OJR duo leads PAC at Paul Short Invite

BETHLEHEM » It qualifies as a good preliminary for the postseason meet schedule.

Back after a year’s COVID-related absence, the Paul Short Invitational assumed that same role Friday. And several local runners showed their stuff at Lehigh University’s Goodman Campus.

The highest finisher in the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s contingent was Claire Zubey. The Owen J. Roberts junior placed second in the Girls Brown race in a time of 17:57.40. On the boys’ side, Roberts’s Andrew McGonigle was fourth in the Brown race with a time of 15:24.10.

Several Phoenixville girls scored Top 10 finishes in the White race: Anna Carruthers fifth in 18:57.30, Kenzie Padilla seventh in 19:17.60 and Alyssa Cunningham ninth in 19:33.80. Teammates Griane Reed followed in 15th place (19:56.50) and Nevava Carr in 26th place (20:31.60).

Their combined efforts were sufficient to make the female Phantoms first in the Girls White team standings, their 56 points well ahead of runner-up William Penn Charter (91). Upper Perkiomen was 11th with 359.

The Methacton boys had three runners finish among the Top 20 in the Brown race: Chris McGlynn (14th, 15:41.50), Vaughn Lackman (18th, 15:47.20) and Bryan Landsberg (19th, 15:49.40).

The Phantom boys came up with a pair of Top 20 runners in the White race: Yash Agnihotri, ninth in 16;15.30; and Bryan Kerchner 16th in 16;33.80.

Other high finishers in the Girls Brown race were Pope John Paul II’s Gianna Cagliola, 15th in 18:53.20; and OJR’s Ava Taylor, 49th in 19:40.10. In Girls White, Boyertown’s Alyssa Albanese was 19th (20:07.80), Upper Perkiomen’s Maren Landis 24th (20:23.50) followed by the Hill School’s Lauren Kuppinen (38th, 20:54.80) and Mary Kate Barnhart (43rd, 20;58.50).

The Boys Brown race saw OJR’s Thomas Damiani place 15th (15:44.40) and Matt Kwiatkowski 29th (16:10.80). Boyertown’s Cameron Kratz was 18th (16:33.80) and Upper Perkiomen’s Donald Miller 40th (16:59.90).