Bedford has burst onto the area high school cross country scene this season with a strong group of freshmen runners.
The early-season success might have caught area teams by surprise, but not Bedford coach Michele Fisher.
"We've been waiting for this group,'' Fisher said Saturday morning during the Altoona Cross Country Invitational at the Logan Elementary School course. "We don't have a junior high program, so they haven't had a chance to compete the past few years except in some open races. But they've been here.''
Bedford freshmen each claimed the highest finishes by area runners with Emilee Fierro placing fifth among 149 runners in the girls field and William Kachman taking fourth in the field of 152 boys runners.
The Altoona boys' depth paid off with a first-place finish in the team race, followed by Westmont Hilltop, Somerset and Bedford. The Altoona girls were third behind Oakland Catholic and Westmont with Penn Cambria fourth and Bedford sixth.
The Bisons' success has also been somewhat surprising due to the fact that their top two girls and boys finishers on Saturday are all soccer players and basically are part-time cross country runners.
Fierro and senior Carrie Baker, who placed 13th in 21:19.62, are key members of the Bedford girls soccer team, and Kachman and freshman Zane Baker, Carrie's brother who placed ninth in 17:31.89, play for the Bedford boys soccer team.
"Soccer is my main focus,'' Fierro said, "but I love to run.''
Carrie Baker set the standard for the fall dual-sport athlete at Bedford - she was a Mirror all-star in both cross country and soccer last year - the last several years while she also fits gymnastics into her busy schedule. The Bedford soccer athletes basically just show up on Saturdays to compete in cross country.
"I try to run when I can, but I basically maintain my fitness through soccer,'' said Carrie Baker, whom Fisher labeled as the best all-around athlete at Bedford. "I have at least one practice a day and sometimes three, so I have to pick and choose. The coaches are understanding. They make it work.''
Although Bedford has enjoyed success so far this year, the team will have a tougher time advancing athletes to the PIAA Championships in 2012. The Bisons will compete in District 6 instead of District 5.
"It makes it harder because we don't get to work with the runners [who play soccer] all the time,'' Fisher said. "If we did, it would be awesome.''
St. Marys' Adair Gennocro dominated the girls race by finishing in 18 minutes, 35.55 seconds, which was nearly 1:40 better than the second-place finisher. In addition to Fierro, Northern Bedford senior Maria Snyder was seventh, Altoona junior Hayley Weaver was ninth and Tyrone's Jordon Wiser was 10th.
Snyder was in second place for two-thirds of the race before dropping back to seventh.
"I felt good,'' said Snyder, the reigning District 5 champ. "I went out with [Gennocro] for 2 miles, but didn't do as well on the third mile. I have to do more hills.''
Wellsboro's Jordan Jackson won the boys race in 16:43.08, finishing 11 seconds ahead of St. Joseph's Christian Hopple. In addition to Kachman and Zane Baker, other area runners placing in the top 10 were Chestnut Ridge senior Jimmy Farnan (sixth), Altoona sophomore Brad Foust (eighth) and Williamsburg junior Bryce England (10th).
VARSITY BOYS
Team standings: 1, A-Altoona, 67; 2, WH-Westmont Hilltop, 147; 3, S-Somerset, 154; 4, B-Bedford, 172; 5, W-Wellsboro, 180; 6, SS-Shady Side Academy, 217; 7, H-Hollidaysburg, 241; 8, DB-DuBois, 245; 9, BM-Bishop McCort, 260; 10, LV-Ligonier Valley, 273; 11, KP-Kiski Prep, 277; 12, CM-Central Mountain, 294; 13, PC-Penn Cambria, 342; 14, SJ-St. Joseph's, 348; 15, SM-St. Marys, 373; 16, WB-West Branch, 380; 17, PM-Penns Manor, 388; 18, DV-Dover, 427; 19, PL-Purchase Line, 439; 20, BA-Bellwood-Antis, 557; 21, C-Central, 585; 22, PO-Philipsburg-Osceola, 639.
Individuals: 1, Jackson, W, 16:43.08; 2, Hopple, SJ, 16:54.90; 3, Dailey, WH, 17:14.65; 4, Kachman, B, 17:15.47; 5, Cantaral, DB, 17:19.66; 6, Farnan, Chestnut Ridge, 17:28.81; 7, Hill, W, 17:30.01; 8, Foust, A, 17:31.03; 9, Baker, B, 17:31.89; 10, England, Williamsburg, 17:33.94. Other area finishers in the top 120: 11, Futrell, A, 17:35.76; 13, Sherlock, PC, 17:40.61; 14, Sherlock, Northern Bedford, 17:41.90; 15, Heasley, A, 17:42.44; 17, Williams, B, 17:49.56; 21, Nail, A, 17:57.13; 23, Slatko, PC, 18:02.19; 24, Endress, A, 18:06.04; 27, Heck, Northern Bedford, 18:11.14; 34, Sunderland, A, 18:20.49; 35, Jennings, H, 18:20.85; 42, Snyder, H, 18:36.27; 45, Kunstbeck, A, 18:40.40; 47, Everhart, Tyrone, 18:47.32; 56, Pierce, H, 19:17.98; 65, M. Long, H, 19:31.97; 66, Lewis, H, 19:32.39; 72, Monts, H, 19:43.79; 73, Karns, B, 19:44.44; S. Mills, BA, 19:48.91; 83, Harrison, B, 20:01.39; 84, Brumbaugh, C, 20:04.50; 89, Trimble, H, 20:10.77; 93, Klink, B, 20:15.58; 96, I. Mills, BA, 20:18.28; 102, Fabbri, PC, 20:32.71; 110, Brown, PC, 20:49.60; 111, Berkheimer, Bishop Guilfoyle, 20:50.64; 114, Bennett, PO, 20:55.09; 115, Pramuk, PC, 21:00.52; 116, Mehle, B, 21:01.08; 117, Farabaugh, PC, 21:09.28; 120, Hornberger, BA, 21:15.01.
