District 11 Cross Country: Devils’ Espinal, Miners’ Zimmerman capture Class A gold
Minersville's Marley Zimmerman breaks the tape to win the Class A girls' race at the District 11 Cross Country Championships on Wednesday at DeSales University. (Photo courtesy of Minersville Athletics)
CENTER VALLEY — The District 11 Cross Country Championships turned into a mini Schuylkill League race.
At least in Class A.
Shenandoah Valley’s Robert Espinal cruised to victory in the boys’ race, while Nativity and Marian captured the two boys’ team berths to states on a chilly, breezy Wednesday afternoon at DeSales University.
In Class A girls, Minersville’s Marley Zimmerman raced to the gold, while Minersville and Schuylkill Haven punched team tickets to states.
The top two teams and top 10 individuals not on those teams qualified for the PIAA Cross Country Championships, set for Nov. 1 at the Parkview Cross Country Course in Hershey. Most of those state berths in Class A went to Schuylkill League runners.
Espinal, second to the graduated Kolin Long of Minersville at districts last season, continued his banner senior season with a district title. The Schuylkill League champion covered the 5,000-meter (3.1-mile) course in 17:13 — 47 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.
That was Nativity’s Shane Meyer, who took silver in 18:00. Minersville’s Johnny Burgess (18:12), Marian’s Wade Eroh (18:17) and Nativity’s Nash Stehr (18:25) completed the top five. Nativity’s Wyatt Hylka (18:29) followed, as the Schuylkill League swept the top six places.
In all, 16 of the top 20 places went to Schuylkill League boys’ runners.
Local individuals qualifying for states included Espinal, Burgess, Weatherly’s Alex Best (ninth in 18:56), Schuylkill Haven’s Colton McClusky (10th in 18:58), Minersville’s Grady McGovern (11th in 19:03), Shenandoah Valley’s Angel Flores (14th in 19:24), Mahanoy Area’s Cameron Smith (15th in 19:27) and Shenandoah Valley’s Gabriel Saba (16th in 19:40). The cutoff for states was Saba in 16th place.
In the team race, Nativity’s 2-3-6 top three of Meyer, Stehr and Hylka made the difference as the Green Wave finished with 62 points. Daniel Kim (23rd in 20:16) and Brady Loftus (26th in 20:23) completed Nativity’s top five.
“I said to them if they could all run under 21 (minutes), we had a good chance to win,” Nativity coach Vince Zimerofsky said. “That’s what we did. All five put the work in, and it shows. They had a great season.”
Marian’s top three went 4-12-13 with Eroh, Achilles Fitzpatrick (12th in 19:09) and Jacob Berlanda (13th in 19:14) as the Colts finished with 82 points. James Gelatko (20th in 19:58) and Darren Paulino (35th in 20:54) also scored for Marian. Bethlehem Christian (96) finished third in the 10-team field.
“I think cross country sometimes seems like an individual sport, but these guys worked together and pushed each other,” Marian coach Dominique Ramer said. “Their goal was to get to Hershey as a team, and I’m so proud of them for doing that today.”
Zimmerman, who ran track last season, is competing in her first season in cross country. Clocking a 21:06, Zimmerman won by quite a comfortable margin. Mahanoy Area’s Felicia Bro finished second in 21:43.
Bethlehem Catholic’s Rio Stoudt placed third in 22:02, while Tri-Valley’s Anna Cook (22:31) and Minersville’s Ava Bosack (22:47) completed the top five.
“Marley is a first-year runner in cross country,” Minersville coach Jason Burgess said. “It’s kind of amazing. She put in all the work. It started to click in the summer, putting in the miles, figuring it out. She built on each race as a learning experience.”
A pair of Marian runners placed high enough to qualify for states. Teaghan Biros ran 22:56 for sixth place, and Anna Keer posted a 23:16 for ninth place.
Other Schuylkill League individual state qualifiers included Weatherly’s Alexia Kehler (10th in 23:30) and the Shenandoah Valley duo of Valeria Hernandez (11th in 23:41) and Victoria Hernandez (15th in 24:28).
Displacing incomplete teams, Minersville’s 1-2-5 finish by Zimmerman, Bosack and Alexa Sukeena boosted the Battlin’ Miners’ cause. Sukeena took eighth overall in 23:03. Ellie Purcell (18th in 24:47) and Alora Smith (29th in 25:38) also scored for the Miners.
Minersville finished with 44 points to take down Schuylkill Haven with 56. Shenandoah Valley (63) placed third.
“They came a long way, running together in the summer,” Burgess said. “They’re a really good group of girls, getting along, putting in the miles.”
Ayla Essler-Kiryaman paced the Hurricanes with a seventh-place finish in 23:01. Faith Krammes placed 12th in 24:01, and teammate Allie Bright finished 13th in 24:09. Joy Schock (23rd in 25:19) and Lilly Wisner (24th in 25:19) rounded out Schuylkill Haven’s top five.
“Fantastic. We had good grouping today, and that’s what really prevailed,” Schuylkill Haven coach Bob Girvin said.
CLASS AA BOYS
Three Schuylkill League athletes placed seventh, eighth and ninth to punch tickets to Hershey. Blue Mountain’s Francesco Carr ran 17:23, followed by teammate Brody Moyer in 17:24 and Tamaqua’s Aidan Elston in 17:30.
Allentown Central Catholic’s Will Haring won the race in 16:35. Wilson Area (73) and Notre Dame-Green Pond (79) advanced to states in a tight team race. Allentown Central Catholic (80) finished third, and Blue Mountain (89) took fourth.
CLASS AA GIRLS
The Schuylkill League produced three qualifiers in this class: Blue Mountain’s Vanessa Frasnelli (ninth in 20:31), North Schuylkill’s Genevieve Dando (10th in 20:35) and Tamaqua’s Shaylee Gormley (15th in 21:15).
As expected, Saucon Valley senior Virginia Kraus dominated the field, winning in a blazing 17:49. Kraus is a three-time state champion.
Wilson Area’s Juliana Bonham placed second in 19:09.
Notre Dame-Green Pond (50) and Wilson Area (91) earned the two team bids to states. Blue Mountain (111) finished third in a field of 13 teams.
CLASS 3A BOYS
Parkland’s Colin McGuigan won the race in 16:20, and Emmaus (33) and Parkland (45) advanced to states as the top two teams.
CLASS 3A GIRLS
Emmaus’ Madelyn McCartney won the race in 18:02, and Easton (57) and Emmaus (84) took the team berths into states.
