Today we are starting a new feature on PennTrackXC! With all of the action that takes place in our great state of Pennsylvania, we have decided to try our best to sort out the big points from every weekend. Which runners made the biggest impact? Which teams are on a roll? Here's our take:
1. Colin Abert is now a major player
Colin Abert of Easton Area admitted that he was a little bit of an unknown in the eyes of PA fans and runners. Despite being the silver medalist at the state cross country meet last year, Abert was still a runner in the shadows of PA greatness.
Abert decided to fix that problem and is now on top of the state after his amazing performance at the PTXC 6 Invitational on Saturday. His 15:21.37 time is in the top 25 in the country and was considered to be even more impressive considering the hot and humid conditions.
Only 4 runners ran faster than 15:21 in the 2013 season. How long will Abert stay on top? Is there more where that came from? Whenever Abert competes next, the eyes of PA will be watching his every step.
2. North Allegheny boys win with a different approach
District 7 champions and AAA state runners up North Allegheny continued their winning ways with a successful title defense of their Red White and Blue Invitational title. They didn't win the meet with their 2013 calling card of a close 1-5 spread. Instead, they did it with dominance up front. The Tigers accounted for three of the top seven finishers, led by individual winner Matt McGoey. Hunter Wharrey finished right behind McGoey for his 4th career top three finish, and Scott Seel equaled his best varsity race finish, earning 7th overall.
The pack may not be as tight, as their 4th and 5th runners finished outside the top 25, but the power up front that gave them a chance last year will once again keep them in the hunt this year. Next up is the Boardman Invitational in Ohio, where they will look to outmuscle their competition with their strong top 3.
3. Red Devlis run ablaze in Kutztown
2013 Class A finishers Central Cambria girls were arguably the most impressive team on the girls side over the weekend. The District 6 squad ran out four sophomores, a freshman, two juniors, and a senior to the PTXC 6 Blue race, a race they missed winning last year by 1 point.
This time around, they were not going to be denied, as a top four of 10th graders were excellent. Samantha Koss led the pack once again as she has done since last season. Sydney Gilkey, Emma Wess, and Sydney Croft followed her lead and the four girls finished 3-4-5-6 in the race, separated by only 21 seconds. The team scored 40 points to win by 50, and they left with a trophy and a lot of confidence as look to win their first state championship since the 2009 season.
As icing on the cake, the middle school team won the girls race with 29 points, with two members of the team having older siblings on the varsity squad. Based on Saturday's performances from both teams, a strong foundation is in place for a bright future at the top for Central Cambria.
4. Davison makes biggest statement of her career
Many fans enjoyed watching North Allegheny star Madeleine Davison do everything in her power to try and upset Brianna Schwartz of Shaler Area at the tail end of the 2014 track season. Her efforts did not bring her a state championship, but it brought her a 1600 meter silver medal and a huge following after such gutsy performances. The future was bright for Davison.
On Saturday, she showed exactly how bright that future is.
Davision made an emphatic 2014 debut at Baldwin for the Red White and Blue Invitational. With only career victory under her belt and no state cross country medals on her CV, Davison instantly became a contender for state gold, defeating Kelsey Potts on her way to a 22 second personal best of 17:32.9 and the capturing of Potts' course record!
So with that performance in the book, how can she top that? How will her performance impact the elite runners in the state as they look to make their claim to being the best? The next few weeks will very interesting to follow in the chase for AAA gold!
Got something you would like to add? Let us know in the comments! Enjoy!