9/25 WKND: Big races @ PIAA: Wirfel, Sargent, Tallada, Kacyon|Carlisle: Anderson wins, Endress 2nd

 

 

PA#4 Baldwin boys took the long journey to Virginia and earned a 3rd place finish in the Invitational Varsity race with 127 points with the best 1-5 spread in the field of 52 seconds. Bobby Bishop led his team to a 5th place finish with a time of 16:27.

 

 

In other PA boys action, Canon-McMillan finished 6th with 161 points in the Varsity Silver race. Mark Tilley led his team with a 10th place finish in 18:53. Canon-McMillan's girls ran the girls silver race and came away with the runner up trophy with 70 points led by a 2nd place finish from Brianna Iannarelli in 21:10.

Carlisle  

 

 

 

 

Boys Race Story by CORY MULL
PennTrackXC.com

As quickly as the gun went off on Saturday in the Boy’s Challenge race during the 18th annual Carlisle High Reebook Meet of Champions, one thing was quickly understood.

Don’t get caught behind.

As a result of Downingtown West junior Quinn Devlin (center #688) stepping on the gas from the very beginning, a definitive pack was forced to mesh early and ultimately did hold strong until the final turn at the Carlisle High course.

But that’s where lung capacity took over as Washingtonville of New York senior Martin Hehir and Altoona Area senior Wade Endress pressed forward.

Hehir, a eighth-place finisher in last year’s race, barely outstretched Endress in the final 800 meters as he secured a win in 15:40, only three seconds better than Endress (15:43).

“We were side-by-side coming into the final hill and then that’s where I gave it all I had,” said Hehir, who recorded his career best time with the finish.

 

 

“I really just started getting a nice kick this last year,“ Hehir continued. “I ran track and I ran a good mile. And that’s where my kicks started coming in.”

LaSalle College’s Tom Trainer was third in 15:46, North Allegheny’s Ryan Gil was fourth in 15:55 and Devlin was a surprising fifth in 15:57.

Devlin‘s brazen lead-off was actually the peculiar move of the day, considering he wasn‘t projected to finish in the top 10. For those expected to contend early, like Endress and Gil, Devlin forced strategy early and ultimately changed the dynamic of the race.

Endress had figured the pace would gradually pick-up with each passing mile covered. But he found out very soon that there was no time to waste.

“I think we went out 4:55 for the first mile, so it wasn’t crazy fast, but it was a good pace,“ Endress said. “Quinn Devlin took it out early and I was a little surprised. I was like OK.”

And during that initial scram toward the lead-pack nowhere to be found, at least in Endress’ sightline, was Gil, who finished fifth in last year’s race and was the highest placer returning.

That soon changed, but only at the mile and a half mark.

“I didn’t see Gil at all, so I was getting a little worried,” Endress said. “But finally about a mile and half, there he is, right on my shoulder. He moved up as some kids flip-flopped.”

Gil inserted himself among the tight throng and stayed with the group until the last 800 meters, but that’s when Hehir shifted into another gear.

“About 400 or 500 to go, I saw Gil slowly slip back to my left and I stepped up and was with Martin side-by-side on the hill,” Endress said. “ But he got me on the downhill.”

Grove City Area’s Jacob Kildoo was sixth in 15:58, Central Dauphin’s Ed Schrom was seventh in 16:06 and Downingtown West’s Ian Barnhill was eighth in 16:11.

Rounding out the top 10 were Sam Hibbs of Hatboro-Horsham (16:13) and Ryan Hartzel of Cumberland Valley (16:14).

And yet, while Gil was ultimately upended in the race, the day didn’t prove to be a total disaster. That’s because North Allegheny, backed by five runners placing within the top 40, made a giant leap in the right direction by beating Altoona.

North Allegheny sewed up 114 points to Altoona’s 161. Cumberland Valley was third with 226 points.

“I am not making excuses at all, because that’s not our style,“ Altoona head coach Lee Baranik said. “But our fifth guy (Patrick Reade) is in a boot. He’s hurt and we missed him greatly today.”

Champions Race:

Red Lion’s Matthew Croft picked up a win in the Boys’ Champions race, outlasting Kutztown senior Nathan Noll at the finish line en route to a 16:40. Noll followed two seconds later.

In third was Palmyra’s Connor Strynkowski (16:43) and State College’s Paul Crowe was fourth (16:56).

In Crowe’s case, he headlined a strong State College lineup that placed its five runners in the top 35. The team picked up the Champions team title, accruing 107 points to Lancaster Mennonite’s 176. Annville-Cleona was third with 182 points.

Upper Dublin paired back-to-back finishers at five and six with Peter Schartel (16:59) and  Francis Ferruzzi (17:01) before Dallastown’s Adam Katora came in seventh (17:03) and Waynesboro’s Kyle Phillips was eighth (17:05).

