NTF Alum Update Weeks 9

NTF Alum Update Weeks 9

Good morning. Most of the XC action was on the HS side last week with the District 6 Championship, but we do have a few college races to review.

College

At the PSAC Championship, Sophie Dillon (State College HS) helped Lock Haven finish ninth overall behind her strong performance where she crossed the line in 26:45 which earned her 127th place. Lock Haven is back in action this weekend for their home meet, the Go Fast River Run, as final tuneup before hosting the NCAA D2 Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Live Results

Caden Bell (Mifflin County HS) and the Dutchmen stood atop of the podium at their home meet, the Last Chance Run Fast Invitational. Caden was the team's 4th runner on the day as he finished 8th overall in 27:16. Next up for Lebanon Valley College is the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Live Results

Conference Championship Details

ACC Championship Featuring Colton Sands (UNC/Penns Valley) and Natalie Koncoski (Pitt/State College HS)

Friday, November 1

Men @ 9:40 a.m.

Women @ 10:30 a.m.

Live Results

Sun Belt Championship featuring Karsyn Kane (Appalachian State/State College HS)

Friday, November 1 @ 10:15 a.m. (women)

Live Results

Big Ten Championship featuring Nick Sloff (Penn State/State College HS) and Tyler Rader (Penn State/ Huntingdon Area HS)

Friday, November 1 @ 12:35 p.m. (men)

Live Results

West Coast Conference Championship featuring Marlee Kwasnica (San Francisco/State College HS)

Saturday, Nov. 2 @ 10am (Pacific Time)

Live Results

MAC Championship featuring Grace Moringstar (Misericordia/State College HS)

Saturday, Nov. 2 @ 11 a.m.

Live Results

Empire 8 Championship featuring Sam Viglione (SUNY Geneseo/State College HS)

Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Noon

Live Results

North Coast Athletic Conference Championship featuring Charles Endres (Oberlin/State College HS)

Sunday, November 3 @ 12:15 p.m

Live Results

High School

District 6 Championship

Class A

Bella Ascherl (Forest Hills) won her first District 6 Class A title as she broke the tape in 18:38. Her single point helped the Rangers hold off Bellwood Antis by one point and clinch the second automatic qualifying spot to States. Ella McCrum (Juniata Valley) finished 3rd (19:42), her highest District XC finish, to punch her ticket to the XC State meet for the first time! Bella and Ella with kickoff State Championship Saturday as the first race of the day at 9:30 a.m. on November 2.

Class AA

Lilly Smith (Penns Valley) finished 15th (22:00) at the District 6 Class AA Championship. Her performance helped the Rams finish 5th in the team scoring.

Jonathan Gasper (Bellefonte) crossed the line in 10th (17:12) at the District 6 Class AA Championship. His performance enabled Bellefonte to finish 3rd in the team standings. Jonathan will be back in action at the NXR Northeast Regional on November 23.

Class AAA

The State College girls turned in a strong performance as they scored 27 points to win the District 6 Class AAA Championship and placed all 7 runners in the top 15. Devon Jackson led the way with her first District XC title in 18:24. She was followed to the line by the three-headed attack of Devyani Wadhia (4th, 19:21), Evelyn Younkin (5th, 19:28), and Julia Bigger (6th, 19:30). Lacey Sheaffer (11th, 20:14), Carolyn Frank (12th, 20:25), and Molly Dell (14th, 20:40) stopped the scoring and started to displace the field with their solid races. They helped Coach Rebecca Donague continue her undefeated streak at the District 6 Championship!

The State College boys scored an eye popping 20 points as all of their runners were in the top-13 with 6 boys occupying spots 2-7! They produced a 36.8 second compression between their first and sixth runners. Isaac and Theo Opperman led most of the race and finished 2nd (15:27) and 3rd (15:37) overall to start the scoring. After their finish, the Little Lion Runners continued to cross the line in pairs. Next up for the Little Lions was Owen Coughlin (4th, 15:47) and Luke Bradbury (5th, 15:48). Then Stephen Fowler (6th, 16:03) and Griffin Selber (7th, 16:04) raced through the finishing chute. Kyle Fritzsche closed out the scoring on the day in 13th (16:45).

The JV races featured more of the same from State College. In the girls race, they took the first 10 spots and 18 of the first 20! Kristen Schellberg (20:43) broke the tape to start the scoring and she was followed closely by Autumn Swisher (2nd, 20:44) and Emma Raish (20:47). Alexa Petersen (4th, 21:10), Sophie Baylis (5th, 21:29.4), Caitlin Baylis (6th, 21:29.6), and Libby Peachey (7th, 22:01) closed out the scoring for the Little Lions. While Taylor Kirkwood (8th, 22:40), Erin Ruth (9th, 22:51), and Jordyn Wilson (10th, 22:59) completed the sweep.

The boys JV team also had a perfect score with the top seven finishers and eight of the top ten. Owen Viglione broke the tape in 17:02 with Thomas Ruffing (2nd, 17:07) close behind. Ryan Caldwell (3rd, 17:19), Benjamin Alexander (4th, 17:23), Vinnie LaFrazza-Schwartz (5th, 17:46), Avery Selber (6th, 17:54), and Eamon Drohan (7th, 17:55) completed the sweep for the boys. And Dexter Walker (9th, 18:07) added another top ten finish on the day.