8/26-Thomas should finally get his individual PCL crown. LaSalle should three-peat.

In the 2005 boys' cross country season for the Philadelphia Catholic League, LaSalle aims at three-peat as the team champion and senior Greg Thomas of O'Hara is the individual favorite.

Despite the graduation of 2004 PCL XC Champ Sean McGinley, LaSalle returns with what has become their trademark ~ a strong, consistent pack. LaSalle has won the last two PCL XC Championships and adjacent to those wins, was 2nd three years in a row.

LaSalle's leader Sean McGinley has graduated.
O'Hara's Great Thomas not only has two runner-ups,
but the 4th best PCL time at Belmont.
Could it be his year? It should.


Though losing the individual battle to McGinley last year, O'Hara's Thomas is the 4th fastest PCL runner on Belmont's 5K course at 16:05, which he ran as a sophomore. Thomas finished 2nd in the last two PCL XC Championships. Catholic league returnees will have to highly elevate their game to catch him. Here's a review of individuals to watch in the PCL this fall.

Returnees from the 2004 PCL XC Champs

Greg Thomas [O'Hara, Sr.] ~ Has run the 4th fastest time ever PCL time at Belmont 16:05. Finishes 2nd in last two PCL XC Championship. Won the Mile, 3000 Indoors in the PCL as well as the Mile 3200 outdoors.
Pat Jeffers ~ [LaSalle, Sr.] ~ Returnee #2 from the 2004 PCL Championship where he was 4th. Ran 16:48 twice at Belmont last year. Was 19th in 2003. Doubled Mile, 3200 at the 2005 PCL Outdoor Track Championships finishing 6th in both and performing a 4:35/10:02 double.
Tim Heck ~ [LaSalle, Jr.] ~Solid and consistent. Returnee #3 finished 6th in 2004 PCL XC Champs. Won the PCL Frosh XC race of 2003 in impressive fashion.
Chris Tilger ~ [Carroll, Sr.] ~ A talented runner who throws dangerous surges, Tilger is returnee #4 from the 2004 PCL XC Champs where he finished 8th. Ran 16:42 on Belmont in 2004. Ran 9:46 in 3200 outdoors and 4:28 in the Mile Indoors. Tilger is one guy who should not be counted out of the hunt for the individual crown.
Kevin O'Hara ~ [SJP, Sr.] ~ Returnee #5 was 12th in the 2004 PCL XC Champs. Was 15th in 2003 PCL XC Champs. Ran a 1:59.8 800 and a 4:37 Mile during the outdoor season. Was the PCL Indoor Runner Up in the 800 meters.
Dan McDevitt ~ [Bonner, Sr.] ~ Often injured in track, but highly-reliable in the XC season, returnee #6 was 13th in the 2004 PCL XC Champs. 18th in the 2003 PCL XC Champs.
Kevin Robinson ~ [Judge, Sr.] ~ Returnee #7 was 14th in the 2004 PCL XC Champs. Ran 4:27.3 in the Mile and 10:05 for 3200 in the 2005 outdoor season. Was injured just prior to the PCL Outdoor Track Champs.
Andrew Golato ~ [Bonner, Soph] ~ Golato had the fastest Belmont time and the highest PCL Champs finish of any freshmen last year. As returnee #8 from the 2004 PCL XC Champs, Golato finished 15th, running 17:35. In outdoor track, Golato was a qualifier for the Nike Outdoor Nationals in the Freshmen Mile.
Andy Ward ~ [Bonner, Sr.] ~ Returnee # 9 was 16th at the 2004 PCL XC Champs.
Sean Casey ~ [Lasalle, Sr.] ~ The speediest wheel of the LaSalle pack, Casey ran 1:59.3 and later finished 3rd in the PCL Outdoor champs 800. In XC, Casey was 19th at 2004 PCL XC Champs. Ran 17:32 at Belmont last year.
Ryan McMonigle ~ [Carroll, Jr.] –Returnee #11 was 20th in the 2004 PCL XC Champs.
Charlie McNulty ~ [O'Hara, Sr.] ~ McNulty has a 9:56 3200 and a 4:31 mile to his credit from the '05 outdoor track season. As returnee# 12, he has the ability to jump way up in cross-country this fall.
Brian Kealey ~ [Wood, Soph] ~ The second highest freshmen finisher at last year's champs, the strong and mature Kealey also posted a 4:36 Mile and a 10:13 3200 in outdoor track.
Kevin Rane ~ [Wood, Jr.] Returnee #14 was 26th at the 2004 PCL XC Champs.
Matt DiCarlo ~ [O'Hara, Sr.] Returnee #15 was 29th at the 2004 PCL XC Champs.
Marty Farrell ~ [Bonner, Jr.] Returnee #16 was 30th at the 2004 PCL XC Champs.
Matt Willard ~ [O'Hara, Sr.] The defending Catholic League Champion in the 800 Meters Indoors and Out ran 16:55 on Belmont last year. Willard has track credentials of 1:55.9 in the 800, 4:29 in the mile and 10:12 in the 3200. Finished a disappointing 32nd in the 2004 PCL XC Championships.
Peter Grant ~ [SJP, Sr.] The Prep star should jump way up the rankings this fall. Grant was 33rd in '04 PCL XC, but ran 16:56 at Belmont last fall and has a 4:38 mile to his credit.
Geoffrey Benefield ~ [RC, Soph] Was impressive as a Cahilite frosh, coming up with a 5th- man, 34th place finish in the varsity race. That race helped propel Roman to third last year, the team's highest finish in years. Benefield was also the only frosh to make the finals of the PCL outdoor 3200.
Chris McNichols ~ [RC, Sr.] Returnee #20 was was 36th at the 2004 PCL XC Champs.

