Girls star at Bulldog Invitational
Erin Franklin, Wissahickon 18:32 is filling the shoes of Paige Miller, now a freshman at Duke. More on Erin by Don Rich	Downington jr Jessie Yester 18:39 is doing fine in her first cross country season.
photos from PennTrackXC

Council Rock - Tyler Cickay beat Ewart by 58 seconds. - Is this the best sport, or what? Mike Didio, the #1 runner on Council Rock, got second today at his home invitational at Tyler State Park. But his class act of sportsmanship is the story of the race. As resported by PennTrackXC contributor John Bush, eventual winner Mark Mullelly, from Upper Moreland, was in the lead in a tight section in the woods, when he approached a difficult area. He was about to take a wrong turn, when he heard a yell from Didio from behind, sending him in the right direction. WAY TO GO DIDIO. Flash results for the 3.1 mile race: 1-Mark Mullelly(Upper Moreland)-15:31, 2-Mike Didio(Council Rock)-15:40, 3-Matt Lawson(Upper Dublin)-15:46, Rob Hampson, Council Rock, 15:52. Jessica Cickay, Council Rock, won to a lot of ooohs and ahhhs in 17:39. For perspective, she was 58 seconds up on Katie Ewart. Council Rock took both large school scored races.

Mercersburg Inv - Ben Stern, from Georgetown Day School, took the boys race in the Mercersburg Academy Invitational in 16:19 on a new course, eclipsing the old course mark by 10 seconds. Good Council HS went 2-3-4-8-11 to win with just 28 points. Host school student Maureen Glah was the girls champ in 19:53.8. National Cathedral School took the girls' championship with 75 points. Complete Mercersburg results

Red Flash Invitational @ St. Francis University - 5K, Sunny and cool at race time -
Baldwin senior Dan Mazzocco and Bishop Guilfoyle sophomore Sonja Hinish
captured the individual titles and led their teams to second place
finishes. Mazzocco established the high school 5k course record of
16:28.32 as he pulled away from Westmont Hilltop sophomore David Mock in
the second half of the race. Hinish won a hard fought battle with Leanna
Nastase of Forest Hills as the two finished in 20:12.24 and 20:16.69,
respectively. Hinish's time also established a high school course
record. Somerset captured the boys title by 22 over Baldwin, but the
Baldwin girls captured the girls title by mere five points over Bishop
Guilfoyle.

Bulldog Invitational - North Penn girls upset Harrier's Northeast #8 Cardlinal O'Hara at the Bulldog Invitational held at Rose Tree Park in Media. 53 girls teams and 48 boys teams compete in eight races, including four varsity contests, large and small schools, boys/girls. NP went 6-7-8-10-24 to outscore O'hara 55 to 69. Rising star Jessie Yester of Downingtown, in her first year of XC, ran 18:39 in the girls large school race, just four seconds slower than the small schools division winner, and another sensation of this season, Erin Franklin, of Wissahickon, who went 18:35. Wissahickon, minus their regular #3, finished second to Gov. Mifflin, 98-104. In the boys large school race, Pottsgrove's Corey Rogers ran the fastest time of the day, a 16:04 over the 3.1 mile course. Great Valley went 2-3-7-8-10 (17-18) to tally just 30 points, 87 fewer than second place Strath Haven. Emerging soph phenom Tim O'Neil of St. Joseph's Prep, battled O'Hara's Steve Hallinan over the final mile, pulling it out in a sprint with a 16:12. Salesianum (DE) went 7-9-13-14-30 for 73 points, seven b etter than O'Hara.

Northern Invitational - Hosted by Fox Chapel HS at Hartwood Acres just north of Pittsburgh, the Northern Invitational attracted some of the best PA runners this, or any year. Both Mt. Lebanon teams took the win, with the girls' defeating Hampton 54-88, and the boys topping Shaler, 83-118. Defending AAA state champ Shawn Cavanaugh, Mt. Lebo, is returning to form, taking a talented Sam Bair of Shaler by six seconds with his 16:28. Hempfield's Lauren Bricker continued her winning ways, running 19:16 on the very hilly 5K course.