This week’s notebook features the CB West boys’ team as well as UD’s Lucile Ionescu and Neshaminy’s Eric Chapman.
By Scott Huff
The Central Bucks West boys’ cross country team last won the SOL Continental Conference title in 2002 – and the Bucks are hoping to earn that title again in 2014. The championship race will be held this Friday at Lehigh University with a starting time of 12-noon.
“Our big goal is to get to the state championship meet, but we would sure like to win the league title again,” said Central Bucks West head coach Greg Wetzel. “The kids have put in a lot of miles and hard work for weeks. And now it is time the next few weeks to see that hard work pay off.”
The top of the CBW roster for most of the season has been junior Rock Fortna. Fortna is followed by sophomore Brian Mass, junior Declan McDonald, senior Ian Davies, and junior Brian Iatarola.
“Rock has taken on a strong leadership role for a junior,” said Wetzel. “He has given out advice – good advice – to the younger runners. He is a hybrid runner that has a good combination of endurance and speed.
“Brian is as tough as nails and has been a strong # 2,” added Wetzel. “He is a pure distance guy that runs with tenacity – and in the NP/CB South dual meet, he was extremely motivated to win the race – however he came in second behind CB South's Matt Scarpill, followed by Rock in his hip pocket.
“Declan is a very consistent runner that always runs a solid race,” continued Wetzel.
“Ian is coming off an injury, and when he is healthy he can run with Rock,” said Wetzel. “And Brian is a strong runner that continues to get better.”
If there is strength in numbers – than CB West has those numbers. Expect a strong challenge from Central Bucks East – but when the sun sets on Friday, the Bucks should be SOL Continental Conference champions.
SOL-XC Spotlight
Lucile Ionescu – Upper Dublin
Lucile Ionescu ran her personal best 19:14.30 last week at the 59th Annual William Tennent Invitational – and hopes are that the milestone will become a memory as soon as this week.
“I really believe that she is poised to run under 19 minutes,” said Upper Dublin head coach Tony Giammarco. “Lucile is a four-year varsity runner that has improved each and every year.
“She is a pure distance runner – the longer the race the better,” added Giammarco. “She is a very strong runner, and I know that her goal is to make states this year.”
Ionescu just missed out on making states last season by a mere five seconds.
“I was very disappointed that I didn’t make states last year,” said Ionescu. “The goal this year has been to make states – and I have the chance to do that.
“Our team is going into the league meet undefeated in dual meets, and we would like to do well this week and win the championship,” added Ionescu as the Cardinals will be the favorite with Wissahickon a contender. “We should win – but we have to go out and do it.”
Ionescu hopes to follow older sister Adelie in running at the next level. Adelie Ionescu is a freshman runner at the University of Pittsburgh.
“I really enjoy running, and I would love to run in college,” said Ionsecu. “I don’t know that I will go to Pittsburgh – I just know that I would like to continue running.”
Look for Ionescu to be running well in the SOL American Conference league meet – District One Meet – and the PIAA State Meet in the next three weeks.
SOL-XC Spotlight
Eric Chapman – Neshaminy
Eric Chapman ran his personal best of 16:50.40 last week at the 59th Annual William Tennent Invitational – and hopes are that the milestone will become a memory as soon as this week.
“I think that it is realistic that Eric could break 16 minutes,” said Neshaminy head coach Syd White. “Eric broke his personal best by over 40 seconds – and that is incredible. Eric is an extremely hard worker – and it was great to see all that hard work pay off.
“As a senior, he has taken on a big leadership role on the team,” added White. “Eric leads the workouts every day in practice and is an example for the kids at the meets.”
Chapman – who has yet to decide on where he would like to run in college next fall – was happy with his performance last week.
“I’m not too sure why I ran such a strong race, I was just feeling good that day,” said Chapman. “It was nice to run that race at this time of year, and I definitely feel that I can get under 16 minutes in the next couple of weeks.
“It would be good to run strong at the league meet this week,” added Chapman. “But I really want to be at my best in the district meet. I would love to run in states.”
Stay tuned.
National Silver Standard
59th Annual William Tennent Invitational
Lotte Black (Wissahickon) 18:50.40
Lucile Ionescu (Upper Dublin) 19:14.30
Sophie Gustafson (Upper Dublin) 19:29.0
Sarah Smith (Upper Dublin) 19:37.20
Luke Marcelis (Wissahickon) 16:13.40
Eric Chapman (Neshaminy) 16:15.40
Phil Gunderson (Pennridge) 16:20.70
Dustin Willing (Neshaminy) 16:28.60
Suburban One League Championships
Lehigh University – Friday
10:00 am – SOL National Conference Boys
10:30 am – SOL National Conference Girls
11:00 am– SOL American Conference Boys
11:30 am – SOL American Conference Girls
12:00 noon – SOL Continental Conference Boys
12:30 pm – SOL Continental Conference Girls
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