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Mariner boys, Beacon girls win cross country quad-meet at Sandhill

Both teams undefeated; Cape rivalry meet upcoming
Sussex Academy Middle School cross country hosted a quad-meet at Sandhill Fields Oct. 25, pitting the runners of Mariner, Beacon and Selbyville middle schools against one another and the Seahawks. AARON MUSRUSH PHOTOS
Kenny Reidel
October 26, 2023

The future of Cape Region cross country was on full display at a quad-meet among Beacon, Mariner, Sussex Academy and Selbyville Oct. 24 at Sandhill Fields in Georgetown.

In perhaps the deepest meet in Cape Region history, the Mariner boys and Beacon girls asserted their dominance over talented fields.

Mariner improved to 9-0 and toppled previously unbeaten Beacon 22-37 on the strength of its deep talent and a course record from eighth-grade star Asher Woods. Mariner placed 11 runners in the top 20 overall among 77 entrants, getting a 1-3-4 showing from Woods (11:39 for 2.044 miles), Jude Bastian (11:59) and Dylan Harp (12:21). Beacon eighth-grader Nick Petito challenged the front-running Woods throughout the race but never drew even, taking second in 11:45.

Other top 15 finishers included Brandt Kuklish of Beacon (fifth, 12:24), Ben Hill of Mariner (sixth, 12:27), Beacon’s Devin Silva (seventh, 12:32), Caleb Olmsted of Mariner (eighth, 12:35), the Sussex Academy duo of Joey Bukartek (ninth, 12:37) and Benjamin Moody (10th, 12:37), Andrew Ockels of Mariner (11th, 12:39), Trizton Willey of Mariner (12th, 12;44), Beacon’s Jude Peacock (13th, 12:45), Mariner’s Joe Ruark (14th, 12:50) and Beacon’s Brady Sherman (15th, 12:52).

Despite an individual win from Mariner’s Bree Terhune (13:10), the Beacon girls glided away from the competition behind the pack of Shiloh O’Grady (second, 13:16), Erin Noonan (third, 13:19), Claudia Stazzone (fourth, 13:27) and Emily Hilton (fifth, 13:39). Beacon improved to 8-0 on the year and easily topped district rival Mariner 21-37.

Other top finishers were Sussex Academy’s Taegan Forester (sixth, 13:41), Allison Ortiz-Rivera of Mariner (seventh, 13:45), Jordan Blades of Sussex Academy (eighth, 13:57), Lindsay Hassell of Beacon (ninth, 14:03), Selbyville’s Athena Fleming-Lloyd (10th, 14:14), Garrett Cox of Sussex Academy (11th, 14:42), Mariner’s Fiona Fisher (12th, 14:48), and the Sussex Academy trio of Patricia Lara-Nieto (13th, 14:51), Natalia Gatti (14th, 14:53) and Reilly Mobilia (15th, 15:14).

All four teams will be back in action Wednesday, Nov. 1, when they take part in the 25-team DAAD Invitational at Killens Pond State Park.

 

At 11:39, Asher Woods, a Mariner eighth-grader, finished the 2.044-mile course first.
Beacon eighth-grader Nicholas Petito’s 11:45 was good enough for second place.
Jude Bastian of Mariner was the first seventh-grader and third runner to finish the race, clocking 11:59.
Mariner seventh-grader Dylan Harp’s 12:21 placed him fourth. Mariner had three of the top five finishes.
Seventh-grader Brandt Kuklish’s time of 12:24 rounded out the top five; he was the second Beacon runner to complete the race.
Mariner eighth-grader Benjamin Hill was three seconds away from finishing in the top five at 12:27.
Seventh-grader Devin Silva was one of three Beacon runners to place in the top 10. His time of 12:32 was good for seventh.
Mariner seventh-grader Caleb Olmstead’s time of 12:35 placed him eighth and gave Mariner five of the top 10 spots.
The cross country girls from Sussex Academy, Beacon, Mariner and Selbyville race across the sun-soaked Sandhill Fields and into the late-October darkness of the woods.
Mariner seventh-grader Bree Terhune takes home first place with a time of 13:10.
The first of a wave of Beacon runners, eighth-grader Shiloh O’Grady finishes second at 13:16.
Giving Beacon two of the top three finishes, eighth-grader Erin Noonan crosses third at 13:19.
Eighth-grader Claudia Stazzone finishes fourth with a time of 13:27.
Finishing in fifth and giving Beacon four of the top five finishes is sixth-grader Emily Hilton at 13:39.
Sussex Academy eighth-grader Taegen Forester’s sixth-place time of 13:41 was two seconds away from fifth.
Mariner eighth-grader Allison Ortiz-Rivera’s clocking of 13:45 placed her seventh.
Sussex Academy seventh-grader Jordan Blades finishes eighth with a time of 13:57.
Eighth-grader Lindsay Hassell crosses at 14:03 and is the fifth Beacon runner to place in the top 10.
Sussex Academy sixth-grader Garrity Cox finishes up at 14:42 for 11th place.
Mariner sixth-grader Fiona Fisher’s time of 14:48 was third on her team and 12th overall.

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