Bobcat Cross Country Teams Compete At McDowell Invitational, Lerch Finishes Third In Middle School Race (09/07/15)

on 7 September, 2015 at 16:50

The Clarion Area Bobcat Cross Country Teams traveled to Erie, on Saturday, to compete in the 40th McDowell Invitational. Also competing was next door neighbor North Clarion. There were six different races, involving hundreds of athletes, Boys Varsity, Girls Varsity, Boys JV, Girls JV, Boys Middle School and Girls Middle School.

Taylor Alderdice won the Boys Varsity team title. Clarion finished 21st and North Clarion was 19th.

North Clarion’s Isaac Wilson was the individual champion, with a time of 16:32.30. The top Clarion finish was by Crowe Thiem, who finished 42nd with a time of 18:37.70. Fellow Bobcat Kyle Bettwy also had a top 100 finish at 97th. Also competing for Clarion were Marshall Powers, Jimmy Smathers, Mike LeFay, Nick Schill and Noah Schill.

Wilson’s teammate, Isaiah Greibel had a 21st place finish for the Wolves.

Okland Catholic, which won the Girls Varsity event, was paced by champion Lauren Pinkiotis, who ran a 19:38.50. The Eagles had girls claim four of the top six spots.

Clarion freshman Katie Craig placed 59th, with a time of 22:57.40. Also competing for the Lady Cats were, Chelsea Mason, Liz Saver and Lili Frakes, Shamecka Dittman and Kyle Craddock

North Clarion’s Abbie Schmader ran a 21:16.70, to take 15th place and Micheala Higgins also finished in the top 100, in 67th place. Also competing for the Lady Wolves competing was Lindsay Zacherl.

Oakland Catholic also won the Girls JV race, having six girls finish in the top eight. The individual champion was Noelle DiSilvio from Taylor Alderdice, who ran a 22:35.60. No local girls competed in the JV race.

Mercyhurst Prep’s Joel Kweder won the Boys JV race in 18:14.50. McDowell, with 8 runners in the top 20 won the JV team title. Bobcat Jacob Smith had a top 100 finish at 82nd. Also competing for the Cats were Noah Cole and Daniel Ketner. North Clarion had no runners in the Boys JV race.

Nathaniel Lerch had the highest place finish of any Bobcat, on Saturday, finishing third in the Boys Middle School race, with a time of 10:38.4. Lerch was just 15.4 seconds behind the winner, Brock Smith of Seneca, who finished at 10:23.0. The Bobcats had three other top 100 finishers, in the Boys’ Middle School race. Nate Datko finished 36th, Don Cunningham was 67th and Alex Cousins finished 73rd. Also competing for the Cats’ was Cole Slaugenhaupt.

Grove City finished in 1st place, Clarion was 9th and North Clarion was 12th. The Wolves’ were led by Jacob Bauer, who finished in 8th place with a time of 10:55.8. Jacob Kaltenbaugh, also had a top 100 finish, for the Wolves, finishing 72nd.

Clarion finished 10th in the Girls Middle School race, which was won by General McLane. Madeline Curtis from Harbor Creek was the winner. The top Lady Cat was Emma Spitz, who finished 42nd and teammate Marilyn Linchinski also had a top 100 finish, at 96th.

Haley Bauer finished 25th to lead the Lady Wolves. North Clarion had two other top 100 finishers, Addison Shaftic, in 77th place and Rachel Bauer, in 78th.