BARNESVILLE — Marian freshman Tina Capparell competed at the Schuylkill League Cross Country Championships for the first time.
Blue Mountain senior Sarah Brooks competed for the final time Thursday afternoon at Tuscarora State Park.
Though the event was pushed back a day due to heavy rain Wednesday, the 24 extra hours were worth the wait for both runners.
Capparell, Brooks and her Blue Mountain teammates collected the
largest trophies and shiny gold medals for their dominating performances.
Clocking a 19:29 on the 3-mile course, Capparell cruised to a 53-second victory over her nearest competitor to win her first individual title.
“At the beginning there were two girls next to me, but right before the hill, I pulled ahead,’’ Capparell said.
North Schuylkill senior Jess Yeneskie finished second in 20:22, followed by Jim Thorpe freshman Kayley Kovac (20:25), Blue Mountain junior Caroline Rickard (20:31) and Tamaqua sophomore Nicole Wasserleben (20:52).
Once again, Blue Mountain’s girls turned in a 49-second, four-girl grouping to run away with the team title. After Rickard, junior Katie Thompson (20:54) placed sixth; Brooks (21:17) finished eighth; and junior Shannon Henninger (21:20) took ninth.
The Eagles’ overall grouping would have been tighter, but junior Courtney Dukmen tripped on a tree root and took a nasty fall during the first mile of the race. Dukmen collected herself as quickly as she could and rallied for a 15th-place finish in 21:52.
“I fell, and I tried to catch up with my team to stay with them because I knew how much the title would mean to them,’’ Dukmen said.
“I knew I had to get up ... I love running, and I love being there with my team. They’re all great, and we all motivate each other. We push each other to our full potential.’’
By placing five runners in the top 15, Blue Mountain finished with 41 points. Tamaqua, which had Wasserleben and Kailee Carroll (seventh) in the top 10, finished a distant second with 113 points.
Lehighton (141), Shenandoah Valley (145) and Mahanoy Area (148) rounded out the top five.
In early action, Pine Grove seventh-grader Megan Wessner captured the 1.8-mile junior high girls’ race in 12:22. Blue Mountain freshman Rebekah Dolbin took the JV race in 23:17.
Later, the varsity race belonged to Capparell, a black headband controlling her long, blonde ponytail.
She’s been the league’s dominant female runner all season, and she proved it again at the league meet. Along the way, she’s won every dual/tri-meet during the regular season, placed second at the DeSales Centaur Invitational and third at Bloomsburg’s NEPA Invitational.
And with the graduation of four-time league champion Paige Stoner of Pottsville, somebody had to step up as the leader of the pack. Even if, for most of the race, she is a pack of one.
“I’m pretty happy with it,’’ Capparell said of her time. “I just picture someone ahead of me, and I just try to get my best time.’’
For Blue Mountain, it’s all about togetherness and the good of the group. Individual honors mean nothing.
So when Dukmen went down, that was a major cause for concern. That she got up and not only completed the race, but also scored for her team, proved how much these Eagles care about each other.
“It really meant a lot knowing my team was supporting me,’’ Dukmen said, “and that I was able to get up and still be one of the key players in it.’’
Holding an ice pack on her sore hip, Dukmen got a little banged up in the fall. She said she’ll recover in time (for districts), describing it as a “small injury.’’
All season, Brooks — the only senior starter — has pushed the Eagles to repeat as Division I and overall Schuylkill League champion. For the second straight season, she and Blue Mountain left Tuscarora State Park a winner.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,’’ said Brooks, her voice cracking as she held back tears of joy. “It’s really emotional because we worked so hard together as a team.
“... We have totally cut out the fact of wanting to be first place (individually). That’s not even in our heads. Finishing as a team and being together. It’s the most amazing feeling in the world, and I wouldn’t rather have any other team in the world. I love it.’’
Henninger, Brooks, Thompson and Rickard have shared top billing during the course of the season. Thursday was Rickard’s turn to run up front.
Most of them will be back next season. Though Brooks will graduate, the Eagles return four juniors, one sophomore and one freshman in their top seven.
“They’re so supportive. In the first mile, Courtney Dukmen fell,’’ Brooks said. “All of us were there to help her. We’re like sisters, and we’re a family. I’m never, ever going to forget this feeling — ever.’’