Back in the early ’90s, the Seashore Strider Production Co. partnered with the Town of St. Michaels to host a half marathon event that started at the Wylder Hotel on Tilghman Island. Fast forward 30 years and TCR Event Management is picking up the traditional distance and course with an event of their own. With current COVID restrictions, the race had to be limited to runners and spectators with precautions taking place. Runners had to take a COVID questionnaire the day before the race and had to get their temperature taken before boarding a bus that took them to the starting line.
More than 200 runners had preregistered for this event. Seventeen out of 170 starters/finishers were from the State of Delaware. There were perfect temperatures on race day, no wind and lots of fog at the start and along the course. The course had multiple water stops with no volunteers, as runners had to grab and go to hydrate during the event. The overall winner Jeffrey Redfern from Washington, D.C., put down a time of 1:11:30, averaging 5:28 per mile, while the overall female Nina Zarina of Arlington, Va., ran 1:17:51 for a 5:57 per mile pace. Some locals and known names came in with great performances: Francisco Puac, Georgetown, 1:17:00; Martin Rodriguez, Selbyville, 1:17:16; Mike Sewell, Lewes, 1:24:59;Leah-Kate Atkinson, Newark, second overall female, 1:23:23; Colleen Tidwell, Ocean View, 2:05:53; Lisa Ruschman, Milton, 2:07:36; Carla Yngve, Rehoboth Beach, 2:13:30; and Molly Sewell, Lewes, 2:29:10.
Conference XC wrap
The fourth week came and went as the majority of the conference moved to two meets a week as we are getting closer to postseason championship time. The lead runner in the conference is Caesar Rodney senior Blaise Moyer, who threw down another outstanding race on his home course by circling the Brecknock oval three times for a time of 16:17 to win against Smyrna. The Riders grabbed the top eight positions for the 15-50 win. A similar meet at Schutte Park in Dover saw the Cape Vikings also take the top eight positions with a 15-50 win over the Senators. The Vikings were led by Ethan Edery and Ryan Baker on the way to an 18:30 win. The Panthers of Polytech easily got by Sussex Central 17-46, led by junior Kenny Guy in 16:44. Milford put seven runners in the top 10 to get by Sussex Tech 21-38, as Conor Sylvester led the Bucs in 18:39. Lake Forest hosted Sussex Academy at Killens Pond. Lake’s Deandre Snipes in 20:05 and Jeremy Salerno in 20:09 grabbed the top two spots to lead the way in a 17-38 win.
On the girls’ side, Sussex Academy remained undefeated at 4-0, getting by Lake Forest 22-37. They were led by senior Emily Trout in 21:33, good for second. Leading the way was conference leader Josie Ledford of Lake in 19:39. Cape took the top six position with an easy 15-45 win over Dover. They were led by the threesome of Katie Kuhlman, Mia Nuebling, and Arianna Adili-Khams. The Riders pack got by Smyrna 23-37. Rider Madison Crossley moved up a few positions on the top 10, as she was second in 21:11 followed closely by teammate Angelina Lione in 21:31. Polytech took the top seven over the Golden Knights of Sussex Central, led by Maddie Todd in 22:01 and Ellie Yerkes in 22:03 and a 15-50 score. The closest meet of the week was the Lady Bucs of Milford and the Ravens of Sussex Tech at Killens Pond. When the dust settled in Kent County, it was Milford coming out on top 28-29. Top eliminator Faith Mitchell won in a time of 20:34 over top Ravens runner Kaitlyn Cavallucci, who hit the line in 22:20. The difference in the meet was keeping the Bucs duo of Brianna Thompson and Kassidy Willey ahead of Tech’s No. 2 Arina Varrato. The threesome finished third, fourth and fifth and were only separated by five seconds, which turned out to be the deciding factor in the meet.
Taking a peek at the undefeated teams of the conference, the Cape Vikings on both the girls’ and boys’ side are the only team in the Northern Division without a loss at 4-0, while the Sussex Academy girls are 4-0 and the Indian River boys are 3-0 both in the Southern Division.
Henlopen Conference Top 10 List
Boys
1. Blaise Moyer, CR, 16:17
2. Kenny Guy, Poly, 16:40
3. Ryan Baker, CH, 16:42
4. Matt Gatune, Poly, 16:47
5. Jacob Bole, CR,16:55
6. David Wooten, SC, 16:58
7. Ethan Edery, CH, 17:01
8. Julian Jones, CR, 17:15
9. Ralph Nicholson, CR, 17:10
10. Julian Callaway, CH, 17:23
Girls
1. Josephine Ledford, LF, 19:15
2. Faith Mitchell, M, 19:24
3. Brynn Crandell, IR, 19:35
4. Alyssa Young, Smy, 20:11
5. Emily Trout, SA, 20:14
6. Katie Kuhlman, CH, 20:33
7. Madison Crossley, CR, 21:11
8. Angelina Lione, CR, 21:12
9. Sadie Tunnell, SA, 21:16
10. Ariana Adili-Khams, CH, 21:36.
Youth XC Wrap
The Broadkill Breeze youth running club hosted its fifth meet of the season Nov. 5 in Milton, with members of the Seashore Striders and XC Hawks also taking part. Cody Kuhlman of the Striders kicked things off with a win in the 8-and-under co-ed race, clocking 8:07 for a full mile to set a new record for the Silver Mist Run course. Teammate Addie Dean chased him home in second, running a big personal best of 8:09, while Quinn Peacock stopped the clock in 8:52 for third. In the boys’ 9-and-up division, Hunter Megonigal of XC Hawks outlasted Strider Riley Stazzone 12:09 to 12:14, tying the 3K course record in the process, while Blake Fitzgerald earned a third-place medal for the Striders by running 12:49. The girls’ 9-and-up race saw Strider Lily Noonan sprint away from Brooke Terhune of the Breeze over the final thousand meters, taking the win in a personal best of 12:32. Terhune stopped the clock in 13:02, while her sister, 9-year-old Bree Terhune, blew away her personal best to take third in 13:05.
In earlier action, Oct. 19 the Broadkill Breeze youth running club hosted the Seashore Striders for a meet at its Milton course, the second showdown between the groups in three weeks. Young Cody Kuhlman of the Striders broke the tape in the boys’ and girls’ 8-and-under mile run, covering the distance in 8:20 to finish comfortably ahead of teammate Addie Dean (8:55). In the boys’ 9-and-up 3K run, Strider eighth-grader Stephen Hart established a new course record of 12:09 to take a photo-finish win over teammate Riley Stazzone (12:10). Brady Sherman of the Striders also broke 13 minutes with ease, stopping the clock in 12:42. The girls’ 9-and-up 3K produced an exciting duel between Brooke Terhune of the Breeze and Strider standout Lily Noonan. The seventh-graders exchanged the lead several times early in a race that went out in a blazing 6:20 at the mile, but Terhune pulled ahead late and held on for an eight-second win in 12:33. Bree Terhune of the Breeze placed third in a personal best of 13:28.
