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Sussex Academy runners sweep quad-meet

Girls’ and boys’ cross country remain undefeated
Sussex Academy girls’ and boys’ cross country teams swept the Indian River quad-meet Sept. 27. Five runners set personal records, and Seahawks eighth-grader Paige Ballinger finished fewer than six seconds behind reigning state champion and Gatorade Player of the Year Brynn Crandell. AARON MUSHRUSH PHOTOS
Aaron R. Mushrush
September 28, 2023

Story Location:
29772 Armory Road
Dagsboro, DE 19939
United States

It’s safe to say the Sussex Academy cross country teams are off and running to start the 2023 season.

On a picturesque fall afternoon Sept. 27, in Dagsboro, the Sussex Academy teams raced against Lake Forest, Laurel, Delmar and host Indian River. 

Up first were the girls, led by eighth-grader Paige Ballinger and senior Lily Bowe, who just secured top-three finishes in their last tri-meet against Delmar and IR Sept. 20, when Ballinger finished roughly 50 seconds behind reigning state champion Brynn Crandell. Things changed Sept. 27. 

“That was really exciting! I didn’t know if I’d be able to catch her – I didn’t think so – but I did get kind of close to her, which was really exciting,” Ballinger said.

When she says close she means she was nipping at the 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year’s heels throughout the entire run.

“I did keep her in my sight most of the time. I couldn’t see her when we were going around some of the turns, other than that I saw her most of the race,” Ballinger said.

Ballinger’s 6:03 pace was just two seconds behind Crandell’s, and her overall time was 5.4 seconds off that of the decorated IR runner. The course’s final stretch was a small length of track – less than 1/16 of a mile – and Ballinger managed to be on the track at the same exact time as Crandell. Ballinger’s 18:49.1 and Bowe’s 21:30.1 combined with Mackenna Blades’ 22:39.5 and Peyton Stanislav’s 23:05.2 gave the Seahawks four of the top five finishes in the race and helped give them eight of the top 10 finishes overall.

The girls defeated Delmar, Laurel and Lake Forest 15-50 while conquering host IR 20-43.

The boys were determined to not be overshadowed by the girls' success and managed to grab four of the top five spots, including sweeping the top three. Ryan Moody, Justin Friscia and Duncan Winger finished first, second and third with times of 18:13.7, 18:18, and 18:31.4, respectively. All three paced under 6-minute miles. Harrison Dabbs finished fifth overall and was the fourth Seahawk in the top five.

Defeating Delmar 15-50, Lake Forest 18-41, Indian River 17-42 and Laurel 16-47, the boys sealed their sweep and gave both squads an undefeated day. Both teams move to 6-0 on the year and will travel north for the 21-team Salesianum Invitational Saturday, Sept. 30. The races are set to begin at 10 a.m.

Sussex Academy eighth-grader Paige Ballinger has finished second to reigning state champion Brynn Crandell in back-to-back races. Her mile pace Sept. 27 was within two seconds of Crandell’s, and her 18:49.1 overall time was within six seconds.
Running in her first race of the year, Katya Geyer was eager to begin her season. The Seahawks sophomore finished in the top 10 at eighth.
Sussex Academy senior Lily Bowe finished in third place overall at 21:30.1 for a 6:55 mile pace.
Seahawks freshman Makenna Blades’ 22:39.5 led the wave of Sussex Academy runners who finished within one minute of each other and in the top seven. Blades finished fourth overall.
Sussex Academy sophomore Peyton Stanislav’s 23:05.2 was good for fifth place overall.
Seahawks junior Brianna Sordi ran 23:21.7 to finish fifth on the team and help Sussex Academy sweep the meet.
Sussex Academy freshman Riley Moriarity, finishing with a time of 23:28.6, rounds out the four Seahawks who finished within one minute of each other.
Seahawks freshman Jaslen Brunskill finished 10th overall with a time of 24:14.3.
Sussex Academy junior Sienna Serpico is on the final half-mile of the run.
Seahawks freshman Mia Hume strides her way through the grassy meadow.
Sussex Academy freshman Camila Figueroa approaches the stretch run of the course.
Sussex Academy junior Simrah Ahmer keeps her pace going yards from the track.
Seahawks junior Regan O’Connor begins to finish up her run on the IR track.
Sussex Academy runners took the top three places in the boys’ quad-meet. Shown are (l-r) Justin Friscia, Duncan Winger and Ryan Moody. Moody fnished first in 18:13.7, Friscia second at 18:18 and Winger third at 18:31.4.
Seahawks junior Harrison Dabbs is in front of Laurel’s Landen Messick roughly halfway through the race. He maintained his lead and finished fifth overall at 19:27.1
Sussex Academy junior Josue Laurore tries to catch Lake Forest’s Kyle Surguy. While he could not, Laurore did finish in the top 10.
Seahawks senior Will Parker makes his way toward the course pond.
Sussex Academy junior Whitman Stout prepares to cross the road in the course.
Seahawks sophomore Ryan Buckler paces himself through the grass meadow.
Seahawks freshman Chase Johnson prepares to traverse the road.
Sussex Academy senior Jeffrey Holmes set a personal record of 20:55.6 during the quad-meet.
Seahawks senior Nicholas Parsons finishes his run.
Sussex Academy senior William Ducote’ is on the track and headed to the finish line.
Seahawks junior Jahmari Davis races past Indian River’s Wilson Mendoza Velasquez at the finish line.
Sussex Academy sophomore Sergio Morales Velasquez finishes up his run.
Seahawks sophomore Oliver Graves sprints the final stretch.
Sussex Academy freshman Paige Ballinger, left, and senior Lily Bowe helped secure the sweep for the Seahawks at the Sept. 27 quad-meet. Ballinger finished second and Bowe finished third overall.

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