Towanda girls win first title in 20 years

Review Photo/BRIAN FEES The Towanda girls won the NTL cross country title for the first time in 20 years. Front row (L-R): Tammy Becker, Caitlin Blackman, Sarah Secules, Hannah Primrose, Miranda Kingsley and Sydney Williams. Back row (L-R): Robin Holman, Sarah Conklin, Victoria White, Kelsey Miller, Lara Allen, Sarah Place, Tori Kingsley and Theresa Seibert.

Share This Story:

BY BRIAN FEES
Sports Writer

Published: Wednesday, October 8, 2008 4:53 AM EDT

TOWANDA — Over the past 20 years the Towanda Black Knights have had a number of strong girls’ cross country teams, but not one of them was able to bring home a league title.

Every time the Black Knights had a strong year, someone else seemed to have just a little bit stronger team — every year until this season.

On Tuesday the Black Knights picked up a 20-39 victory over Wellsboro and a 15-48 win over Wyalusing to go 12-0 on the year and win their first league title since the 1988-89 season.

"We’ve been close with the girls so many times before and every time we have a great team, it seems like Wellsboro has just a little better team, or last year Troy had a really good team," Towanda coach Leo Harris said. "We didn’t have that one standout runner this year, but we just had a good group of girls. We had that strong pack of runners and the big thing was they just kept improving.

"The idea that five different girls have been the top runner for us throughout the year, that is definitely pretty amazing. This just feels great. Now we have to try and take the next step, and that is to try and get a team, or some individuals, to states."

For Towanda’s runners the league title is something they all dreamed of winning.

"It’s very exciting, this just feels amazing," Sydney Williams said. "I’m so pumped right now, it’s a great feeling."

Having a strong group has helped the Towanda runners feed off each other each time they race.

"We all help each other, we back each other up," Sarah Secules said. "We have all taken turns running in the first spot, and then if we drop down the other runners step up for us."

Having someone near them on the course has helped to push the Towanda runners to better times, both Tuesday and throughout the season.

"If two of us are running with each other we really push each other," Hannah Primrose said. "Today I was running with Robin (Holman) and we really tried to push each other."

"Our goal is to just get better every time we run," Holman added.

While the Black Knights are happy to have won the NTL title, they know there is still work to be done.

"This is one step. We want to go out and do well at the NTL meet, and from there try and build on that, and do well at districts," Secules said.

In order for Towanda to continue to have success, the runners know what they need to do.

"We have to keep on working hard," Victoria White said. "I’m proud of the team and what we have accomplished, but we have to keep working hard."

For all the success Towanda has had this year, the Black Knights have a very young team, and Harris is looking forward to the future of his program.

"They are a really good group and they are almost all underclassmen," Harris said. "They are all coming back next year. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 20 years to win a title."

On Tuesday the Black Knights runners swept six straight spots after Wellsboro’s Sophie Weaver won the race with a time of 22:13.

"I feel pretty good about it," Weaver said of her performance. "The hills are definitely tough here. It helps getting me ready for NTL’s and districts. It gives me an idea of where I need to be."

Weaver is happy with the way she has been running as she prepares for the postseason.

"I feel good about it. I’ve been steady; I think I’m running well," she said.

Williams was second in the race with a time of 22:53, followed by Secules in 23:15, Tori Kingsley in 23:25, White in 23:32, Holman in 23:36 and Primrose in 23:38.

Wellsboro’s Raina Rogers was eighth in 23:58, followed by Wyalusing’s Rachel Matson in 24:15 and Wellsboro’s Mikayla Palmer-Bacon in 24:58.

Sayre 23, Athens 32

Sayre 21, Mansfield 34

Athens 22, Mansfield 35

LITCHFIELD — Records were broken on a day when the Sayre Redskins finished the year with a 7-1 record and second place in the NTL.

Mansfield’s Susan Learn won the race with a time of 19:09, breaking the course record held by Wellsboro’s Dailyn Cooney.

Sayre’s Hannah Robinson took second in 19:39, breaking the Sayre school record of 19:45 set by senior teammate Beth Walker.

Walker finished third on Tuesday with a time of 20:36, followed by Athens’ Hannah Harvey-Sampson and Ashley Whipple with times of 20:47 and 21:31 respectively.

Sayre’s Rose Velazquez was sixth in 21:43, followed by Athens’ Christina Estes in 22:24 and Sayre’s Alex Middlebrook in 22:39.

Mansfield’s Crystal Crandle was ninth in 23:11, followed by Sayre’s Christi Friedrichsen.

"Our girls ran a great team race today," Sayre coach Randy Felt said. "Hannah smashing the school record, Alex Middlebrook and Christi Freidrichsen with two key places; that was nice to see. Almost all the girls had PR’s today."

In the junior high girls’ race, Sayre beat Athens 25-31 and Mansfield 15-50, while Athens topped Mansfield 15-50.

Mansfield’s Violet Learn won the junior high race in 11:47, followed by Athens’ Kirsten Vanderpool in 11:54, Sayre’s Mollie Robinson in 12:06 and teammates Katie Hurley (12:23) and Molly O’Hara (12:39).

Canton 15, Troy 50

Canton 15, Northeast Bradford 50

Troy FF, Northeast Bradford FF

The Canton girls picked up a pair of victories, while Northeast Bradford’s Meredith Hennip got the first victory of her career in her last dual meet of her career.

"The Troy and Canton girls are very good runners, and for Meredith to pick up the win tonight was certainly exciting," Northeast Bradford coach Mike Murphy said. "That is the first time in a long time since we had the boys’ and girls’ race winner from Northeast Bradford."

Hennip won the race in 20:58, followed by Troy’s Grett Deutschle (21:15) and Amber Chamberlain (21:16). Canton’s Brittany Walker was fourth in 21:17, followed by Northeast Bradford’s Kayla Darling in 22:17.

Troy’s Becky Groover was sixth in 23:06, followed by Canton’s Shanon Abercrombie in 23:20, Troy’s Megan Yanchuk in 23:55, Northeast Bradford’s Hailey Phillips in 24:43 and Canton’s Tory Baxter in 25:01.

In the junior high race, Canton beat Northeast Bradford and Troy 15-50 each.

Troy’s Casey Norton won the race in 10:57, followed by Canton’s Gerama Bardo in 11:37. Troy’s Miranda Baldwin was third in 11:38, followed by Canton’s Desiree Wright and Emily Ambrush, both in 12:10.


		Sayre boys capture first ever NTL crown

Article Rating

Reader Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of thedailyreview.com.