Others To Watch

Bob McCullough ~ [LaSalle, Sr.]A big part of LaSalle's pack, McCullough was off at the 2004 PCL XC Champs, but ran a 9:54 3200 as a sophomore. Also had many impressive XC outings in '04.
Kevin Wellman [Bonner, Sr.] The Friar senior suffered injuries and illness in 2004, but was 21st at the 2003 PCL XC Champs. This talented harrier could give Bonner a shot at the team title.
Ed Bonnevie ~ [LaSalle, Jr.] Another solid part of the Pack of Gold, had impressive XC outings in 2004 but was slightly off at PCL Champs. Also finished 2nd to teammate Heck, returnee #3, in the 2003 PCL Frosh XC race.
Andrew Buemi [O'Hara, Jr.] Injured for the Lions in 2004, Buemi finished 26th as a frosh in 2003 where he ran 5th man for O'Hara in their one point team loss to LaSalle.
Tom Corcoran [Carroll, Sr] This rapidly improving Patriot brought his 800 down to 1:59 and his Mile down to 4:38 as a junior. That improvement could spill on to the XC course this fall.
Steve Dorsey [LaSalle, Jr.] Won the 2004 PCL JV race in a convincing 17:35.
Ed Buck [O'Hara, Soph] Won the 2004 PCL Frosh XC race.

Team Outlook for the 2005 PCL XC Championships

LaSalle's pack has not finished
worse for five years, winning the last two PCLs.


LaSalle ~ All signs seem to point to LaSalle for a three-peat. They return 5 of their 8 varsity members from last year's winning team. Also, LaSalle boasted the top 4 finishers in the JV race where they also won the team title. Jeffers, Heck, McCullough, Casey, Bonnevie and Dorsey lay a nice foundation for their team's patented pack running. Pat Regan and George Pinchock should also provide good depth. LaSalle traditionally fields a huge team and Coach Pat Devine will undoubtedly find some more support there. The one thing LaSalle will be looking for is an individual to bang heads with the league's top three studs.

As fans of the PCL have come to learn, there are always surprises in this league and no championship is a foregone conclusion. Here are some teams that could give LaSalle a run for their money:

Bonner ~ Fresh of their PCL Outdoor Track and Field title, could the Friars make a run at the XC crown also? Absolutely. On paper, Bonner looks like a dangerous team. The Green and White will need studly performances from McDevitt, Golato and a heroic return from Wellman. Ward and Farrell have already shown the potential to be solid top 10 to 15 guys in a PCL Championship. Bonner will also have support from solid distance runners Jim McAndrew and Max Massaro. The Friars also have an X-factor in the form of Dan Green, a 1:58 800 Meter runner turning in his football cleats for XC spikes.

Carroll ~ The Patriots were the surprise team of the league in 2004. Coming seemingly out of nowhere, Carroll made LaSalle sweat in the Small School Division of the Great American XC Festival, beat O'Hara at the Delaware County XC Championships and finished 2nd in the PCL after years of finishes outside of the top 5. Despite the graduation of three key varsity members from last year's team, the league has learned not to take the Patriots for granted. Returning are individual crown contender Tilger, All Catholic harrier McMonigle, 1:59 half miler Corcoran, and solid varsity performer Ron Feher. If Coach Phil Reilly can cook up an encore of the team's 2004 season, Carroll could make another run at the PCL crown.

Roman ~ Roman's rise beginning in 2001 has been remarkable. Growing numbers and big championship day performances climaxed in a 3rd place team finish for the Cahilities in 2004. Roman usually counts on a tight-pack, but last year also had the front-running star, Mark Burgmann (3rd) in their arsenal. There are two big questions for the Purple and Gold: 1.) Can they replace Burgmann with another who can bang heads with the league's best? 2.) Can they re-assemble their formidable pack despite graduating 6 of their top 8? Sophomore Benefield and senior McNichols return from last year's varsity team and are good starting points to answering both of those questions. Coach Kevin??? will make another impressive run this season, but to win the team crown those to questions will have to answered in the affirmative.

O'Hara ~ After winning PCL XC titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002, the Lions placed second to LaSalle in '03 by one heart-breaking point. Last fall was a whole new type of disappointment for O'Hara as they dropped to 4th. The Lions certainly have the guns to make a title run. Thomas, McNulty, DiCarlo, Willard, Buemi and Buck form a nice nucleus. The Lions also have good numbers and will be looking for more depth there.

St. Joe's Prep ~ The Hawklets finished a disappointing 7th in 2004, but return 7 of their top 8 varsity runners this fall. St. Joe's could have a dangerous one-two punch in O'Hara and Grant. If so, they'll need top 20 support from Jim Shields, Joe Conner, Kevin Kearney and Mark Springel to make a run at the PCL title. The Hawklets could also get help from Tom Iannacone and Chris Gavin who ran well outside of the varsity last year.

Other Teams to Watch

Father Judge ~ Judge got hit hard by graduation after finishing 6th in 2004, losing top man Larry Berner (10th) and 3 other varsity harriers. But Robinson should provide them with a good front-man and Judge returns 3 other solid, experienced senior harriers. Don't expect them to go quietly into that good night.

Wood ~ A very interesting team to watch this year, the Vikings return 7 of their top 8 ~ none of them seniors ~ from last year's 8th place team. Kealey and Rane will take the lead of this young team. Could they make waves this year? Or is this the team of the future in the PCL?