Saturday, September 7: (PENNTRACK ONSITE) Gettysburg Invitational @ Gettysburg High School - Do not adjust your browser (See photo page). Those really are two freshmen running with Ryan Blood - PA Indoor 3000 Champ & top returning PA underclassman from Northeast Foot Locker - at the 9/7 Gettysburg Inv. Manheim Township's Craig Miller (#317) would finish 1st in 15:58, while bro Brad, would get 4th in 16:17. Blood 2nd in 16:01. Blood said he was "pleased with his race because I was faster this year than last at the same meet." However, Blood had no advance warning that these two would be that good. Blood was gapped on the final turn toward home. "I just didn't have it." In the girls' race, Lampeter-Strasburg senior Emily Kruger pulled away from Cedar Cliff's Janelle Young and Western Allegheny star Christine Taranto just past the mile to win in 18:37.61. Taranto said she took the summer off after a grueling junior year, and just started training August 12. Hempfield's boys took Cedar Cliff by 11 points, while the Cumberland Valley girls defeated Lampeter-Strasburg by 18. Results courtesy of Gettysburg HS and Irishrunner.com + Girls Pix, Boys Pix Pages

Saturday, September 7: Spiked Shoe Invitational @ Penn State University - New York and Ohio teams came into PA and took individual and team titles. Saratoga Springs, the nation's #1 ranked team (Harrier) went 1-3-4-7-8 (23 points) behind Nicole Blood's 17:53.42 to easily out-distance Governor Mifflin and North Allegheny. Red Lion's Kate Papenberg was 2nd 1:01 back. Jenny Stevens, Wyolusing Valley, was PA's next finisher, getting 5th in 19:16.22. Chris Kollar, of Strongville, Ohio, held off Scranton Prep star Jonathan Pastore by eight seconds, going 15:41.50. The Soders of Harbor Creek, were 3rd and 4th, with Eric at 16:07.85, and Brian at 16:08.86. Strongville tallied 125 points, 36 better than Scranton Prep. Results courtesy of Penn State University.

Saturday, September 7: St. Basil Academy Invitational @ St. Basil Academy - The 1st annual St. Basil Invitational was a success. The meet was attended by seven girls schools and four boys schools. Individual honors went to Lynn Morelli of St. Basil's and Pat Taggart of Father Judge. Morelli, running on her home course, ran away from the field early and finished nearly a minute ahead of runner up Mora Tipping of Merion Mercy, 19:24 to 20:22. Taggart (17:35) and teammate Tim Creelman (17:48) pulled away from a pack of Monsignor Bonner runners midway through the race to take the top two spots in the boys competition. The girls team title went to Merion Mercy Academy with 33 points, just three points ahead of Mount Saint Joseph's Academy. Merion placed four runners in the top ten and five in the top 13. Monsignor Bonner took the boys title over Father Judge, 25-60. Bonner took the next eight places after the top two runners from Judge. Results/Summary courtesy of Nick Constantino + Greg Green. Photos courtesy of Dan Nelson.

Saturday, September 7: Big Red Invitational @ West Middlesex High School - Two-time state AA XC Champ Jesi Christiansen and her brother, Jed, take the Red Division titles in the day's best times, 18:43, 15:44. But it is a strong host West Middlesex guys team that wins the team title with 62 points over Quaker Valley. The Quaker Valley girls teams took top honors with just 40 points, behind Maxine Markfield's 3rd place 19:24. White Division team winners were Lakeview boys and the Youngsville girls. Results + Photos courtesy of Kerry Barry

Saturday, September 7: Twin Valley Raider Relays @ Twin Valley, Morgantown - In 2001, Cardinal O’Hara set a course record at the 20-year old meet, obliterating the old mark of 45:40 (Solanco, 2000) with a 43:56 clocking for the 4 x 2 Mile cross country relay. On Saturday, the Lions accomplished another first at Twin Valley ~ a 1st and 2nd place sweep. The winning team of senior Vince Gravelle, junior Mike Callanan, freshman Greg Thomas and senior Paul Kazanjian crossed the line in 45:50. O’Hara’s 2nd place team, featuring junior Steve Hallinan, senior Dan Boyle, freshman Matt Willard and junior Jack Braconnier, was timed in 46:10. Host Twin Valley finished 3rd in 46:57. Hallinan, who ran the fastest split in the race, bettered his number 2 all-time performance at Twin Valley, running 10:43.0. In 2001, Joe Francisco, then of O’Hara, now of Widener, ran 10:37.5, still the fastest split in Twin Valley history. In that same year Hallinan ran 10:45.7. O’Hara also swept 1st through 10th in the open JV race, won by senior Bernie Rendler. Freshmen Ryan Newland and Matt Berrodin were 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the Girls Varsity, St. Pius X bettered the host squad, Twin Valley, by 45 seconds in 55:17, with Solanco less than :30 back in 3rd. Results courtesy of Tom Kennedy, O'Hara and Kevin Vanino

