Denny Dyroff features some of the SOL’s top performances at the PIAA Class AAA Cross Country Championships.
(Submitted Photo)
By DENNY DYROFF
Two of the top teams at last weekend’s PIAA Class AAA Cross Country Championships were teams from the Suburban One League. One was a program that has developed into a dynasty and the other fell into the “New Kid on the Block” category.
Pennsbury’s girls won their fifth state championship in the last six years. Central Bucks West’s boys, who made their state meet debut last year, finished third in the team standings at last Saturday’s meet in Hershey.
The Pennsbury team has elevated itself to the dynastic level over the last eight years.
In 2006, the Falcons finished 13th at the District One Class AAA Championships and followed with a 17th-place finish a year later.
In 2008, Pennsbury started its ascent to the higher heights. After finishing third at the SOL National Conference meet, the girls In orange and black placed sixth at the district championships and missed qualifying for states by three points.
The Falcons took it up to another level the following year when they were second at districts and third at the PIAA Class AAA Championships in Hershey. Then, in 2010 and 2011, they came through with the double -- first at districts and first at states.
Pennsbury and its district rival Unionville battled fiercely in 2012 when Unionville won districts and Pennsbury was runner-up and then the teams reversed positions the following weekend at the state meet. In 2013, the Falcons placed second behind the Indians in both meets.
Last year, Pennsbury swept both titles and then repeated the feat again this season. Olivia Sargent, the team’s number one runner, was also the state’s number one runner. In her four seasons, Sargent started with 13th-place finishes at states as a freshman and a sophomore and was silver medalist in 2014.
“We won the state title and that was the goal,” said Pennsbury assistant coach Ken Cislak, a 2003 Pennsbury grad. “We gave the girls a plan -- race strategy-wise -- and they followed it to a ‘T.’ Our 1-2-3 did what they had to do and our 4-5-6 stepped up. Our goal was to win states ever since we got together in the summer. We laid out the plans for them.”
“Unionville has been right there the past five or six years. They’ve been our rivalry. It’s nice to have them in our district because of the great competition. When we go against Unionville at districts, states or regionals, we know they’re going to bring their ‘A’ game so we have to bring our ‘A’ game.”
Pennsbury’s 1-2-3 took three of the top nine places at this year’s state championship meet -- Olivia Sargent in first place, Hannah Molloy in sixth place and Mary Webb in ninth place. The Falcons’ other runners were Meredith Twomey (28th), Maddie Sauer (40th), Bailey Balmer (43rd) and Rachel Estey (124th).
For Sargent, the saying “It doesn’t get any better than this” definitely held true. She returned from Hershey with two gold medals -- team and individual -- and that’s a feat you just can’t top.
“It was surreal,” said Sargent. “It didn’t really hit me until the next day. It was such a good day at states. I knew it would be tough running against (Downingtown West’s) Aislinn (Devlin). It was a really good race.
“It went out a little slower than last year. There were a lot of girls out in the front early. In the second mile, Aislinn and I broke off from the rest of the pack. We went back and forth the rest of the way. I took the lead for the last time with a little more than 100 meters to go. When I saw the finish line, I just went for it. It was one of my best kicks ever.”
Molloy said, “Getting sixth was pretty nice. It was a really nice day and we were really focused on this meet. We all did really well. We worked as a team. We tapered a little for states. Now, we’ll build back up to get ready for regionals.”
Pennsbury’s next meet will be the Nike Northeast Regionals in Wappinger Falls, New York on November 28. A win or a runner-up finish there will earn the team a berth at the Nike Nationals on December 5 in Portland, Oregon.
“Our goal for the season has been to go back to Portland,” said Cislak. “Last year, we were sixth at regionals. This year, we really want to make it back to nationals.”
Pennsbury girls’ cross country has come a long way over the past few decades.
Back in the 1970s, the team was happy to be one of the best squads in the Lower Bucks County League. Some of the top runners back then were Daria Varaitis, Barbara Wills, Patti Porter and Lynn Gardner. Wills and Gardner went on to run at West Chester University and Varaitis had a good collegiate career running for Villanova University.
Fast forward to the 2010s, and it’s a very different picture. In addition to their success at the district, state, regional and national levels, the Falcons have sent their top runners to a variety of prestigious collegiate programs.
