Red, White and Blue 5K at Del Tech a happening race

The fourth annual Red, White and Blue 5K was held at twilight Sept. 7 on the Del Tech Georgetown campus and saw 450 runners and walkers take to the starting line for the 6 p.m. start.

A giant American flag tied off between two Station 82 ladder trucks served as a backdrop while a Delaware State Police helicopter took off just before the starting gun.

Del Tech Stanton assistant cross country coach Mike O’Brian, a former Saint Mark’s and University of Delaware runner, was the overall winner in 16:41. Albert Norman in 17:32 was second followed by Francisco Puac in 17:45, Moiber Rivera in 17:45 and Kale Showers in 19:09.

Whitney Hora, also an assistant coach at the Stanton campus, was the overall women’s winner in 21:15. Hora was followed by Cape hockey players Meredith Lockwood in 21:30, Darby Klopp in 21:40, Melanie McCloy in 21:46, Alia Marshall in 22:57 and Carly Truitt in 23:05.

“Cape hockey would make a pretty good cross country team,”’ said Race Director Tim Bamforth. “They are so deep with a bunch of runners under 26 minutes.”

The Del Tech Stanton campus coed cross country team was established in 2013 and is coached by former Division I All-American and High Point graduate Leah Kate Lounsbury. It is the only coed team on the three campuses. Last year, the team finished second in Region XIX Division I competition.

Bobby Hutton, 53, won the male masters title in 18:57, while Kathy Kay took the female masters race in 24:52.

Gage Hall, 8, of Lewes, won the 9 and under division in 25:38, while Christian Rivera, 6, from Georgetown broke 30 minutes for the first time in 29:26.

Five-year-old Mary Carter and her mom Molli ran 24:46.

Del Tech President Mark Brainard, 58, embedded himself in the race and ran a respectable time of 25:34.