VARSITY GIRLS
Team standings: 1, OC-Oakland Catholic, 57; 2, WH-Westmont Hilltop, 103; 3, A-Altoona, 118; 4, PC-Penn Cambria, 149; 5, DB-DuBois, 157; 6, B-Bedford, 196; 7, W-Wellsboro, 205; 8, S-Somerset, 219; 9, BM-Bishop McCort, 232; 10, SS-Shady Side, 255; 11, SM-St. Marys, 292; 12, H-Hollidaysburg, 304; 13, CM-Central Mountain, 332; 14, LV-Ligonier Valley, 348; 15, T-Tyrone, 386; 16, WB-West Branch, 389; 17, PM-Penns Manor, 457; 18, JV-Juniata Valley, 483; 19, PO-Philipsburg-Osceola, 524; 20, C-Central, 529; 21, BA-Bellwood-Antis, 563.
Individuals: 1, Gennocro, SM, 18:35.55; 2, Brennan, DB, 20:15.34; 3, Means, OC, 20:15.99; 4, Paynter, HC, 20:16.22; 5, Fierro, B, 20:29.83; 6, Dorian, WH, 20:38.80; 7, Snyder, Northern Bedford, 20:42.89; 8, Zeh, OC, 20:49.14; 9, Weaver, A, 20:51.20; 10, Wiser, T, 21:00.88. Other area finishers in the top 120: 12, Pensyl, A, 21:15.53; 13, Baker, B, 21:19.62; 14, Simendinger, PC, 21:22.15; 24, Pheasant, H, 21:50.68; 25, Clauto, PC, 21;54.78; 28, Diehl, B, 21:58.93; 29, Slobodnick, Bishop Guilfoyle, 21:59.68; 30, McGarry, PC, 21:59.99; 32, B. Geist, A, 22:04.47; 38, Sohmer, A, 22;18.99; 45, D. Pompa, PC, 22:34.62; 46, Port, A, 22:35.07; 49, McClain, H, 22:40.40; 52, Wilkinson, H, 22:44.84; 56, E. Roberts, PC, 22:57.24; 65, DeBernardis, A, 23:13.48; 66, S. Roberts, PC, 23:15.27; 70, Grimes, B, 23:29.16; 81, Delozier, A, 23:58.39; 82, S. Pompa, PC, 24:04.44; 84, Lance, H, 24:06.17; 85, Emery, JV, 24:06.61; 86, Taylor, BA, 24:06.78; 88, Brisbin, T, 24:15.95; 89, Gunnett, C, 24:20.82; 92, Keller, JV, 24:37.07; 98, Walk, T, 24:52.26; 99, Anders, JV, 24:53.77; 101, Cherry, C, 25:00.62; 103, Caddy, B, 25:04.49; 107, Geulich, PO, 25:21.42; 108, Harned, PO, 25:26.75; 110, McKernan, T, 25:29.01; 113, Boop, PO, 25:38.38; 115, Suomela, JV, 25:46.81; 117, Clark, C, 25:52.73; 120, Krupa, B, 26:19.51.
JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS
Area teams: 1, A-Altoona, 15; 3, H-Hollidaysburg, 100; 10, JV-Juniata Valley, 264. Area individuals in the top 25: 1, Stroh, A, 17:32.80; 2, Delozier, A, 18:13.65; 3, Uliano, A, 18:36.48; 4, Lingafelt, A, 19:03.63; 5, Miller, A, 19:13.74; 6, George, A, 19:14.49; 8, McGinnis, A, 19:41.30; 9, Edwards, A, 19:50.39; 10, McGarvey, A, 19:54.19; 11, Butler, A, 20:06.97; 13, Burket, Bedford, 20:12.31; 15, Flynn, H, 20:13.47; 17, Reffner, A, 20:21.91; 18, Riggen, H, 20:24.08; 22, Henry, A, 20:44.83.
JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS
Area teams: 3, A-Altoona, 79; 6, H-Hollidaysburg, 127. Area individuals in the top 25: 11, Keating, A, 24:20.67; 16, Imler, A, 24:55.31; 18, P. Geist, A, 25:02.67; 19, Baranik, H, 25:38.59; 20, Luciano, A, 25:51.97; 22, Gorman, H, 25:56.02; 25, Detwiler, A, 26:30.24.
