NEWVILLE — The State College boys and girls cross country teams both had outstanding days at the Mid Penn Conference Cross Country Championships held at Big Springs High School in Newville on Saturday, Oct. 12.
In the girls championship race, the team took home its 10th consecutive title running against 16 teams and turning in a low of 48 points. All seven State College girls finished among the top 35.
There was an exciting battle for the individual first place between State College’s Devon Jackson and Carlisle’s Ana Bondy. They went back and forth at various points in the race right up to the bitter end for one of the closest finishes in the meet.
Ana Bondy took the win with a time of 18:39.34 and Devon was the runner-up with a time of 18:39.36. Devon now ties Jordan Reed’s runner-up finish from 2020 as State College’s highest Mid Penn XC championship finish.
Also, for State College, Evie Younkin placed fifth overall, in a time of 19:54, and was the top freshman in the race. Julia Bigger also took a top 10 finish in seventh overall with a time of 19:55. Devyani Wadhia placed 11th overall with a time of 20:09, and Carolyn Frank claimed another top 25 finish by placing 23rd overall in a time of 20:47. Lacey Sheaffer placed 32nd overall with a time of 21:03 and Molly Dell finished 35th overall with a time of 21:17.
The State College boys took control of the race from the start. They successfully defended their 2023 team title with a very low 31 points and five runners placing among the top 15.
And the race for the individual champion came down to a photo finish between SC’s Isaac Oppermann and Mifflin County’s Carter Smith. Opperman leaned into the finish line and edged Carter by .05 seconds.
Opperman ran a time of 15:34.89 and Carter ran 15:34.94, as Opperman became State College’s second ever Mid Penn XC champion. Brady Bigger was the other winner in 2020.
Theo Oppermann claimed a top five finish, placing fifth overall with a time of 15:54. Owen Coughlin and Luke Bradbury both turned in top 10 races by finishing sixth in 16:15 and eighth in 16:24 respectively.
Griffin Selber also placed amongst the top 15 by placing 11th overall with a time of 16:29. Kyle Fritzsche placed 26th overall with a time of 17:04 and Owen Viglione was 50th overall with a time of 17:37.
In Philipsburgon Wednesday, Oct. 9, Bellefonte, Philipsburg-Osceola and Clearfield took part in a tri-meet over the Philipsburg-Osceola course.
In the boys 5,000-meter race, Bellefonte finished with the top three runners when Kaiden Williams, Maverick Muchmore and Jonathan Gasper came in first-second-third in the race.
Williams clocked a time of 19:31, Muchmore was at 19:38 and Gasper ran a 19:45.
The fourth finisher, from Clearfield, was Gavin Coudriet with a 20:05, and the top Philipsburg-Osceola runner was Nicholas Matweecha at 21:11.
Even though the Raiders took the top three positions, the Mounties with 41 points took the team honors with 41 points to 43 points for Bellefonte.
Clearfield came in with 44.
The Mounties came in with Matweecha at six, Sam Massung at seven, Nassir Watson at eight, Peyton Warner at nine and Justin Thompson at 11.
Bellefonte, after the top three, had Kaden Musser at 18 and Phoenix Torres at 19.
In the girls race, Bellefonte also took the top spot when Addison Fry came in with a 23:11, five seconds ahead of Clearfield’s Haley Custaney.
Bellefonte also had Natalie Jolley place fourth and Emma Burger seventh.
The top Philipsburg-Osceola finishers were Lily Warlow at ninth and Katie Matweecha at 13.
In the team results, Clearfield came in with 24 points, Bellefonte with 38 and Philipsburg-Osceola with 72.
The LHAC championships were set to be on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Portage High School. Results were not available prior to The Gazette’s publishing deadline.
