Dunn sticks a fork in Degnan 5K field
Matt Dunn, a 31-year-old fireman from Trappe, Md., went to the front and stayed there, winning the 16th annual Bill Degnan 5K held June 26, in a time of 17:26. Kevin Durkin from Philadelphia, Pa., was second in 17:30.
The race is held in memory of Cape teacher and track coach Bill Degnan and also honors the two scholarship winners of the Bill Degnan Faith in Human Spirit Award, which gives $500 to be used for books, laundry detergent or late-night hoagies.
There were 117 finishers in the race, many of them family and friends of Degnan, as well as several former scholarship winners.
Jamie Hill, a top-flight hurdler during her high school days and winner of the first award in 1996, showed up for the race looking like she just stepped out of high school.
"I'm wearing the felt D we all wore in 1996," Hill said. "I know Coach Degnan would be happy I stayed in shape."
Paris White and Hannah Pepper were the 2011 winners. Rebecca Pepper, Julie Jackson, Kai Maull and Kenny Reidel, all former Degnan award winners, ran in the race.
Cindy Conant won the women's overall title in a time of 19:34.
Fifteen of the top 16 runners were over 30 years of age, only busted up by 17-year-old Beau Warrington of Sussex Tech, who finished ninth in 19:16. The startling statistic either proves that distance runners mature late or that young runners don't like to run distance.
