Setting the pace: LH无毛视频檚 Schwertfeger wins second FCCA crown
LEMONT FURNACE 无毛视频� Once Matt Schwertfeger pulled into the lead, the Laurel Highlands senior didn无毛视频檛 slow down to win his second FCCA Cross Country Championship title Thursday afternoon at Penn State Fayette.
Schwertfeger crossed the finish line in a winning time of 17:10.90. Uniontown无毛视频檚 Ethan Syner, who held the early lead, was second with a time of 17:19.
无毛视频淣o, I did not, at all,无毛视频� Schwertfeger said of Syner taking the lead. 无毛视频淚 just wanted to hang back for a mile, but he stayed out in front so I had to chase him down.
无毛视频淚t wasn无毛视频檛 super quick. It took the lead on top of the hill (around the two-mile mark.无毛视频�
Schwertfeger had a simple approach to his final county meet.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 going to race. I always want to win,无毛视频� said Schwertfeger. 无毛视频淭he top five (finishers) is what I assumed. I had no expectations on splits. I just came to win.无毛视频�
Syner said he doesn无毛视频檛 care to get up in the pack, so he pushed out into the early lead.
无毛视频淎fter taking off from the finish line, I don无毛视频檛 like being close to anyone and I was going downhill, so I just decided to go for it,无毛视频� said Syner. 无毛视频淓ventually, I knew Matt was coming. I was surprised I was able to keep the lead as long as I did and I was able to keep the pace I did.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 surprised no one caught up to me.无毛视频�
Syner was satisfied with how he ran the race.
无毛视频淚 ran a 17:19. That无毛视频檚 really good for this course,无毛视频� said Syner. 无毛视频淚 feel very accomplished with myself with such a great time and a great race with all the runners that we had.无毛视频�
The battle for third place came down to the final step of the race with Uniontown无毛视频檚 Cooper Gilleland edging Connellsville senior Jonah Lindstrom by two-tenths of a second. Gilleland无毛视频檚 furious closing sprint resulted in a finishing time of 17:29.80, just ahead of Lindstrom无毛视频檚 17:30.
无毛视频淚 wasn无毛视频檛 worried about Ethan. He无毛视频檚 my teammate. If he无毛视频檚 out in front of me, I无毛视频檒l try to keep up with him the best I can,无毛视频� said Gilleland. 无毛视频淚 was more worried about sticking with Jonah. He had a decent lead on me until College Hill.
无毛视频淚 tried to stay as close as possible. I was hoping it would come down to the finish.无毛视频�
Gilleland had an incentive for a top-three finish.
无毛视频淢y girlfriend told me she无毛视频檇 buy me Potter无毛视频檚 if I finished third,无毛视频� said a smiling GIlleland.
Lindstrom also finished fourth last year, but did so with a faster time this year.
无毛视频淚t was definitely different,无毛视频� Lindstrom said of the start. 无毛视频淓than went out harder than I expected. Matt went out reserved. (The race) did not go as I expected.无毛视频�
Lindstrom noted where he might无毛视频檝e picked up the pace.
无毛视频淎fter the second hill, I did the downhills pretty well, but you can always do them better,无毛视频� said Lindstrom, adding, 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 thankful it all happened.无毛视频�
Connellsville无毛视频檚 Jake Pritts finished fifth in 18:04.10.
Belle Vernon teammates Leonidas Soto (18:13.10) and Deydon Soto (18:30.10) were the next runners across the finish line.
Uniontown无毛视频檚 Chase King was eighth in 18:33.50.
Belle Vernon无毛视频檚 Logan Metzger, Uniontown无毛视频檚 Donte Rugola and Albert Gallatin无毛视频檚 Brock Mace battled for the last two all-county spots. Mace held a slight lead as the three turned towards the finish line, but was not able to hold off the pair.
Metzger finished ninth in 18:45.10 and Rugola was 10th in 18:45.50. Mace finished in 18:45.80.
The Red Raiders easily won the team title with 34 points.
Stephen Chapley was the top finisher for Calvary Chapel Christian School in 16th place with a time of 19:47.40. Brownsville无毛视频檚 Owen Shimshock was 23rd in 20:48.80. Geibel Catholic无毛视频檚 Kade Yoders placed 38th with a time of 25:02.20.
Matthew Page led the Uniontown JV squad to the team title with 17 points. Page无毛视频檚 winning time was 20:31.70.
Connellsville无毛视频檚 Ellic Pritts handily won the middle school race in 7:44.10 and the Falcons were the team champions with 40 points.