NTL CROSS-COUNTRY: TROY PACK BREAKS UP TOWANDA TO EARN TRI-MEET WIN OVER KNIGHTS, RAMS (2024-09-17)
BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports ReportTROY — After the first four runners it looked like the Towanda-Troy showdown at Mt. Pisgah was going to be a repeat of last season. The Knights took three of the first four spots, leaving little room for error for the Trojans. However, Troy took the next six positions to pack in enough red to eke out a 28-31 win over the defending NTL champions.
Both teams defeated Wyalusing, Troy 20-43, Towanda 19-42.
“This was a race that’s been circled on the calendar for a long time after last year,” said Troy coach Curtis Miller. “That’s with all due respect to Towanda, because they have an amazing program with a lot of really good runners, but I think our kids, they were prepared for this. They came out and they were ready.”
Towanda’s Jack Tavani (18:26) was the overall winner, edging out Wyalusing’s Trennan Tewksbury (18:32).
Troy’s Frank Harper (18:37) held off Towanda freshman Boom Thompson (18:39) for third, and second in the team dual meet scoring, while Towanda’s Jacob Carr (19:02) was fifth.
Then came the Troy parade, led by Evan Geer (19:25) in sixth, with freshman RJ Bellinger (19:51) in seventh. Lucas Loxley (19:57) came in eighth, Hart Houseknecht (20:11) was ninth, Mason Wulff (20:15) took 10th, and Brody Campbell (20:19) rounded out their top seven in 11th.
Towanda’s final two scorers - Wyatt Stranger (20:27) and Jackson Frederick (20:37) - were 13th and 14th.
“Frank Harper did a great job of splitting their 1-2,” Miller said. “That pack we had for Evan Geer, RJ Bellinger, Lucas Loxley, Hart Houseknecht, Mason Wulff, and Brody Campbell, and even Ben Osgood to be our eighth runner there, for all of them to come in and just stick together, that was huge for us, and that’s the reason why we got the win.”
Just like last year’s meet a handful of seconds was the difference in this one. A total of 10 seconds - the two seconds between Harper and Thompson, and the eight seconds between Campbell and Stranger - was the difference.
“Congratulations to them, they’re a great team,” Towanda coach Mike Maurer said. “You know it’s a pack team wit them. I just feel gutted for our guys, it stinks to be that close again. We we’re a little shorthanded today, but it is what it is.”
He was encouraged to see Tavani come out with the win, and to see his freshman, Thompson, finish in the top four.
“Jack did absolutely everything right,” remarked Maurer. “All those guys, they ran tough, and we’ve got to give it to Boom, we gave him a tall order today, and he went out there, and did everything he could for us. Jacob being up there, and asking everyone to step up. I’m not disappointed with the guys, I’m disappointed with the outcome, but there’s still al to of racing left to do, as well.”
For Wyalusing Jack Fisher (20:51) took 16th, Parker Cunningham (21:33) was 19th, Tyler Caplan (23:06) finished 22nd, and Zibiah Walton (25:07) was 26th.
It’s not over yet for Troy, despite them taking a celebratory dip in Stephen Foster Lake. They still have to get past Athens in two weeks in order to claim their first league title in 24 years.
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
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