PINE GROVE — Jim Thorpe’s Delana Nalesnik finished third and boys’ teammate Dylan Bucior placed fifth at last year’s Cardinal Clash Invitational.
Solid results to be sure, but not quite special.
What a difference a year — and countless miles of training — makes.
Nalesnik and Bucior returned to Pine Grove on Saturday morning and blazed their way through the rolling hills around the campus. Nalesnik covered the 3.1 miles in 20:40, while Bucior clocked 16:45 to sweep the individual gold medals.
Bucior’s effort helped the Olympians win the team title with 58 points, well ahead of runner-up Tulpehocken (75). Two weeks ago at Schuylkill Haven’s ’Canes Invitational, Tulpehocken topped Jim Thorpe 60-70.
The girls’ race belonged to Tamaqua, which went low with a team total of 28. Jim Thorpe (85) took second and Pine Grove (95) placed third.
The Blue Raiders bunched up brilliantly as Monika Shimko (20:43), Kailee Carroll (20:58) and Sarah Maue (21:13) finished 2-3-4. Nicole Wasserleben (21:40) placed eighth as Tamaqua put seven runners in the top 13.
“Today they kind of packed together with 2-3 together in different little groups,’’ Tamaqua coach Tom Kanger said. “The time spread between one and seven is (1:50), so they’re running really well.’’
Pine Grove swept the junior high gold as Megan Wessner (9:02) and Travis Anderson (8:19) won their respective races.
After a sweltering start to the season, Saturday morning dawned cool and dry — ideal conditions to post fast times.
The 264 runners across four races took advantage.
For example, Nalesnik (competing for Panther Valley) ran a 22:06 last season. Jim Thorpe teammate Kayley Kovac won in 21:36. Twelve months later, Nalesnik completed the same course 1:26 faster, holding off Shimko with a final kick.
“I used the summer to train. I’d get together, maybe with friends, and train,’’ Nalesnik said. “It helps running with someone. Lots of hills. I packed in a lot of miles this summer, and I was determined to make a difference this year.
“It’s really exciting because last year I never thought I could be where I am today,’’ she added. “I was running at a Single-A school (Panther Valley) in cross country. We didn’t even have a real team. ... With real hard work, you can surprise yourself.’’
For Bucior, the goal was to surpass the 16:56 former Jim Thorpe great Johnathan Condly ran in winning the Clash last season.
Mission accomplished.
“I was feeling a little stiff, a little sore from Wednesday, and I did a little extra on Thursday at practice,’’ Bucior said. “I honestly felt a little tired during the race, but I just tried to push it.
“That kid behind me from Lebanon (Derin Klick, 17:27) pushed me,’’ he added. “I knew he was there, but I didn’t know how close. So I just kept pushing.’’
Bucior’s training is starting to produce results. He set a course record at Pottsville on Wednesday (also surpassing Condly). Then, while training through Saturday’s race, he clocked a time 1:06 faster than last season.
“That’s crazy for me,’’ Bucior said. “I honestly didn’t think I would run under 17 (minutes) just because of how I felt.
“I think that’s incredible. ... It’s mostly a mental thing,’’ he added. “I kept telling myself that I could push myself and keep going.’’
Cardinal Clash Invitational
At Pine Grove Area H.S.
Saturday’s results
Varsity 3.1 miles
Junior high 1.5 miles
VARSITY GIRLS
(61 finishers)
Team scores: 1. Tamaqua (Tam) 28, 2. Jim Thorpe (JT) 85, 3. Pine Grove (PG) 95, 4. Minersville (Min) 131, 5. Northern Lebanon (NL) 149, 6. Schuylkill Haven (SH) 172
Did not score: Hamburg (H), Lebanon (Leb), Panther Valley (PV), Shenandoah Valley (SV), Tulpehocken (Tul), Weatherly (W)
Individual results: 1. Delana Nalesnik (JT) 20:40, 2. Monika Shimko (Tam) 20:43, 3. Kailee Carroll (Tam) 20:58, 4. Sarah Maue (Tam) 21:13, 5. Kayley Kovac (JT) 21:26, 6. Christina DiFalco (PG) 21:29, 7. Kaylene Raczka (Min) 21:34, 8. Nicole Wasserleben (Tam) 21:40, 9. Carly Teaschenko (SV) 21:59, 10. Alexis Luna (SV) 22:12, 11. Victoria LaBar (Tam) 22:25, 12. Chelsea Frantz (Tam) 22:29, 13. Genevieve Beck (Tam) 22:33, 14. McKayla Lally (PG) 22:53, 15. April Gerber (Tam) 22:58, 16. Autumn Pedron (Min) 23:11, 17. Avery Nagle (PG) 23:25, 18. Jenna Kauffman (H) 23:24, 19. Olivia Cory (Min) 23:56, 20. Lexi Pascucci (SH) 24:06
