padua Academy (DE) took the team race, earning the win over second place Penn Charter.