Sara Sargent, Olivia’s sister and daughter of head coach Greg Sargent, runs for the University of Virginia team that just took first place at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships. A number of other recent grads are also running for top-flight programs -- Erin O’Connell (University of Pittsburgh), Ann Herman (Cornell University), Erika Gray (James Madison University) and Liz Wedekind (Elizabethtown College).
Everything about Pennsbury’s program has the markings of a dynasty. The Falcons have had another great season -- and it’s not over yet.
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Conversely, Central Bucks West’s boys have called it quits for the season. The team opted not to go to the Nike Northeast Regionals and its two top runners -- Rock Fortna and Brian Iatarola -- have decided to forego running individually at the Foot Locker Northeast Regionals.
“We did entertain the idea of going to regionals,” said Fortna. “But, we decided to focus more on getting ready for the indoor track season.”
At last weekend’s state meet, West took third place with 132 points and was topped only by Downingtown West with 57 and North Allegheny with 105. The Bucks’ scorers were Fortna (12th), Iatarola (25th), Ben Smullen (46th), Brian Mass (76th) and Declan McDonald (78th).
“Last year was the first time a C.B. West team went to states and we got sixth place,” said Iatarola. “Getting third is really special -- to go from being a so-so program to being one of the best in the state. Our team definitely wanted to win. We raced to win but Downingtown West had an amazing team and North Allegheny was really good.
“Overall, I was happy that I placed 25th and got a medal. Winning a state medal has been my goal since before the season started. Getting 10th at districts definitely helped my confidence. I knew that if I could go out with the top pack at states that I’d be able to medal.”
Fortna said, “I was 43rd at states last year so my goal this year was definitely to win a medal. As the season progressed, my goal for states went to top 15 and then to top10. I got 12th and I’m happy with what I did.
“I was out with the front pack at the mile and I was able to hang on. I didn’t have the kick at the end that I usually do. But, that was a sign that I had put everything out there. In the last 600 meters, I realized I wasn’t going to have the finish I usually have.
“This year, we did a lot more hill training during the season to get ready for the hills on the state meet course. The hills on this course are very steep but not particularly long. They’re comparable to Parachute Hill at Belmont Plateau, but the course in Fairmount Park doesn’t have as many.”
Central Bucks West coach Greg Wetzel said, “We were very pleased with our team result at states. We were ready for a good race with North Allegheny and they really delivered. They had an outstanding meet -- but we did too. We ran really well, but it wasn’t enough to come away with a win. I’m really proud of the team finishing third.
“Looking ahead, being in the top five at states is a reasonable goal for the next few seasons. We’re really happy to have a program that has arisen instead of a good team now and then. It was important to the seniors -- Rock, Brian, Declan and Logan (Mazullo). They did great. I don’t think Rock and Brian ever ran harder in their life. It was a great season and it ended on a high note.”
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Impressively, the Suburban One League had both Class AAA individual gold medalists this year. Central Bucks East’s Jake Brophy won his second straight state title -- one week after he won his second consecutive district race.
Brophy, who set the Class AAA state record last year, took first with a time of 15:39. Downingtown West’s Jaxson Hoey was second with a time of 15:40 and his brother Josh Hoey was third at 15:49.
“There wasn’t as big a pack this year,” said Brophy. “It turned into more of a tactical race rather than a time race. But, that’s what I figured would happen. It turned out the way I expected. My race strategy has been mainly reactive rather than proactive. I knew the Hoeys could run hard from the gun or go with a strong kick.
“I decided I was going to wait to see what they did. I led the race from 200 meters in and then Jaxson took the lead with 200 meters to go. Coming off the last hill, he put about five meters on me. I caught up with him with 150 to go. From then on, I was leading.
“I won this race handily last year while this year’s was very close. I would have preferred last year’s race. Now, my teammate Josh Goetz and I are training for regionals.”
Last year, Brophy was fifth at regionals and 25th at nationals, and he is looking forward to running at this year’s Foot Locker Nationals, which will be held in San Diego on December 12.
“I will be more focused at Nationals this year,” said Brophy, a senior. “I’m really glad I did it last year. It was a great experience. This year, I’ve seen what I need to do.”
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