14th Carlisle Invitational 2006

Let\'s say you train all summer. You log higher mileage than you\'ve ever run. You feel great and you come into the season with high expectations and a feeling of anticipation. In 2005 during your sophomore year, you ran a PR 5K of 15:02. You finished 3rd in the state. You then ran a 4:15.49 1600 in the spring after losing five weeks to injury and racing on only five weeks of training.

Select photos from four varsity races and two JV races at the 9/30 Carlisle Invitational @ Carlisle High School

Photo Galleries and Select Pix by Don Rich of the 9/29 Paul Short Run, and by Don Rich, Karen Ward and James K. Wood of the 9/30 Carlisle Invitational.

Earlier in the week, Bethany Walker won for the 2nd time in four days, taking the MIDWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE title. On Friday at the PAUL SHORT INVITATIONAL, Neely Spence, the Shippensburg junior running for her high school for the first time, made her 5K PA HS Invitational debut a memorable one, winning in a stunning 17:47, and looking like she had more to give. Emmaus, the young team with big goals, looked every bit the part as they won the team title. Strath Haven's Rob Speare won a dual over Tom Mooney of Council Rock South (Photo is a 1.75 miles). Quince Orchard of Maryland won the team title with 158 points and Germantown Friends was second with 163. At the MCDONALD'S MAYMOUNT XC FESTIVAL in Richmond, VA, Baldwin took gold in the, pardon the reference, Gold Seeded Boys race. On Saturday in New York at WARWICK VALLEY, Radnor came within 9 points of upsetting US#1 Hilton, 59-68. At the CARLISLE INVITATIONAL, Coateville scored 30 behind Kyle Dawson's 15:17.9. Manheim Township girls win. Lara Crofford 18:16. At the COUGAR INVITATIONAL in New Jersey, Colts Neck's Tom Forys won the head-to-head over Unionville's Paul Springer by 11 seconds, running 14:58. At the 3.0 MCQUAID INVITATIONAL in New York, it was a perfect day for some fast times. The fastest PA time of the day came from a freshman from Notre Dame Green Pond (Easton), as Allison Constant ran 18:04. Bradford's Sarah Lonzi ran 18:15. In the boy's races, Smethport senior Ben Hahn ran 15:13.6. North East finished 2nd in the team competition. The Strath Haven girls took on the tough Hereford 3.0 course in Maryland at the BULL RUN INVITATIONAL and came away with a 2nd place in the Medium Schools race. The Meadville boys took the top three spots and put four in the top 16 to win the COCHRANTON INVITATIONAL. Zac Ross ran 15:49. The Meadville girls captured 2nd to Titusville. Titusville's Laura Koller won in 19:54. At the COUNCIL ROCK INVITATIONAL, the host North boys dominated by placing four in the top nine behind the 16:38 by Matt Wikler. Josh Izewski of Central Bucks East took 1st in 16:02. Sarah Simonetti continued her wins with a solo 18:38 to lead her Pennridge team to the title by two points over Central Bucks South. At the MERCERSBURG ACADEMY INVITATIONAL, James Finucane took 3rd for the hosts. Anne Spencer was 14th for the host girls. Both teams finished 9th. Cedar Cliff took a drive to Bloomsburg and came away with team gold in both the girls' and boys' races at the NORTHEAST INVITATIONAL. Kassie Meholick led thei girls with a 4th place 19:17 on the challenging course while the boys were led by the 16:53.0 of Jared McGahen. Lakeland senior Mark Bucklaw won in 16:13.0, edging Crestwood sophomore Robert Micikas by less than a second.

At 96 teams, this year\'s Carlisle Invitational is a big as any, and the competition is going to be incredible. There are a few openings remaining for the Reebok Challenge Race - that\'s the hot one - so, if you\'re up to the \'challenge\', contact meet director Harold Travis. The list of teams competing as of 8/28 are listed in this story.