Pictured above: Weston Medvetz (228) and Mason Staude (236), who helped Crestwood to the team title, battle with Lake-Lehman’s Ahmad Dabsheh and Dallas’ Aiden Cotter for positioning in the top 10 early in the race. (Tom Robinson Photo)
By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
MESHOPPEN – Lake-Lehman’s Nick Hockenbury, Wyoming Area’s Madelyn Keating and the Dallas girls team reiterated points they made throughout the regular season.
They showed once again that they are the best in Wyoming Valley Conference cross country, following up unbeaten regular seasons with championships Oct. 19 in the Ed Narkiewicz WVC Coaches Championship Meet at the Wyoming County Fairgrounds, site of Wednesday’s District 2 Championships.
Hockenbury finished his second straight perfect WVC season, winning every weekly cluster meet and the Narkiewicz Meet.
“I’m really proud of that,” he said.
For Keating, who missed the entire 2021 WVC season while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, it was her first Narkiewicz title.
“I felt healthy; I felt strong,” said Keating, who finished unbeaten against WVC competition this season. “This is definitely the best I’ve ever felt in a race before.”
Dallas posted a decisive victory with a team score of 48. Lake-Lehman beat out Crestwood, 83-86, for second.
“They’re a really good group,” Dallas coach Amy Rome said. “They qualified for states last season as all freshmen and sophomores and now they have another year of experience that has helped a lot.”
Crestwood, which lost once in the regular season and finished as co-champion, won the boys race, 60-78, over Lake-Lehman.
The Comets placed three in the top 10, led freshman Mason Staude. The 2021 Narkiewicz junior high champion placed fourth, one spot ahead of teammate Weston Medvetz.
Hockenbury ran out in front throughout the last mile of the race to post a 23-second victory over Wyoming Seminary’s Jack Novelli, who led for a while.
“For the most part, I just ran my race,” Hockenbury said. “I was a little surprised when I got passed at about a mile and was behind the middle part of the race, but I wasn’t really worried.
“I was confident in myself to get back into the lead and I did and ended up winning.”
Hockenbury won in 16:36.
Keating posted an eight-second victory over Dallas sophomore Madison Hedglin in 18:43.
“I felt really good,” Keating said. “I was in my zone definitely the whole time.
“I knew going into it that Madison Hedglin would be right with me and we worked off each other to run both of our best times on this course.”
Keating said she is looking forward to running with even more quality runners in the district race.
“There’s no drama in the sport,” Keating said. “It’s really nice. Everyone’s working to push each other, which is a great part about the sport.”
MORE COVERAGE
Detailed results: WVC cross country meet results – NEPA Sports Nation.
