RUNNER'S WORLD: NEB'S KOLESAR BATTLES THROUGH HEALTH ISSUES TO LEAD PANTHERS TO NTL TITLE (2024-10-02)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
NEB’s Anaiah Kolesar was coming to the finish during their quad meet with Wyalusing, NP-Mansfield, and Sayre on Tuesday. The Panthers had packed it in behind her, and it looked like they were headed to another NTL Small School title. But as Kolesar neared the finish she slowed down, began to stagger, bent over, then fell on the ground two steps from the line.

This has been a reoccurring nightmare for Kolesar over the past two years of her running career. Fortunately she didn’t fully pass out and was able to crawl the final five feet to get across to ensure her team the win.

Still, between track and field and cross-country there’s been times that she’s passed out completely, sometimes far from the finish line. After years of going to the doctors they’ve finally found out that when Kolesar’s heart rate gets too high her windpipe closes up - it’s known as Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) - and there’s nothing they can do but try and manage her heart rate with breathing as she runs.

Since she is an EILO-3, the worst rating, things can go downhill in a hurry.

This, coupled with several runners from last year’s team not coming out, has made the 2024 season a little surreal for Kolesar.

“It’s been a lot different than I expected,” she said. 

She’s gone from being the number two to the number one runner, meaning her place carries even more value for her team. That’s one reason why she’s worked so hard to get to the finish line.

“I just do it for my team,” she said. “I do it for them because they’d do it for me.”

Finding a rhythm while breathing is important for any runner, but Kolesar’s had to change how she does this season.

“During the race it can be hard sometimes,” she said, but noted her teammates are behind her. “I always have Amelia, she’s always there to tell me that I have it, so I really appreciate it.”

It hasn’t always worked, but it’s worked enough to get them a league title. It came down to a battle with their rivals, Wyalusing, which was decided by five points.

“I just knew that I had to motivate my team to keep pushing, even though it was hard,” Kolesar said. “I’m so proud of my team because they pushed hard. We all pushed hard.”

They have the NTL Invitational coming up next week, then the big one, the District IV Championships.

“I think our team is going to really focus on motivating each other, pushing each other hard in practice,” Kolesar remarked. “Our team will be doing that, and giving all the Glory to God every single time.”

