Pat Jeffers and Cody Edling finish in top 15
of the hottest heat at Manhattan.
Results on for the 10/6 Westmoreland County Championships and Manhattan Inv, DELCOS and William Tennent. NEED RESULTS FOR: Lion Classic at Linesville and Cardinal Classic at Pine Grove. The George School Inv was cancelled.
LaSalle College and North Penn went to New York to race in the biggest one-day invitational, the Manhattan Inv at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. Both teams drew the toughest race, in the tougest weather, and responded well. They took 4th and 5th, respectively, behind US#1 Fayetteville-Manlius NY, NE#5 CBA NJ and NE#3 Morris Hills NJ. Leading North Penn with a 12th place finish was Cody Edling, going a very quick 13:14.1. LaSalle #1 Pat Jeffers was just behind in 15th in 13:17.1. Also earning spots in the top 30 were North Penn's Zack Montijo, 18th in 13:20.9, teammate Dom Calamia, 22nd in 13:32.9, and LaSalle's Bob McCullough, 23rd in 13:35.5. Edling said the race was as quick as any he has run, but that conditions were decent most of the way with the exception to some soft spots coming down the back hills.
For many, the track finish was probably a welcome site at the rain-soaked William Tennent Invitational. Led by Tom Mooney's 15:54 win, Council Rock placed three runners in the top 15 and then held on to edge Downingtown West by just two, and Holy Ghost Prep by three on the slippery, be-puddled course. Souderton took 2nd and 3rd as Andrew Holloway and Rom Robertson chased Mooney through the latter stages of the race. They would both break 16:25 on the 3.0 mile layout. In the girls race, Liz Costello continued her winning streak, going 18:13. Teammate Hannah Kligman was 2nd at 18:40. But then it was the St. Basil Show from 3rd through 5th by Kathleen Davies, Colleen Gilmore and Christina Morelli. Their 4th and 5th slid home to keep the score at 68. Downingtown East was 2nd with 82.
It was a pretty nasty day at William Tennent
as well, but that didn't stop Liz Costello.
(Photo by Ryan Comstock)
The Cardinal O'Hara girls came in as favorites, especially after their win at the Briarwood Invitational. But Radnor has been a program on the rise in recent years, and it's beginning to pay off. Three underclassmen led the charge for Radnor, taking 1st, 2nd and 4th to start with seven points. O'Hara had it a bit easier in the boys race, and pre-race predictions held firm for the NE#10 school.
Latrobe dominated their county meet behind the one-two punch of Natalie Bower and Liz Brickley, while the Norwin boys used a tight pack to beat Penn Trafford.
Weekend Preview
It's a big weekend for PA teams and NTN rankings in New York at the 11,500-runner Manhattan Invitational and Eastern States Girls' Championship. While in PA, some great talent takes to the course at the Delaware County (DELCO) Championships at Rose Tree Park.
The Hatboro-Horsham girls will race in the big Eastern States race against six of the top ranked teams in the Northeast, including US#1 Saratoga Springs NY. In Boys races, which are split with top teams spread throughout, LaSalle and North Penn get the toughest draw, going agaiinst US#2 Fayetteville-Manlius NY, NE#3 Morris Hills NJ, and NE#5 Christian Brothers Academy NJ. CB South races in Varsity B against NE#7 Liverpool NY, Hatboro-Horsham goes against NE#6 Bishop Hendricken RI. And Archbishop Ryan gets NE#2 Saratoga Springs NY (yes, their guys team is up there with their girls team this year.)
And at the DELCO Champs, Strath Haven coach Bill Coren says that history would be made if O'Hara senior Katie Kelly would win her 3rtd county title. She would be the first in the three decades of the meet. But there is a lot of competition, including from her own sister. Greg Thomas continues his quest for the course record... but it'll be nearlyi impossible on such a rainy day.