Everybody had Lewisburg's Chris Spooner on their lists. After all, he was the number one seed. But Victor Gras is better known. And he has been talking about going sub-4 by the end of the year. North Hills' Ian Fitzgerald was seeded 24th. But that was because he hasn't run the distance for some time. Those who knew, were sure his recent 4:14 mile/1:57 double and his 2nd place at Penn a year before were no flukes. All each of them did was run the best PA times in many years. Spooner used a closing sprint just eight hours after a 1:52.6 800 split to go sub-4:10 and claim a Penn Relays championship (and watch) before a great crowd. Spooner knew that Gras had done a 1:51-point indoors, and after the morning race, he was happy to settle in and follow the pace. Gras threw surges at him throughout, but always at the same spot, so Spooner just responded and waited for his chance. The photo says it all. Fitzgerald came off a workout his coach says told him he was more than ready to run the time he did - 10 quarters at 61-point with a two minute rest. The evidence was right on, and Fitzgerald spent most of the race following the pace, before taking off on the last lap to win his championship (and watch). Not to be lost in the distance success was the incredible DMR by Cumberland Valley, getting 3rd in 10:12.03. Anchor Brian Fuller went 4:17 to pull the Eagles near contention at the end. Pre-race favorite Cardinal O'Hara was 6th in 10:18.31 thanks to a 4:15.2 split from anchor Steve Hallinan. The race after the 3000 featured the top US 4x400 girls teams, and West Catholic finished 4th in 3:47.96.
Fitzgerald closing out the fastest PA 3000 in years.