WEEK 5 RESULTS

At Wyalusing

BOYS

NEB 18, WYALUSING 44; NEB 15, SAYRE 50; NEB 19, NPM 44; WYALUSING 18, SAYRE 37; WYALUSING 25, NPM 30; NPM 18, SAYRE 37

1. Creed Dewing (N) 16:52

2. James Knefley (M) 17:10

3. Ryan Jones (N) 17:15

4. Trennan Tewksbury (W) 18:11

5. Jackson Martin (N) 18:19

6. Brody Bennett (N) 18:39

7. Russell Martin (N) 18:40

8. Tanner Herb (N) 19:04

9. Bradyn Johnson (W) 19:11

10. Brayden Miller (N) 19:13

11. Cedric Miller (M) 19:22

12. Glen VanBenthuysen (S) 19:38

13. Jack Fischer (W) 19:40

14. Parker Cunningham (W) 20:17

15. Tanner Judson (N) 20:42

16. Braden Vanloon (M) 21:08

17. Landyn Empet (M) 22:03

18. Zibiah Walton (W) 22:20

19. Isaiah Vanloon (M) 22:36

GIRLS

NEB 25, WYALUSING 30; NEB 15, NPM 40; WYALUSING 18, NPM 37

1. Megan King (W) 21:56

2. Anaiah Kolesar (N) 22:27

3. Camryn Gesford (W) 22:39

4. Amelia Kapr (N) 22:40

5. Sophie Bennett (N) 22:51

6. Kara Dughi (N) 22:58

7. Riley Porter (W) 23:04

8. Ruth Laudermilch (N) 23:19

9. Carolyn Cherwinski (M) 23:47

10. Laine Beebe (W) 23:55

11. Nora Furry (M) 24:19

12. Marci Gowin (W) 24:28

13. Kendall Holleran (M) 25:09

14. Moira Wheeler (M) 25:16

15. Alivia Lisowski (M) 26:25

16. Ireland Coats (N) 25:32

17. MacKenna Brewer (W) 28:05

18. Sophia Allis (N) 29:23

19. Isabell Kapr (N) 29:40

20. Clara Dewing (N) 29:50

JUNIOR HIGH BOYS

NEB 22, WYALUSING 35; NEB 15, SAYRE 50; NEB 15, NPM 48; WYALUSING 15, SAYRE 45; WYALUSING 15, NPM 43; NPM 24, SAYRE 30

1. Asher Kolesar (N) 10:36

2. Griffin Sheldon (W) 10:39

3. Josiah Russell (N) 10:40

4. Anthony Johnson (N) 10:44

5. Cody Tuttle (W) 10:52

JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS

WYALUSING 24, NEB 31; NEB 15, NEB 15, WYALUSING 40; WYALUSING 15, NPM 40

1. Julia Laudermilch (N) 12:14

2. Maria Beebe (W) 12:16

3. Reese Patrick (W) 13:21

4. Quinn Vanderpool (W) 13:31

5. Charlotte Martin (N) 14:14

At Westfield

GIRLS

TOWANDA 20, WELLSBORO 43; TOWANDA 15, CV 50; WELLSBORO 15, CV 50

1. Lauren Kosek (W) 21:15

2. Izzy Larson (T) 22:15

3. Natalie Yonker (C) 22:40

4. Mary-Kate Eberlin (T) 23:04

5. Kenzie Brown (T) 25:11

6. Hannah Petty (T) 26:21

7. Leila Cobb (T) 26:35

8. Angie Tavani (T) 26:55

9. Dixie Brown (T) 27:00

10. Melody Hakes (T) 27:19

11. Molly Tice (W) 27:22

12. Sophia Yoder (W) 27:39

13. Anja Przbycien (W) 27:47

14. Karah Blackwell (W) 27:49

15. Noelle Rogers (T) 29:38

BOYS

TOWANDA 19, CV 42; CV 24, WELLSBORO 33; TOWANDA 23, WELLSBORO 38

1. Max Macias (W) 18:57

2. Jack Tavani (T) 19:41

3. Hunter Simonds (C) 19:47

4. Jacob Carr (T) 19:52

5. Henry Whitney (W) 20:08

6. Hagen Jones (T) 20:18

7. Wyatt Stranger (T) 20:49

8. Jackson Frederick (T) 21:00

9. Matthew McKee (C) 21:11

10. Anthony Rifenbark (T) 21:38

11. Jaydon Stranger (T) 21:50

12. Judah Mummer (C) 21:54

13. Troy Madison (C) 22:26

14. Nathaniel Boyer (C) 23:02

15. Lane Cozby (W) 23:03

16. Carsen Kemp (C) 24:05

17. Jack Hammerton (W) 24:36

18. Ethan Geneski (W) 24:41

19. Dominick Koehler (C) 24:50

20. Shane Maghamez (T) 24:54

JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS

CV 27, TOWANDA 29

1. Maris Cobb (T) 9:01

2. Kaci Kosek (W) 9:16

3. Lainey Hackett (C) 9:23

4. Maddison Fay (C) 9:54

5. Lila Larson (T) 10:56

JUNIOR HIGH BOYS

1. Emmett Klees (T) 8:30

2. Brayden Cox (T) 8:31

3. Wyatt Jones (T) 8:48

4. Phillip Spinney (T) 8:51

5. Taitt Webster (W) 9:25

At Laporte

BOYS

ATHENS 18, SULLIVAN C. 43; CANTON 19, SULLIVAN C. 44; TROY 15, SULLIVAN C. 49; ATHENS 26, CANTON 31; TROY 22; ATHENS 37; TROY 20, CANTON 43

1. Graham Wanck (A) 17:37

2. Lawrence Halbfoerster (C) 18:16

3. Frank Harper (T) 18:53

4. Evan Geer (T) 19:00

5. RJ Bellinger (T) 19:41

6. Mason Wulff (T) 19:44

7. Ethan Hicks (A) 19:52

8. Matt Rossettie (A) 19:55

9. Lucas Loxley (T) 19:57

10. Owen Campbell (T) 20:13

11. Chase Preston (S) 20:22

12. Ben Osgood (T) 20:32

13. Hart Houseknecht (T) 20:33

14. Cooper Kellogg (T) 20:35

15. Manuel Halbfoerster (C) 20:45

16. Brody Campbell (T) 21:03

17. Jake Shores (A) 21:36

18. Simon Wile (C) 21:37

19. Landon Lake (C) 21:43

20. Nehemiah Wolcott (C) 22:01

21. Jasper Koch (T) 22:35

22. Nick Weaver (C) 22:43

23. Joshua Hess (C) 22:47

24. Carter Blasi (S) 23;02

25. Draden Keltz (T) 23:17

GIRLS

ATHENS 21, SULLIVAN C 37; ATHENS 19, TROY 44; SULLIVAN C 20, TROY 37

1. Sara Bronson (A) 21:24

2. Alyssa Parks (T) 21:29

3. Alyssa Vough (A) 22:12

4. Ava Hughes (A) 23:15

5. Zoey Reese (S) 23:57

6. Paige Jordan (S) 24:48

7. Adilyn Thibodeault (S) 24:50

8. Haile Horton (A) 27:15

9. Karolin Roelle (A) 27:43

10. Grace Ellsworth (A) 28:04

11. Emily Guare (S) 28:18

12. Marlene Roelle (A) 28:18

13. Tatyana Nassar (A) 29:21

14. Anna Mazzoleri (S) 29:58

15. Kalynn Keltz (T) 30:01

JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS

CANTON 9, ATHENS 12; TROY 20, ATHENS 39; TROY 18, CANTON 41; SULLIVAN C. 17, ATHENS 42; SULLIVAN C. 18, CANTON 41; SULLIVAN C. 25, TROY 31

1. Quinn Pennella (S) 12:21

2. Addisyn Temptin (S) 12:32

3. Christine Ward (T) 13:19

4.Annika White (T) 13:21

5. Kara Jordan (S) 13:22

JUNIOR HIGH BOYS

TROY 15, ATHENS 50; TROY 15, CANTON 50; SULLIVAN C. 15, ATHENS 50; SULLIVAN C. 15, CANTON 50; SULLIVAN C. 19, TROY 44

1. Calen Sweigart (S) 11:05

2. Kyle Kibbe (T) 12:01

3. Seth Sweigart (S) 12:59

4. Isaiah Bohensky (S) 13:35

5. Cameron Murray (S) 13:45

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PHOTO CAPTION: NEB’s Anaiah Kolesar coming to the finish line Tuesday…BY CHRIS MANNING

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