VARSITY BOYS
(103 finishers)
Team scores: 1. Jim Thorpe 58, 2. Tulpehocken (Tul) 75, 3. Tamaqua 92, 4. Hamburg (H) 115, 5. Minersville (Min) 139, 6. Northern Lebanon (NL) 164, 7. Lebanon (Leb) 181, 8. Weatherly (W) 206, 9. Shenandoah Valley (SV) 226, 10. Schuylkill Haven (SH) 246
Did not score: Panther Valley (PV), Pine Grove (PG)
Individual results: 1. Dylan Bucior (JT) 16:45, 2. Derin Klick (Leb) 17:27, 3. Wyatt Conrad (H) 17:34, 4. Adam Melnick (Tam) 17:41, 5. Mason Klopp (Tul) 17:46, 6. Jacob Cox (Tul) 17:49, 7. Daryl Werni (Leb) 18:06, 8. Brad Clemson (Tam) 18:08, 9. Ben Saxon (JT) 18:14, 10. Jared Hinkle (W) 18:20, 11. Tanner Schlater (Tul) 18:31, 12. Jian Gentile (JT) 18:35, 13. Raymond Kinder (Tam) 18:38, 14. Klayton Adams (NL) 18:39, 15. Sam DiBiase (Min) 18:40, 16. Chris Valdez (JT) 18:41, 17. Jordan Berger (NL) 19:08, 18. Jacob Conrad (H) 19:19, 19. Ivan Wissinger (PG) 19:25, 20. Sam Hydro (JT) 19:30
JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS
(40 finishers)
Individual results: 1. Megan Wessner (PG) 9:02, 2. Brianna Dumond (Tam) 9:18, 3. Francis Kabana (Tam) 9:26, 4. Peyton Arnold-Paine (Leb) 9:46, 5. Laura Laughlin (BM) 9:52, 6. Madison Racine (JT) 9:58, 7. Lyritt Reber (SH) 9:59, 8. Logan Hartney (Tam) 10:15, 9. Lottie Mateyak (Tam) 10:20, 10. Victoria Donovan (SV) 10:24
JUNIOR HIGH BOYS
(60 finishers)
Individual results: 1. Travis Anderson (PG) 8:19, 2. Scott Zoscin (W) 8:26, 3. Kevin Haas (BM) 8:36, 4. Marc Wasleyn (JT) 8:45, 5. Owen Wissinger (PG) 8:47, 6. Shane Conrad (H) 8:48, 7. Chris Osenbach (Tam) 8:53, 8. Luis Velazquez (SV) 8:54, 9. Riley Klick (Leb) 8:58, 10. Fernando Miranda (Leb) 8:59
Marian’s Capparell
11th at Foundation
HERSHEY — Marian’s Tina Capparell ran a 20:27 to finish 11th in a field of 154 in the Girls White Division at the 9th annual PIAA Foundation Cross Country Invitational at the Parkview Cross Country Course.
North Schuylkill placed 10th in a field of 21 in the Boys Blue Division.
Local finishers included:
• Girls White — Marian’s Tina Capparell, 11th in 20:27; Marian’s Nicole Capparell, 26th in 21:25; Mahanoy Area’s Megan Babinsky, 77th in 23:28; Mahanoy Area’s Megan Bisco, 100th in 25:09;
• Girls Blue — Blue Mountain’s Courtney Dukmen, 60th in 22:17; North Schuylkill’s Brinn DeAngelo, 61st in 22:18; North Schuylkill’s Chloe Stravinsky, 83rd in 23:10; Blue Mountain’s Shannon Henninger, 87th in 23:27;
• Boys White — Marian’s Aaron Srinivasan, 49th in 18:51; Mahanoy Area’s Seth Soriano, 54th in 19:04; Mahanoy Area’s Matt Derr, 66th in 19:22; Mahanoy Area’s Adam Bahrey, 67th in 19:22;
• Boys Blue — North Schuylkill’s Chris McCormick, 30th in 17:55; Blue Mountain’s Derek Mosteller, 48th in 18:26; North Schuylkill’s Lenny Bolinsky, 52nd in 18:30; North Schuylkill’s Austin Roseberry, 55th in 18:36; North Schuylkill’s Matt McCormick, 57th in 18:40; Blue Mountain’s Jacob Kluge, 62nd in 18:44; Blue Mountain’s Thomas Levkulic, 72nd in 18:57; North Schuylkill’s Sean McCabe, 78th in 19:07; and Blue Mountain’s Christian Menuchak, 86th in 19:20.
College Cross Country
PSU-Schuylkill men
place 5th at invite
LEHMAN — Penn State Schuylkill men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Invitational on Saturday.
PSU-Schuylkill’s Nico Granito placed fifth on the 8K course in 30:51. Will Bracey finished 11th in 32:40. Derek Dimond was 30th in 41:47, and Keon Major placed 32nd in 45:44. Mohammad Brown finished 33rd in 46:08, and Muhmod Shabazz was 36th in 54:25. PSU-Schuylkill placed fifth in the team competition.
For the women, Casey Renninger led PSU-Schuylkill runners, finishing fifth in 18:07 on the 3-mile course. Maria Naradko placed 19th in 21:34. Justice Dimitro was 22nd in 23:28, and Jodi Francis finished 24th in 23:32.