Seashore Striders qualify runners for National Championships

The Seashore Striders traveled to the Cross Country Coaches Eastern Regional Championships Nov. 3 with nearly 30 local runners.  

Leading off the meet in the 6-8 girls’ primary division was 8-year-old Ainsley Fitzgerald, finishing 14th in 10:49 for the 2K course, while 8-year-old Anna Louden was 15th in 10:58. Addie Dean, just 6 years old and the youngest Strider, was 16th in 11:03.

In the 6-8 boys’ primary division, 8-year-old Brady Sherman led the way with a fifth-place finish in 8:52, while 7-year-old Finley Sherman finished 10th in 9:48. Jude Peacock, 8, finished 13th in 10:07, while Grant Sherman, 7, was 15th in 10:15. Nolan Furlong, 6, was 16th in 10:17, and 8-year-old Cody Kuhlman was 17th in 10:46. Finn Louden, 6, finished 26th in 14:55 to round out the Striders, who won the team division with 22 points over Central Bucks YMCA with 36 points.

In the 9-10 Bantam girls’ division, 9-year-old Allison Ortiz-Rivera finished fourth in a time of 14:05 for the 3K course, followed closely by teammate Shiloh O’Grady, 10, in fifth place with a 14:06. Mia Thompson, 9, finished ninth in 14:28, while Emmi Swope, 9, was 10th in 14:38. Erin Noonan, 9, finished 12th in 14:50 to give the Striders a tough 45-second top five gap. Liza Williams, 9, finished 13th in 15:15, while Gretchen Maughan, 9, was 16th in 15:38. Claudia Stazzone finished 20th in 16:35 to round out the team. The Striders won the team title with 26 points over the Nittney Track Club and the Dashers.

In the 9-10 Bantam boys’ division, 10-year-old Jack Louden was 13th in 14:11, while 9-year-old Joel Denham was 19th in 14:37.

Lily Noonan, 12, finished 14th in 13:28 in the 11-12 midget girls’ division for the Striders.

In the 11-12 boys’ midget division, it was 11-year-old Blake Fitzgerald leading the purple and gold with a ninth-place finish in 12:17, while 12-year-old Bennett Brumbley was 16th in 12:50 on the 3K course.

In the 13-14 boys’ youth division, 14-year-old Alexander Arnold led the way in eighth place with a time of 15:30 for the 4K course, while Mason Morrone was 25th in 17:13. Brayden Trout was 26th in 17:30, while Stephen Hart was 30th in 19:06.

In the 5K Open Division, the Striders’ Mike Marciano led the way in fifth place in a time of 20:37, while Olivia Montini, 16, was eighth overall in 21:31. Paul Montini finished 15th in 23:26, while Shelly Murray was 19th in 27:51.

The top 20 finishers in each race and the top three teams qualify for the National Championships to be held Saturday, Nov. 23, in Shelbyville, Ind. The Striders, when the high school team runners are added, will be taking 45 athletes and a total party of more than 100 people to the National Championships.

MAL 5K

Join us Saturday, Nov. 16, for the second annual Run for the Arts 5K at 10 a.m. from the park next to the Arena’s parking lot in Milford. Colored posts and arrows mark the scenic and challenging 5K course through Milford’s beautiful Riverwalk. Part of the course is a wooded path on nearby Goat Island. Preregistration is $25 through Nov. 9 and post-registration is $30. Organizers will have an early pickup Friday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mispillion Art League, 5 N. Walnut St., and from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Park Place Restaurant, 5 N. Washington St. The award ceremony and post-race party will be held at Park Place Restaurant.

Prader-Willi Syndrome 5K

This inaugural event will be held at 9 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 17, from Irish Eyes in Milton and will offer runners a long-sleeved T-shirt, a challenging course, and awards to the overall, masters and top three finishers in age groups. Irish Eyes will host the post-race celebration as we run and walk for this worthy cause. Prader-Willi Syndrome is a complex genetic disorder affecting appetite, growth, metabolism, cognitive function and behavior. For more information about Prader-Willi Syndrome, go to www.seashorestriders.com. Race-day registration will begin at 8 a.m. at Irish Eyes.