Boys' Brown Race Preview - Paul Short Run
One of the season's best -- and certainly one of the fastes -- will come in the Brown Race at Paul Short on Saturday. It's a loaded field and should lead to some very quick times.
North Allegheny's Zach Kinne (PA#1) will make the trek east without his NA teammates. The senior, in his first season in PA after a transfer from Illinois, is searching for a quick time on Saturday. He went 15:55 to win at Foundation last week, but he'll dip down to the flat Lehigh course. He'll be the one to beat, but he'll surely be challenged.
Edward Cerne of Lake Braddock (VA) will be his best competition. Cerne, also a senior, has a 4:11 1,600 meter to his name and has plenty of quick 5K/3-mile times to his name. Delaware will be well-represented with the first and second place finishers from last year's DE state meet back this season and in the Paul Short field. Salesianum School's Michael Keehan (reigning DE-D1 champion) and Charter School of Wilmington's Andrew Avila (reigning DE-D1 runner-up) should both supply a threat to the top spot on Saturday. Additionally, Brendan Balthis of Tatnall, the D2 runner-up from a year ago is also entered.
Wallenpaupack's Tyler Wirth (PA#5) will also be one to watch. He went 15:24 to place sixth here last season. He's coming off a good Foundation race and will be looking to drop a quick time and compete with the frontrunners at Lehigh again. PA#10 Christian McComb of Boyertown and PA#15 Andrew Healey of Holy Cross are among the other ranked PA runners entered.
Loyola-Blakefield (MD)'s Camden Gilmore, Cocalico's Evan Kreider, Calvert Hall College (MD)'s Owen Johnson, Easton Area's Joseph Ozgar, Salesianum's Sean Banko, Dallas' Mitchell Rome, Calvert (MD)'s Justin Diehl, and Parkland's Riley Williamson are among the other contenders in this absolutely loaded boys field.
The team race should be fairly wide open. Delaware powers Salesianum School (Paul Short second place finishers last year) and Tatnall will be in the mix. Cardinal Gibbons (NC), Loyola-Blakefield (MD), Calvert (MD), Calvert Hall College (MD), and Lake Braddock (VA) make a good out-of-state contingent that could compete for the win.
PA#10 Parkland, Owen J. Roberts, Easton Area, Hempfield, and Stroudsburg are among the top PA teams in the Brown Race.