After weeks of dual meets only, Jacob Hess was looking forward to a chance to get in a bigger meet atmosphere.
Hess, a Lewisburg Area junior, rose to the occasion at Shikellamy on Saturday at the 43rd edition of the PHAC Invitational. Hess ran a 5K PR of 15:34 to lead a dominant effort by his Green Dragons squad that made a statement that they are certainly the team to beat once again this fall in PIAA Class AA.
Hess won each of his dual meet appearances this year, and Saturday marked his invitational win in a season marred by cancelations amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hess saw some competition fro Williamsport's J. Henry Lyon, who took second place. Hess gained separation early, though, and kept it rolling from there.
It was an impressive team display by the Lewisburg team that put two others in the top five overall with Calvin Bailey and Thomas Hess, who placed fourth and fifth. Gianluca Perrone, Bryce Ryder, and Connor Murray came across first, second, and third in the second race to finish seventh, eighth, and ninth overall, respectively.
Saturday's performance proved that the Lewisburg Area boys will be a tough team to beat in AA this season and Hess is capable of competing for an individual state title, too. He was fifth in the state last year.
Watch a video of Hess' win above and check out an interview with Hess below.