Owen J. Roberts boys, girls outrun Spring-Ford to stay atop PAC
WARWICK >> A home-course advantage for Owen J. Roberts? Maybe.
A less-challenging run? Not so much.
Roberts’ home course at Warwick County Park took a significant hit from Tuesday’s hard rainstorms. The layout was left in less-than-ideal conditions for Wednesday’s Pioneer Athletic Conference meet with Spring-Ford, which pitted teams at or near the top of the Liberty Division standings.
“It poured last night,” OJR head coach Tim Marcoe recalled. “It’s already a tough course … hilly.”
The Wildcats appeared less affected by the conditions, sweeping both parts of the meet. The boys outran the Rams 20-38, and the girls won 21-37 to improve to 4-0 with one more PAC meet on the schedule.
But it was no more a breeze for Roberts, marking its annual Senior Day on what was its last home meet of the season.
“We knew it was pretty beat up,” Linus Blatz, the OJR and overall boys race leader, said. “We were aware it’s muddy, but it was worse than expected.”
“It was insane,” Owen J. and overall girls leader Hannah Kopec added. “At some spots, it was like Play-Doh. The thunderstorms were brutal.”
A season-long run on a course impacted by the generally-wet weather aided Blatz and Kopec on their solid runs. Blatz covered his home course in 17 minutes flat, 17 seconds better than Spring-Ford leader John Zawislak. And Kopec, at 20:44, had a similar lead on teammate Mackenzie Kurtz (21:00), their 1-2 run heading a race that saw Roberts place six runners among the Top 10.
In his Warwick finale, Blatz kept pace with the pack for the first 1-1/2 miles. The OJR senior then split off and pushed his pace.
“It was a lot of fun being out there one last time and running well,” he said. “The first mile, we focused on the team aspect, and that worked out well.”
Quinten Sherwood, David Brunton and Vince Fennell went 3-4-5 for Roberts, crossing the line in a 19-second span from 17:24 to 17:43. Spring-Ford’s Alex Funk cut into the pack with a sixth-place (17:44) run, but the teams each claimed two of the remaining four spots in the Top 10: Thomas DiMarino seventh (17:54) and Cole Smith ninth (18:07) for the ‘Cats, Joey Power eighth (18:02) and Anthony Bamford 10th (18:13) for the Rams (2-2).
Josh DiMarino gave Roberts further displacement in 11th (18:13) ahead of Spring-Ford’s Jayden Dunham (12th, 18:43).
“Today, with it slow and muddy, it was nice to come out and run well,” Blatz said.
In the girls’ race, Kopec and Kurtz overtook Spring-Ford’s Emily Smith on the course’s first hill — one affectionately dubbed “Charcoal” by Roberts runners — and beat out the Rams’ Ahila Moorthy, third in 21:08. Smith was a close fourth (21:10) for the Rams, who had Devon Pytel (22:15), Nora Albertson (22:19) and Julia Breisch (22:37) go 9-10-11.
Owen J. sewed up the team win with Mikayla Niness (21:41), Hannah Pugh (22:01), Emily Glasier (22:04) and Sarah Karaman (22:11) crossing the line in fifth through eighth place. A date with Methacton next week is all that stands between OJR and a repeat 5-0 PAC Liberty finish.
“It definitely helped running the course,” Kopec said. “It’s been muddy all year. We know where to stay to the left or right. That’s a huge advantage.”
In advance of the upcoming postseason meet schedule, Kopec feels the pace she’s running this year is working to her advantage.
“I tried reversing my training this year,” she said. “Last year, at districts and states, I died. I peaked way too early.”
Blatz, as part of the successful runs he’s made this fall, had another opportunity to work on his mindset when out front of the field.
“I think about pushing myself, staying strong,” he said. “I focus on doing well.”
Marcoe, in his first year as Owen J’s head coach, is cheered by the teams’ performances.
“I feel we’re coming along, putting it together,” he said. “We need to keep working hard.”
NOTES >> Another downside to the course conditions: “We had some kids lose shoes,” Marcoe said. … Roberts’ upcoming races will be on Methacton’s school course next week, and Heebner Park for the PAC Championships in two weeks.
