District 11 Cross Country: Miners’ Long, Haven’s Schaeffer win Class A titles
Minersville's Kolin Long breaks the tape to win the Class A boys' race at the District 11 Cross Country Championships. Long finished 16th at states Saturday. (Submitted photo)
CENTER VALLEY — Kolin Long repeated.
Anna Schaeffer dominated.
And Shenandoah Valley swept.
The Schuylkill League ruled the small-school division Wednesday at the District 11 Cross Country Championships at DeSales University. Long and Schaeffer followed up their victories at the Schuylkill League Cross Country Championships with triumphs at districts that propelled them into the state meet. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils’ boys and girls captured gold in the team races, also punching trips to states. Minersville’s boys placed second, earning a nod to the PIAA meet as a team as well.
“This was circled on our calendar all year,” Shenandoah Valley coach Tony Pytko said. “We’ve been working for this meet this whole year. That showed today. We knew we had a shot, both boys and girls. I told my runners to focus on what’s in front of them and run the race we knew they could run. And they did. … It was a genuine team effort. We’re just over the moon right now. They worked for it, and they deserved it.”
The top two teams and top 10 individuals not on those teams qualified for the PIAA Cross Country Championships, set for Nov. 2 at the Parkview Cross Country Course in Hershey.
Long and Shenandoah Valley junior Robert Espinal pulled away from the field early and waged battle throughout on a sunny, 72-degree day at the 5,000-meter course around campus. Long had just a little extra at the end, winning in 17:11. Espinal finished second in 17:14.
“It started kind of slow. Roberto didn’t want take it out too fast,” Long said. “It was more of a mental race for me today. I focused on what I had to do, stay on his heels, just staying focused and staying around him.
“It was a great feeling,” Long added about repeating. “I was pushing for it all season. Being able to go back to back was amazing.”
Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg’s Matteo Antonucci (3rd in 17:51), Schuylkill Haven’s Carter Daniel (4th in 18:23) and Shenandoah Valley’s Ayden Zamudio (5th in 18:30) rounded out the top five.
Shenandoah Valley edged the Miners 69-73 in the boys’ team race. Zamudio and Gabriel Saba (16th in 19:45) pushed the Devils over the top.
Johnny Burgess finished as Minersville’s second runner, taking seventh in 18:45.
In addition to the Devils and Miners, individuals who qualified for states included Daniel, Mahanoy Area’s William Mayberry (6th in 18:35), Weatherly’s Sebastian Williams (9th in 18:57), Nativity’s Nash Stehr (10th in 19:02), Marian’s Wade Eroh (11th in 19:15), Mahanoy Area’s Victor Hanley (12th in 19:18) and Marian’s Achilles Fitzpatrick (13th in 19:25).
In the girls’ race, Schaeffer followed up her course-record-setting performance at leagues with another overwhelming victory at districts. The senior crossed the finish line in 20:37, well ahead of Mahanoy Area’s Felicia Bro, the runner-up, who clocked 22:44.
In the team race, Shenandoah Valley placed five runners in the top 15 to outpoint runner-up Moravian Academy 41-48. Schuylkill Haven (63) finished third. Brianna Gulden sparked the Blue Devils, finishing eighth in 24:13.
In addition to Schaeffer, Bro and the Blue Devils, other locals qualifying for states included Tri-Valley’s Anna Cook (4th in 23:37), Nativity’s Catherine Marinchak (9th in 24:15), Marian’s Teaghan Biros (10th in 24:17), Schuylkill Haven’s Isabella Hughes (17th in 25:28), Schuylkill Haven’s Lilly Wisner (18th in 25:34) and Marian’s Adalyn Marek (19th in 25:44).
CLASS AA BOYS
Three Schuylkill League boys qualified for states during the first of six races.
Blue Mountain junior Francesco Carr led the locals, finishing fifth in 17:28. Tamaqua senior Tony Marchetti (8th in 17:43) and senior teammate Levi Kunkel (12th in 17:57) also made the cut.
Palmerton junior Connor Hibell repeated as champion in 16:34. Allentown Central Catholic won the team title with 49 points. Wilson Area (86) took second and qualified for states. Notre Dame-Green Pond and Tamaqua finished with 97 points apiece; the Crusaders took third based on a better sixth runner.
