Ches-Mont runners set pace at Henderson Invitational
West Chester >> The 11th annual Henderson Invitational, held Thursday evening at J. Oscar Dicks Stadium, presented a different kind of competition for local cross country runners.
Held on the stadium’s track, the Invitational featured a mixture of 3200- and 400-meter races under the stadium lights in front of a crowd of about 400 fans.
“It’s really nice running in front of all of these people,” said West Chester Henderson senior Amanda Kelly, who won the girls’ 3200 meter run in Heat 4 (the final and fastest heat) with a time of 11:29.72. “Cross country races are usually out in the middle of [nature].”
Kelly’s closest pursuer was West Chester Rustin sophomore Maddie Miller (11:37.85) and West Chester East senior Sonia Piombino (11:39.56).
In the boys’ 3200 meter run in Heat 6 (the final and fastest heat), Unionville junior Ari Abbaraju won easily with a PR of 9:38.40, ahead of second-place finisher Gavin Brophy of West Chester Henderson (9:48.19). Earlier this month, Abbaraju finished second in the Ches-Mont Cross Country Championships.
“I love running under the lights, and the weather’s cool – it’s awesome running conditions,” said Abbaraju.
Medals were awarded to the top three finishers in each heat. The final heats were the fastest heats.
West Chester Henderson cross country head coach Kevin Kelly (father of Amanda Kelly), who was the public address announcer for all of the races Thursday night, said, “We wanted to reward the kids for racing well [in their own heat]. It’s also a little test of fitness on the Thursday before Districts. And the 400 meter runs are good for speedwork.”
In Heat 5 of the boys’ 3200 meter run, first-place finisher West Chester Henderson senior Patrick Snyder said, “The crowd really motivated me during the last half of the race.”
West Chester Rustin junior Hannah Betchyk, who finished first in Heat 3 of the girls’ 3200 meter run, said, “This was so much fun – this is one of my favorite races, since it’s at night, and there’s so many people.”
West Chester East junior Austin Bickle, who finished first in Heat 4 of the boys 3200 meter run, said, “It’s nice to have all of the [fans] cheering us on, and it presents a different challenge than cross country, where you’re running from point to point. Here it’s more like running in a circle.”
Top runners from Heat 6 of the boys 3200 meter run included Abbaraju, Brophy, Kennett senior Jesse Comanda (third, 9:50.41), Coatesville junior Joshua Miller (fourth, 9:56.34), Coatesville senior Dave Kelly (fifth, 9:57.15), Unionville senior Adam Kitay (sixth, 9:58.66), West Chester East junior Gavin Hefferan (seventh), Coatesville sophomore Tommy Silvester (eighth), Downingtown West sophomore Richard Planck (ninth) and Downingtown West senior JJ Conzelmann (10th).
Conzelmann also finished first in Heat 6 of the boys 400 meter run.
Top runners from Heat 4 of the girls 3200 meter run included Kelly, Miller, Piombino, Kennett junior Ella Burnham (fourth, 11:41.17), Bishop Shanahan sophomore Meghan Willis (fifth, 11:42.99), Bishop Shanahan senior Carlyn Segrave-Daly (sixth), Downingtown West junior Bridget Kiey (seventh), Downingtown West junior Bridget Howe (eighth), Downingtown West senior Savannah Shaw (ninth) and Unionville senior Josie Tucker (10th).
NOTES: Other first-place finishers in the boys 3200 meter heats were as follows: Heat 1 – West Chester Rustin freshman Alexander Kosmidis; Heat 2 – West Chester East senior Justin Crump; Heat 3 – West Chester East senior Stephen Mazza. Other first-place finishers in the girls 3200 meter heats were as follows: Heat 1 – Downingtown West sophomore Carlene Barcalow; Heat 2 – Kennett senior Kimberly Alvarez.
