SUNBURY - Mount Carmel's boys cross country team won its final tuneup before defending its District Four AA championship later this week by nipping the team it's likely going to have to beat Thursday, Lewisburg, by three points, 70-73, to win the Shikellamy Invitational Saturday.
Individually, Nate Bartos took second, Tommy Moser fourth, Ciaran Fisher 10th and David Fletcher 13th, offsetting a drop to 41st for the fifth-place Red Tornado, Brandon Sorge. Lewisburg countered with Anthony Bach (fifth), Jack Spaulding (eighth). Nick Alico (ninth), Ryan Kelleher (24th) and Lee Shaffer (27th).
"The gap isn't usually that big but our fifth guy didn't have his best day today," said Mount Carmel coach Ben McConnell. "That's really not a reason to be concerned because somehow we made up for it, and that's what we've been doing all season."
Another good sign in that regard is that Mount Carmel's sixth man, freshman Anthony Moser, was right on Sorge's heels at 42nd, and that kind of high displacing by a sixth man can offset other teams at the district meet.
Still, McConnell said finishing in the top two at the district meet will be a challenge.
"We know we're going to have to beat Lewisburg and Danville there," he said. "Towanda has one real good runner who could challenge Nate for first but most of the good Northern Tier teams are Class A this year."
Bartos is a likely favorite for the AA title because the guy who won yesterday, South Williamsport's Griffin Molino, is the defending district and state champion in Class A. Molino completely blistered the field with his winning time of 15 minutes, 51 seconds. Bartos was second at 17:07, with Mifflinburg's Quincy Amabile third (17:10) and Tommy Moser just behind (17:12).
But McConnell still wanted his top guys to challenge Molino.
"Usually, I'd tell them to let Griffin run his own race," McConnell said. "But we've run all the other good guys - Quincy, the Lewisburg and Danville guys - already, so today I said 'Let's pick it up a notch and go out with him.'
"You saw how good he is though, because he already had some distance on them at 800 meters."
Fisher (17:39) and Fletcher (17:57) backed up Bartos and Moser nicely.
"Districts is going to be a challenge," McConnell said. "It's always a battlefield, and the fact that it's do or die that day adds some pressure."
Southern Columbia's Colin Dudanowicz, a state qualifier last year, will likely feel some of that pressure. He's likely to be on the bubble as an individual finisher at Thursday's race at Bloomsburg University in Class A. He was 19th overall yesterday in 18:14 and the Tigers will face stiff competition in Class A from Northeast Bradford and some other Northern Tier teams, according to Southern coach Lanny Conner. The Tigers' Connor Houseknecht, who was 26th (18:25) could also challenge for a state berth.
Shamokin's Chris Petraskie was 40th overall in 18:59 and could have a shot in the AAA field on Thursday.
Mount Carmel's Chantelle Skavery was the top area finisher in the girls race, placing 27th in 22:09. Danville's Mackenzie Jones won in 19:41, and the Ironmen beat Lewisburg, 55-87, for the team title. Southern Columbia's Emily Eck was 46th (23:46) and Shamokin's Christina Troutman 51st (24:13).
BOYS
Top 25 plus area finishers
1. Griffin Molino, SW, 15:51; 2. Nate Bartos, MCA, 17:07; 3. Quincy Amabile, Miff, 17:10; 4. Tommy Moser, MCA, 17:12; 5. Anthony Bach, Lew, 17:17; 6. Joe Malfronte, Dan, 17:20; 7. Bryce Gavitt, Hu, 17:29; 8. Jack Spaulding, Lew, 17:29; 9. Nick Alico, Lew, 17:33; 10. Ciaran Fisher, MCA, 17:39; 11. Brody Beiler, Sel, 17:40; 12. Tyler Leeser, Mil, 17:52; 13. David Fletcher, MCA, 17:57; 14. Isaac Davis, JS, 18:02; 15. Johnny Cope, Sel, 18:04; 16. Tom Onoplick, Sull, 18:05; 17. Hunter Crawley, SW, 18:11; 18. Dallas Blickley, WR, 18:14; 19. Colin Dudanowicz, SCA, 18:14; 20. Brad Haines, Miff, 18:15; 21. Darren Werr, WR, 18:16; 22. Garrett Wolf, Sel, 18:17; 23. Zak Lewis, Mil, 18:21; 24. Ryan Kelleher, 25. Matt Leiby, Dan, 18:33; 26. Connor Houseknecht, SCA, 18:25; 40. Chris Petraskie, Sha, 18:59; 41. Brandon Sorge, MCA, 19:00; 42. Anthony Moser, MCA, 19:00; 51. Marc Boyer, SCA, 19:11; 60. Brett Katalinas, MCA, 19:24; 74. Tommy Myers, SCA, 20:08; 84. John Wilson, SCA, 20:50; 86. Isaac Wynn, SCA, 20:58; 90. Nick Kuzo, SCA, 21:18; 100. Brett Long, Sha, 22:01; 102. Draven Faus, Sha, 22:17; 106. Dante Picarelli, Sha, 22:53; 116. John Kiracufe, Sha, 25:55.
Team standings
1. Mount Carmel Area (MCA) 70. 2. Lewisburg (Lew) 73, 3. Danville (Dan) 178, 10. Southern Columbia Area (SCA) 254; 16. Shamokin 464.
GIRLS
Top 25 plus area finishers
1. Mackenzie Jones, Dan, 19:41; 2. Ashley Blair, Sel, 20:00; 3. Yoangelys Cedeno, Shik, 20:05; 4. Tori Ross, WR, 20:24; 5. Allison Graham, Lew, 20:24; 6. Kaylee Long, Mil, 20:36; 7. Jenna Farmer, Lew, 20:43; 8. Jillian Miller, Miff, 20:55; 9. Audrey MacPherson, Miff, 21:00; 10. Katelyn Maffei, Dan, 21:11; 11. Laurel Moyer, CM, 21:16; 12. Brittany Carnathan, Sel, 21:23; 13. Abby Foster, Dan, 21:24; 14. Skylar Maurar, Sel, 21:26; 15. Mackayla Plafcan, Dan, 21:27; 16. Monica Amarante, Dan, 21:31; 17. Maddy Messa, Dan, 21:40; 18. Janelle Peachy, MWm 21;43; 19. Claire Preisch, Mil, 21:43; 20. Nikki Haas, Dan, 21:44; 21. Jordan Hartman, Lew, 21:51; 22. Kristen Smith, Mil, 21:54; 23. Corinne Thomas, WR, 21:57; 24. Ruby Auman, Lew, 22:00; 25. Aliyah Mallak, CM, 22:00; 27. Chantelle Skavery, MCA, 22:09; 46. Emily Eck, SCA, 23:46; 51. Christina Troutman, Sha, 24:13; 60. Sam Romania, SCA, 24:56; 74. Jen Bolick, MCA, 25:42; 75. Megan Kearney, SCA, 25:43; 80. Amara Nazario, SCA, 26:12; 84. Victoria Ring, SCA, 27:01; 86. Jacqualin Lyden, MCA, 27:29; 91. Peyton Doyle, MCA< 28:46; 93. Vanessa Klemas, MCA, 29:29; 96. Hayley Okronglis, MCA, 32:08.
Team standings
1. Danville (Dan) 55, 2. Lewisburg (Lew) 87, 3. Central Mountain (CM) 126, 11. Southern Columbia Area (SCA) 345, 12. Mount Carmel Area (MCA) 371.