Saturday, September 7: Mill Street Run in Bristol (2.9 Miles) - Council Rock-North took both the boys and girls championships in this early season road race. Jessica Cickay returned to her winning ways, going 17:40 to win by :59. North's John Palumbo was the fastest in two divisions, taking his race in 14:44. Rock-North took the first seven spots. Bill Ference, Holy Ghost Prep, won Division II in 15:04, while Lauren Coincella, Villa Joseph Marie, went 18:46, to lead their teams to wins.

Saturday, September 7: Maroon & Gold Invitatonal @ Kutztown University - West Chester East's Justin Woodruff went 16:18 for the 3.1 miles to lead his team to the win. Chambersburg's Kylee Schuler won in 18:52, but it was three-time AA state champs Wyomissing behind the 2-3 finishes of twins Debbie and Amy Huss (19:11 - 19:14) that gave them the team victory with just 33 points (2-3-5-6-17). Cardinal O'Hara was 2nd with 74 points.

Wednesday, September 4: LVIAC vs. PCL XC Challenge @ Lehigh Parkway, Allentown - Easton's Rich Ryan bettered Archbisop Ryan's Dennis O'Connor by less than two seconds, going 17:23.8 to win the a mid-week meet. But Archbishop Ryan went 2-6-9-11-12 to win the team title. In the girls' race, Allentown Central Catholic's Frances Koons continued unbeaten in 2002, winning comfortably in 20:11.9, but Easton went 2-5-6-12-23 for the 48-51 team win, even though ACC had eight girls ahead of Easton's 5th. Results courtesy of Allentown Central Catholic.

August 30 Weekend: 8/30: (PENNTRACK ONSITE) Viking Invitational (Frances Koons (right), Allentown CC 18:42, Hatboro Horsham wins team / Steve Hallinan, O'Hara 15:48 to lead team win) Viking Pix Page | 8/31: Cliff Robbins Memorial (Cickay upset by Wyalusing Valley senior Jen Stevens. Scranton Prep rolls behind Jon Pastore) | McDowell Invitational (Soders go 1-2, Eric in 2nd fastest time ever, after Weilacher-story below) | Fairview Invitational (Mt.Lebo takes both boys/girls, but West Middlesex is AA power) | Shamokin Purple & White Invitational (Shamokin girls, Pottsville boys, win) | Big Valley Invitational (Coatesville boys, State College girls as Spooner goes 16:09, Natase, 18:57).

Saturday, August 31: Big Valley Invitational @ Indian Valley Middle School, Reedsville - Coatesville is two years removed from their state championship team, and lost last year's top runner Rob Robertson. But if you look at their youth, five of top six are underclassmen, and they are rebuilding nicely. It was this young group that took the Big Valley Invitatonal over Altoona by a slim eight points. Lewisburg junior Chris Spooner outdueled fellow junior David Mock of Westmont-Hilltop by 19 seconds, taking individual honors in 16:09. The State College girls were 11 points better than Wellsboro. But it was pre-season AA leaders Leanna Natase, 12, Forest Hills, and Lewisburg's Ashleigh Wetzel, 12, who went one-two, with Natase getting the 14 second win. Results courtesy of David Lapp.

Saturday, August 31: 2nd Annual Shamokin Area Purple & White Invitational @ Shamokin HS - It was great XC weather as 10 teams competed in The 2nd Annual Purple & White Invitational. In girls' varsity, sophomore Stephanie Stevens of Pottsville traded the lead several times with Shamokin senior Joelle Reed before prevailing by :37 in 20:10. The match-up is an early prelude to the SIAL Championship scheduled for October. But it was Reeds' Shamokin teammates who pulled out the title by two points over Blue Mountain. Shamokin soph Paula Palmitessa was 3rd, sophmore Cassie Bradley, 6th,  freshman Julissa Reed, 22nd, freshmen Nicole Lawerence, 31st.  The Lady Indians could challenge defending league champs Nativity. In the boys race, the Pottsville trio of Shane Clauser, Ryan Hart, and Harry Luscan swept the first three spots, but had a few anxious moments as the pack from Mount Carmel placed their top five ahead of Pottsville's final scorer. Results courtesy of Michael Rogers.

