Runners and parents,
I'm almost out of aphorisms to describe yet another unseasonably hot and sunny race day. Under a cloudless sky with a dry dust-bowl wind blowing across the course, this would be a Darwinian effort for all the runners!! Undeterred, the 'Cats went out fast at the gun. Steve Zucca led his team with a 4:55 first mile. The field began to separate by 2000 meters under the unrelenting sun.
The Ignatians kept their poise as they closed in on the lead pack. The final 300 meters is a motivational gauntlet of screaming fans. Steve smiled at the crowd and kicked to finish in 15:54 for 2nd place. Nick Mulhern followed in 16:25 (PR). Jack Mayer 16:49 (PR), Peter Fitzpatrick 16:54, Sean Uhran 17:00 (PR), Joe Maloney 17:16 (PR) and Matt Kelly 17:32 secured the team title with 79 pts.
The JV runners had no relief from the sun either with temperatures hovering in the upper 80s. The Cat Pack moved right into the front behind the aggressive pacing of Elliot Rodstrom. The 'Cats were never challenged and swept the team title with 15 pts. Congrats to: Aidan Monroe 16:55 (PR), Alex Paliga (16:58), Elliot Rodstrom 17:04 (PR), John Pawlikowski 17:19 (PR), Sean Becker 17:32 (PR), Robby Klanac 17:59, Mike Mayer 18:09 and Charlie Rooney 18:21 for a truly great team effort!!
Thanks to Coach Wolf for the following Gilmour meet summary:
In the only “primetime” meet of the regular season, the Wildcats competed in the Gilmour Academy Paul Primeau Invitational, which according to the announcer is the longest running high school cross country meet in Ohio. As the gun started the varsity race, the temperature was again about 83 degrees. As the runners came through the first mile it was Mike Ward leading the Wildcats. He paced the entire 3.12 miles for varsity team coming through with a final time of 18:30. Will Leahy (18:35), Andrew Eicher (18:42), Danny Becker (18:51) and Tom Kilbane (18:58) rounded out the top five. The team finished 9th place on a tough, uneven course.
Connor McAndrew returned from injury to win the open race with a time of 18:26. He was followed by fellow SIHS junior Luke Chesney with an overall time of 18:38. Jack Kander (19:10), Freshman Ben Showman (19:28), Freshman Caleb Delacruz (19:28) brought the JV team to second place finish overall. Other notable PR’s on the crazy course were Terry McCafferty, Sam Eldridge, Andy Ericson, Dominic Fiorilli, Mike Greulich, Dominic Ambrogio, Ty Harrison, and Owen Hobbs.
Attached are the times. Thanks to Sean Stefancin.
This weeks schedule:
Monday: Mastick 3:30 - 5 bus
Tuesday: Edgewater 3:30 - 5 bus
Wed: Mastick 3:30 - 5 bus
Thurs: SIHS 3 - 4:30 weight lifting after practice OPEN HOUSE 5:30 - 8
Friday: No School pre comp on your own
Saturday: Legends Meet Trumble County Fairgrounds Bus transportation departure @11 am
JV/Open 1 pm Varsity 2 PM
Go Cats!!
Doc