DALLAS TWP. – The Wyoming Area cross country program is on an upswing that has the Warriors thinking about contending on the varsity level this season, particularly with the boys team.
The program’s future prospects got a lift on the girls side Aug. 31 when the 45th annual Cliff Robbins Invitational opened the season on the junior high and varsity levels.
Wyoming Area seventh-grader Ella McKernan made her scholastic debut in the sport by leading a field of 150 runners in the opening race and claiming the junior high girls title with a time of 12:43 on the 1.8-mile course at Letterkenny Field.
McKernan is the latest athlete in the school district to test herself in two sports during the same season.
“It’s fantastic,” said varsity head coach Kristen Lombardo, who gets to see McKernan’s potential during the occasions when the teams work together at practice. “She hadn’t done much running prior to that.
“Soccer is actually her main sport, but we got her to come out. That was one of her first big races and she crushed it.”
Jules Gonzales, another Wyoming Area seventh-grade girl, was 15th. Pittston Area eighth-grader Molly Fetchko was just one place and one second behind Gonzales.
Those were only three of the medal-winning performances by Greater Pittston runners in the prestigious event that annually gets the season started for teams from the Wyoming Valley and beyond.
The top 25 in each race received medals.
Michael Branley from Wyoming Area continued to show great strides from this point a year ago.
Branley was sixth out of 206 varsity boys, finishing the 3.1-mile course in 17:58. He finished 43 places better and 1:38 faster than at the same meet last year.
“I think Michael went into this year knowing what he was capable of,” Lombardo said. “We went into Cliff as a starter for that. Top 10 was the goal.
“It was definitely a good start for us.”
Jacob Katulka also medaled for Wyoming Area, placing 22nd.
Teammate Kyle Emsley was 31st.
Nathan Ridgely led Pittston Area with a 39th-place finish.
Wyoming Area and Pittston Area each had one varsity girl earn medals.
Aubriana Marranca from Wyoming Area was ninth in 22:00. Nicole Zambetti from Pittston Area was 11th in 22:08.
Wyoming Area’s Olivia Kwiatkowski was in medal contention before settling for 27th place in the 118-runner field.
Pittston Area eighth-grader Preston Klem finished fourth out of 172 entries in the junior high boys race with a time of 11:30.
Wyoming Area’s Roger Orlandini, another eighth-grader, was 17th.
