It Runs In Their Blood
Sixth Consecutive PSUAC Championship a team effort for Lady Lions
This past weekend the Penn State Scranton Lady Lions Cross Country team outpaced strong contenders to earn their 6th consecutive PSUAC Championship. With cross country races having team awards and individual medals, the ladies had to put aside their separate goals and work together as a unit in order to outscore teams like PSU Brandywine ,who was running on their home course, that could pose a threat to their continuing reign. With two very talented seniors running in their last conference race and a junior capable of placing in the top three in any given meet, it's a tough thing for a coach to ask his runners to put aside their individual objectives; but that's just what Coach Edstrom requested of his team. True to form, that's exactly what they did.
Senior's Amber Martin and Diana Kloss , and junior Breanna Toolan were instructed to ignore the likely top three individual finishers and also to give up any opportunity for the individual championship and work together in an effort to finish in front of Brandywine's number 1 runner, a contender for one of the top 7 "All conference Team" spots. And that's exactly what they did, crossing the finish line in 4th, 5th, and 6th places respectively; with Brandywine's Kelly Choi finishing 8th. Not to be out done, and wanting to be certain of the win, freshman Amanda Smith and sophomores Kassia Galliant and Brooke Reynolds finished with similar results as they crossed the line in 10th, 11th and 12th places, and all in front of Brandywine's number 3 finisher. Freshman Marissa Rowe rounded out our top 7, finishing 14th overall; giving PSWS 7 of the top 10 scoring positions and a 19 – 41 point victory (low score wins). Senior Mar Tsakonas and freshman Sandra Leeson both turned in season best times, finishing 16th and 22nd overall. Coach Edstrom also received Women's Coach of the Year, adding to his many trophies from previous years of receiving this honor.
The victory gives our Lady Lions the opportunity to represent the PSUAC at the USCAA National Championship for the 5th consecutive year. This year's National Championship will be held at the US Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY on Nov 8th and 9th.
PSUAC Awards:
Wilkes-Barre's Alex Leandri was the overall individual winner, covering the 5k course in 20:37 and setting a new course record in the process. Leandri, Haylee Burnhauser (Sch), Emily Pszeniczny (WB), Martin, Kloss, Toolan (all WS) and Alex Chimahusky (Sch) all earned PSUAC All Conference honors.
Mens Coach of the Year: Mike Pulhamus, PC
Women's Coach of the Year: Gary Edstrom, WS