Area’s best ready for fast finishes at PAC championship meet
It’s been a season of rediscovered normalcy, one embraced by area cross-country programs in a big way, to be sure.
Coming out of a 2020 season where COVID-19 protocols impacted the ways they did business — no invitationals or league meet, reduction in the numbers of qualifiers for district and state competition — Pioneer Athletic Conference teams found the situation opened up. Full schedules of divisional dual meets, as well as high-level invitationals like PIAA Foundation and Paul Short, provided a greater opportunity for runners to refine their skills and face a larger field of competitors.
That return to normalcy continues today with the running of the PAC Championship Meet. Cancelled last fall due to the pandemic, the meet brings conference programs back to Heebner Park to crown the boys’ and girls’ individual and team champions in the first level of a renewed post-season.
“Not having PACs last year, the kids want to run well,” Owen J. Roberts head coach Tim Marcoe said of his teams, who were at or near the top of the league’s Liberty Division this fall. The boys matched Methacton for first at 4-1, the girls were second behind unbeaten (5-0) Perkiomen Valley.
One of Roberts’ top boys, Andrew McGonigle, is coming off a win in the team’s meet with Spring-Ford one week ago. He and teammate Matt Kwiatkowski went 1-2 against the Rams, and the Owen J. star pronounced himself in good shape to face the rest of the PAC.
“I feel very smooth, in the best shape of my life,” he said after the Spring-Ford meet. “I can build off this.”
A new individual champion will be crowned among the boys, whose top two finishers in 2019 — champion Tyler Clifford (Perkiomen Valley), runner-up Christian McComb (Boyertown) — both graduated in 2020. OJR’s 3-4 runners, Thomas Damiani and McGonigle, are back and in position to head a strong field of contenders.
Current seniors Bryan Landesberg (Methacton) and Donnie Miller (Upper Perkiomen) were a respective 6th and 8th two years ago. Two other Warriors, Chris McGlynn and Vaughn Lackman, have joined with Landesberg in forming a solid 1-2-3 combination dominating Methacton’s boys meets.
Spring-Ford’s Quintin Smith, 16th as a freshman, is also part of the equation as the Rams’ leading runner.
“I felt good racing today,” he said of Spring-Ford’s Senior Day meet. “I should do good at PACs.”
The girls’ race has a pair of juniors, who finished among the Top Three the last time around, in a much-anticipated rematch. PV’s Summer Watts was first in 18:51.4 ahead of Owen J’s Claire Zubey, third behind graduated Pottsgrove standout Naomi Hillen.
“I’ve definitely been rested and am feeling great,” Zubey said. “Our team is strong and excited for PACs.”
“Claire is excited to compete at another PAC Championship,” Marcoe added. “It has been a long time since she has, and she would like another chance after her 3rd place finish at Heebner Park two years ago.”
Another contender is Pope John Paul II’s Gianna Cagliola, the district’s defending Class AA champion. Cagliola was a Top 10 finisher in the last PAC meet.
“Senior Katy Todd should also place well at PACs, is looking for a top 10 finish and wants to better her 3rd place finish at districts,” PJP head coach Lisa Cagliola said. “ The two of them will be contenders for medals at states as well.”
The Vikings also have Sienna Miller, a ninth-place finisher in the 2020 districts’ AAA meet, helping lead the team to another perfect (5-0) run through the Liberty Division – the third year in a row they’ve accomplished that feat.
“In the team competition,” head coach Ryan Sullivan said, “the PV girls are looking to defend the title again. Freshman Emerson Whetstone and Allie Matasich have shown tremendous growth through the season and complement the 1-2 combination of Sienna Miller and Summer Watts. They’re excited for the opportunity to compete against very talented OJR and Phoenixville girls’ teams.
“On the boys side, the team has shown steady improvement throughout the season and is excited to set personal records in the league championship meet,” he added.
Sullivan noted Tommy Bricker as a contender to qualify for states.
Phoenixville’s teams did well in the Frontier Division this fall, the boys making a 5-0 sweep. Head coach Justin Winters is optimistic about how his top two runners will fare against those from the Liberty Division.
“Bryan Kerchner and Yash Agnihtori are both tearing it up this season,” he said. “Both should be up front for the boys race … I expect them to race super well at districts and hopefully advance to states.”
The Phoenixville girls also had a memorable regular season, highlighted by outrunning two other PAC schools at the PIAA Foundation Invitational and winning the Paul Short Run’s White Race. They matched the boys team by also going 5-0 in Frontier Division meets.
Madeline Witcoski and Anna Carruthers have been among the leaders helping the Phantoms achieve their success.
Alyssa Albanese has given the Boyertown girls strong outings in their Liberty Division meets. She was a solid first against Methacton in their race, her 21:49 run putting her over the finish line ahead of the Warriors’ foursome of Brianna Christmann (22:13), Bipasha Moktan (22:17), Carline Cherekos (22:36) and Delaney Smith (23:33}.
“We are just really hoping that Cameron Kratz and Alyssa Albanese get to qualify for states next week at districts and the rest of the team to run their personal bests for the season,” head coach Ed Baghsadarian said. “We’ve worked hard and are aiming to peak for district championships.”