Saturday, August 31: McDowell Invitational @ Brown's Farm - Harbor Creek's Eric and Brian Soder finished 1-2 in an early season display of strength, and a portent of what could be a spectacular season. Eric won in 15:48, the second-best time in course history. Only two-time AA State Champ and Foot Locker finalist Andy Weilacher of Eisenhower has gone faster, and that by just five seconds. Brian finished 2nd with a time of 16:01. General McLane won the boys team title with 96 points. McDowell's girls won with 78 points. Lindsay Petri, General McLane finished in 20:08 to win the girls varsity race. Heather Wilmoth, Eisenhower, was 2nd in 20:22. Results courtesy of Jay Pratt.

Saturday, August 31: Cliff Robbins Memorial Invitational @ Kirby Park, Wilkes-Barre - The first of what we are sure will be many surprises this season, as Jen Stevens, a senior from Wyalusing Valley in District 4, upset Council Rock North star Jessica Cickay, by just .2, as Stevens was clocked in 19:14.8. Stevens was a medalist in AA at States in 2001, but 19th, over a minute slower than Cickay on the same day. In the boys' race, Scranton Prep senior Jon Pastore picked up where he left off, taking the 5K in 16:15.9. Scranton Prep took the team title. Results.

Saturday, August 31: Fairview Invitational @ Fairview HS - Another great preview to the battles that await at States this year. AAA contender Mount Lebanon took a close one from one of this year's AA boys' favorites, West Middlesex. The two squads combined to take 11 of the top 12 spots, with Lebo going 1-3-4-7-9 for the 24 to 33 win. West Middlesex was with Lebo until the last half mile, when they faded slightly. Last year's team leader, senior Bradley Ruffo, who finished 6th overall, is coming back from a spring injury. Lebo was led by senior Brad Rodgers (pictured to right) and his 16:55. Junior Joshian Leuenberger of West Middlesex was second. In the girls' race, Mount Lebanon outpointed Taylor Allderdice 35-55 behind Junior Lauren Woods' 21:11. Senior Molly Ainsman of Allderdice, was 4th in 21:56. Complete varsity, JV, JR High results, plus photos, courtesy of Fairview Coach Dennis Muller







Friday, August 30: (PENNTRACK ONSITE) Viking Invitational @ Tamamend Park (3.0 miles) - Led by the fourth place finish of Janine Ricci in 19:08, Hatboro Horsham placed five in the top 24 to hold off 2001 AAA State Champ Allentown Central Catholic 70 to 75 in the team competition. But it was Central Catholic's Frances Koons, a junior, who pulled away from St. Basil's Lynn Morelli to take the individual title in 18:42. Koons was 22nd in the state meet last year. For perspective, Wissahickon's Erin Franklin covered the course in 18:49 in 2001. Wissahickon doesn't yet have the front-runner of the past two years, but they looked strong, placing four in the top 19. Cardinal O'Hara, running (slightly) short-handed, took the boy's team competition by 11 over Hatboro Horsham, a team that could make some noise at the state level, behind the front-running junior Mike Kenny (left). who was 4th in 16:06. Steve Hallinan stepped into the leader's role, taking the win in 15:48. Results and Pix Page.

Thursday, August 22, 2002 - North Beats South as the Council Rock(s) face each other for the first time! With virtually every returning member of last year's 9th place state team heading to the new South HS, and Foot Locker Finalist Jessica Cickay and coach Cliff Robbins staying at North, the first dual meet of the season was shaping up as a southern sweep. But somebody forgot to tell that to three of last year's JV runners and a first-timer, who went 3-5-6-8 behind Cickay's winning effort (a hard workout 19:01) to claim a 23-35 win. Both squads are sharing the old school for a month as the South HS failed to open on time due to construction delays. So congrats to Dora Kruman, Audrey Serfer, Emily Kruman and Kirin McElwain. But we're sure, the South will rise again.

Also on Thursday, August 22 - Several teams met for a hot, but friendly scrimmage at Spring-Ford HS. Upper Merion's Jon Gries ("I'm motivated this year because I'm the guy that was announced as the last state qualifier at Districts, but I actually missed a spot by just .1.") won the boys' race in 17:25. Upper Perkiomen's Brittany Long (22:00) and Molly Sheehan (22:07) went one-two for the girls.