Coatesville's Rob Robertson and Kelly O'Connell took their respective
home invitational races, but two Distriict 3 teams stole the team
thunder. Cedar Cliff lived up to their pre-race billing as the top boys'
team in the state, taking the Steel City Invitational with 68 points
(3-5-7-22-31). O'Hara was second at 113, and Council Rock fourth with
119. Robertson won his home meet with a 16:09.31. Mike DiDio of Council
Rock was second, 12 second back. Cedar Cliff's top finisher was John
Butler, 3rd in 16:23.59. Chambersburg took the girls team title with
123. O'Hara was second at 162, just one point ahead of Great Valley.
O'Connell was first with an 18:44.67, 32 seconds up on first-year
sensation Jessie Yester of Downingtown.

Paul Short Invitational
Lehigh University
3.1

Joel Thomas, Emmaus, took the Paul Short Inv. in a nice time on the flat course - 15:46.52. Second belonged to Cumberland Valley's Mark Turner, 11 seconds back, who led his team to the championship with a three point win (75-78) over Warvick. Don Bosco was just point out of second at 79. Cumberland Valley's girls matched the guy's effort, but won on their sixth runner over Allentown Central Catholic. Both finished with 56 points, but CV's sixth was in at 19th, 7 places up on ACC's sixth. St. Basil's Lynn Morelli took the individual title by 23 seconds with an 18:44.06.

Grove City Invitational
5K

Chrissy Miller, a Plum senior, led her team to the title with 37 points
in the Grove City Invitational with her 19:44. She defeated Meadville's
Leanne Roncolato, a junior, by just five seconds. Grove City boys won
with 57 pooints, a six point edge on Meadville. But Tim Ross, of
Meadville, took the individual title with his 16:33.

Salesianum Invitational, Delaware
Highlights:

PA teams take five of six varsity races.

PA Schools took all three boys varsity races at the Salesanium Inv. on a
very difficult course at the Brandywine Creek State Park. Mark Alizzi,
Syossett (NY) ran the fastest time of the day, with the only sub-17 at
16:39, to win the A (large schools) race. LaSalle took the race with
just 73 points, led by a 5th place finish by Fedorowicz in 17:30.
Hatboro's Mike Kenney was the top PA finish, with a fourth place 17:28.
Mark Mullelly led his Upper Moreland team to the win in the B race
(medium schools) with 67 points, running 17:01. Ben Stern, Georgetown
Day School (DC), won the C race (small schools) in 17:03. But Ference of
Holy Ghost Prep, led his team to the win with 74 points behind his
second place 17:33.

PA girls teams took two of the three races. The fastest time of the day
came from Lake Braddock (VA)'s Kelly Swain, who went 19:44 in the A
race. Amy Kelly, St. Hubert's was second at 20:20. But North Penn, led
by Marine's 20:49, took the team title with 43 points, 34 better than
West Springfield VA. Brandywine took the B race, with Upper Merion
second, 12 points back. Jill Hajec of Caesar Rodney, won the B race in
20:42. Julie Opet, Radnor, was the top PA runnner in the B race, getting
fourth in 21:16. Merion Mercy dominated the C race with just 29 points
(3-4-5-6-11), led by Scott's 3rd place finish in 21:29. Meridith
Lambert, Tatnall, ran 19:54 to notch the win, one of only two sub-20's
on the day.

Pittsburgh Central Catholic Invitational (5K)

Two elite performances

Dan Mazzocco, Baldwin HS, 15:48
Stephanie Madia, North Allegheny, 19:02

Dan Mazzocco set a course record of 15:48 and the North Allegheny girls,
led by Stephanic Madia, showed they are one of the top teams in the
state in the Division A races at the Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Invitational. Highland's boys won the A race with 113 points, 13 better
than Shaler, which was led by a second place finish from Sam Bair, 28
seconds back from Mazzocco. Madia toured the course in 19:02, just seven
seconds up on Jessica Perry of Peters Township, and 13 seconds on Lauren
Bricker of Hempfield (7). Her time is the fastest in District 7 or 8 so
far this season (that's good, because Western PA athletes run on HILLS.)
Warren boys and Montour girls took the B races. Cain Hickey, North East,
won the boys B race in 16:42. Ann Gagliardi, Franklin Regional, took the
girls B race in 19:42. The Blairsville boys, led by Bryan Herdman's
16:56 took the C race title, while the North East girls captured the C
race crown. Seton LaSalle's Ann Mazur won the C race in 20:47.