Running

Lake Forest Invitational now in its 55th year

Teammates Sidney Miller, left, and Ryan Thornburg run stride for stride 400 meters from the finish chute. BY DAVE FREDERICK

Tim Bamforth

September 14, 2012

Milford coach Czar Bloom runs in the open race as his team cheers him on, "C' mon, Bloom!" BY DAVE FREDERICK

Amanda Rickert of Charter heads to a first-place finish in 20:00, leading the Force to the Group A team title. BY DAVE FREDERICK

Madison MacElrevey, No. 274, is Cape's first girl in a time of 23:00. BY DAVE FREDERICK

Alexis Groce finishes second overall in 20:37. Milford placed third in team points with 94. BY DAVE FREDERICK

Jake Bamforth is the No. 3 man for the Ravens. His mom, Monique, ran in the open race. BY DAVE FREDERICK

Monique Bamforth runs in the open race. BY DAVE FREDERICK

Riley Wagner, a lacrosse girl, gives cross country a try. BY DAVE FREDERICK

Known as the season’s first big test, the Lake Forest Cross Country Invitational was held Sept. 8 at Killens Pond State Park in Felton. The meet, in its 55th year with proceeds going to Lake Forest cross country team, attracted 58 teams and 1,500 athletes from Delaware and surrounding states, and it gave the competitors a good look at who has what and who has work to do before November.

“Overall, the meet went well, other than the usual heat factor we deal with every year and a few bee stings,” said meet director Ray Parker. “For most teams, it's their first meet of the season and the first real test of how they will do against some top competition."

Local teams Cape Henlopen, Sussex Tech and Milford all took part in the meet with the Ravens and Bucs together in the A Race and the Vikings in the B Race. In the team race, the Ravens of Sussex Tech were third overall with 84 points, while the Bucs were sixth with 127 points. Cape finished sixth in the B race with 175 points.

Junior Austin MacElrevey led the Vikings with a time of 18:29, followed by sophomore Ryan Thornburg in 19:42. Junior Sidney Miller ran 19:48, followed by sophomore Amir Conley in 20:29. Senior Sean Sheehan rounded out the top five runners in 21:00.

Senior Dylan Varrato led the Ravens with a time of 17:48, followed closely by sophomore Sam Hete in 17:51. Junior Bobby Townley ran 17:58, followed by sophomore Jake Bamforth in 18:16 and junior Victor Rueda in 18:17.

Only three teams placed three runners under 18 minutes - Charter, Archmere and Sussex Tech.

Senior Henry Plalen led the Bucs with a 17:21, followed by senior James Hagen in 17:57. Junior Andrew Eshelman was next in 18:23, while senior Trevor Maloney followed in 18:27.

Senior Alexis Groce led the Milford girls with a second-place overall time of 20:37, while junior Kelsey Cabrera was next for the Milford team in sixth place with a time of 21:28, followed by teammates Amy Wilson in 22:49 and Hannah Uebele in 22:57. Milford girls were third, while Sussex Tech finished sixth and the Vikings ninth overall in the team race.

Sophomore Madison MacElrevey led Cape in a time of 23:00, followed by sophomore Keren Rams in 23:49 and freshman Grace Brokaw turned in a time of 24:18. Alyssa Mocci, a junior, was 54th in 25:25, while Riley Wagner turned in a 26:22 for her first race.

Leading the Ravens was senior Bethany Killmon in 21:31, good for seventh overall, while sophomore Natasha Taylor ran tough at 23:10. Senior Chelsea LeCates ran 23:17, followed by sophomore Meghan Davidson in 23:43.

Bamforth second at Lake Invitational

The local youth Seashore Striders team opened up also at the Lake Forest Invitational in the middle school event with a good showing of public, private and club teams taking part in the action. Eighth-grader Ben Bamforth led the Striders on the boys' side with a second-place finish in 12:49, edging a tough Bryan Perry at the line; fellow Strider Blake Hundley was eighth in 13:53. Jack Hete was 17th in 14:42, while Lohgan Kline was 29th in 16:20. First-year runner and second-grader Luke Burton was 31st in 17:05, while Jake Caldwell was 39th in 18:04.

On the girls' side of the action, Zoe Kelly led the Striders in 25th place in 17:36, followed by Elizabeth DePrince in 32nd place in a time of 18:09. Lindsay Rambo followed closely in 18:14, good for 33rd overall, while first-year runner Emma Barthelmess was 35th in 18:42. Cailey Thornburg finished 41st in 19:13 while Lainey Shockro was 47th in 21:31.

Next stop for the Striders is the Holy Cross Invitational that will be held on Saturday in Camden at Brecknock Park.

Cannonball Run

The ninth running of the Cannonball Run 5K will take place at 8:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 16, at the Lewes Historical Complex at the end of Second Street in Lewes. Custom-made cannonballs will be presented to the top three finishers in each age group, while custom-made wood runners will go to the overall champions. Runners will start on Second Street and race by the Cannonball House before running north on Pilottown Road toward the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment to the turnaround point. Striper Bites will host the post-race party.

Register race day from 7 to 8:30 a.m. at the complex for either the 5K Run & Walk or the Trenny Elliott 1-Mile walk. We will see you on the starting line!

Upcoming Races

8:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 16, 9th Cannonball 5K Run & Trenny Elliott Memorial Walk, Lewes.

9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 22, 9th Remembrance 5K Run, Federalsburg, Md.

7:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 23, 1st Bethany Beach First Responders Triathlon & Duathlon, Bethany Beach.

9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, 1st Corn to Run 5K Run & Walk, Millsboro.