Rounding out the top 10 were Jared Schatz of Lancaster Mennonite (17:05) and William Cather of State College (17:05).

 

 

 

 

Girls Race Story by CORY MULL
PennTrackXC.com

The senior recognized the freshman out of respect.

Because it wasn’t so long ago that Cumberland Valley senior Leigha Anderson was in the same position Lower Dauphin freshman DeeDee Shea is in right now.

Talented, gifted, ready to make a name for herself.

“Being a freshman and coming in and taking control of everything, that’s where she’s at right now,” Anderson said after winning the Girls’ Challenge race at the 18th annual Carlisle High Cross Country Reebook Meet of Champions on Saturday.

At least for one more day, Anderson still has control.

She was the overwhelming favorite to repeat her title from a year ago and didn’t disappoint, leading the entire way en route to a time of 18:57, which was 34 seconds slower than her race in 2009.

Shea was a close second, registering a time of 19:06, followed by Washingtonville’s Lauren Hehir in third (19:13) and Central York’s Kelsey Ibarra in fourth (19:25).

Any particular reason for the time?  

“I think the races were just different between now and last year,” Anderson said. “So I think that’s why.”

Overall, though, the underclassmen are catching up. Shea, Ibarra and fifth-place Tessa Mundell of Governor Mifflin all recorded places among the top five.

And all three compete within District 3.

But while that may worry Anderson in the long run, it was of no concern Saturday. Anderson led from start to finish, looking strong throughout as she hit another gear the last 800 meters.

“(My coach) just kind of let me do my own thing,” Anderson said. “He was just at the end telling me to go, because I don’t think I realized how close DeeDee was behind me.”

North Allegheny dominated in the team standings, taking the team title behind five runners in the top 20 and seven in the top 30.

Caitlyn Carmody, Lizzie Appleton and Eleni Mermigas went 6-7-8 en route to an effective display of pack running. North Allegheny scored 56 total points, 48 better than the second-place finisher, State College.

Continuing in their impressive team standing, Lower Dauphin finished third with 149 points. Weeks earlier, the Falcons had surprised at the PTXC2, finishing third among a similar crop of talented teams.

At that point, Falcons’ second-year head coach John Butler was amazed at how well his lineup produced. While experienced, they weren’t proven through their lineup.

But Saturday proved enough to Butler that he believed good things were bound to happen in the future.

“What this finish does is it confirms that we belong where we thought we’d be,“ Butler said. “Not only now can we talk about making states, but we’re right up there with possible a district title.”

In District 3, Lower Dauphin was projected to be behind the likes of Cumberland Valley, which finished in seventh on Saturday. But with a performance like this, Butler eyes more.  

“If you start looking at all the teams, you start to realize that the difference between being a district champion and not making the state meet could be 11, 12 points,” Butler said.

“At the same time, you always have to keep one eye on reality. You have to keep working hard, because if you go to districts and finish sixth and don’t make it, this was for nothing.”

Rounding out the top 10 were Tatum Delbosco of State College (19:58) and Nikki  Garns of Greencastle-Antrim (20:01).

 

 

Champions Race:

Tamaqua junior Amber Carroll won in 19:41.44, five seconds up on fellow junior, Sarah Holl of Upper Dublin.

Mount Lebanon placed two in the top ten, and four in the top 23 to secure the team title with 106 points. Palmyra was second at 117. Jillian Hunsberger lead Lebo with her 7th place 20:39.72, followed by Callie Gunzenhauser at 9th in 20:47.23; Katelyn Walsh at 13th in 20:51.27 andDhannon Moorhead in 3rd at 21:06.78. Julia Sraltari rounded out the scoring with 56 points with her 22:05.32.

Rounding out the top ten were Vivien Hsstings, Agnes Irwin (20:23.04), Kaylin Delvecchio, Northern, (20:25.92), Rachel Kreiger, East Pennsboro (20:27.73), Kate Yoh, Conrad Weiser (20:34.85), Makena Felts, Red Land (20:41.93), snd Aurora Janes, Upper Dublin (20:47.60).
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Boys Junior Varsity race, Vince Tonza of North Allegheny won in 17:27.10.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And in the Girls Junior Varsity race, it was nearly a clearn sweep for North Allegheny (Chambersburg junior Bailynne Miller broke up the top seven NA runners with a 4th place 21:38).

 

The compression from 1-5 was just 22 seconds, and a mere 34 seconds from 1-7. Shannon Wagner was 1st (21:18.83), 2nd Caroline Cwalina (21:20.92), 3rd Kim Goehring (21:22.78), 5th Catherine Baird (21:39.40), 6th Alens Greco (21:40.21), 7th Gabi Gigliotti (21:46.70), 8th Alex Grese (21:52.51).