Setting the pace: LH鈥檚 Schwertfeger wins second FCCA crown
LEMONT FURNACE 鈥� Once Matt Schwertfeger pulled into the lead, the Laurel Highlands senior didn鈥檛 slow down to win his second FCCA Cross Country Championship title Thursday afternoon at Penn State Fayette.
Schwertfeger crossed the finish line in a winning time of 17:10.90. Uniontown鈥檚 Ethan Syner, who held the early lead, was second with a time of 17:19.
鈥淣o, I did not, at all,鈥� Schwertfeger said of Syner taking the lead. 鈥淚 just wanted to hang back for a mile, but he stayed out in front so I had to chase him down.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 super quick. It took the lead on top of the hill (around the two-mile mark.鈥�
Schwertfeger had a simple approach to his final county meet.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to race. I always want to win,鈥� said Schwertfeger. 鈥淭he top five (finishers) is what I assumed. I had no expectations on splits. I just came to win.鈥�
Syner said he doesn鈥檛 care to get up in the pack, so he pushed out into the early lead.
鈥淎fter taking off from the finish line, I don鈥檛 like being close to anyone and I was going downhill, so I just decided to go for it,鈥� said Syner. 鈥淓ventually, I knew Matt was coming. I was surprised I was able to keep the lead as long as I did and I was able to keep the pace I did.
鈥淚鈥檓 surprised no one caught up to me.鈥�
Syner was satisfied with how he ran the race.
鈥淚 ran a 17:19. That鈥檚 really good for this course,鈥� said Syner. 鈥淚 feel very accomplished with myself with such a great time and a great race with all the runners that we had.鈥�
The battle for third place came down to the final step of the race with Uniontown鈥檚 Cooper Gilleland edging Connellsville senior Jonah Lindstrom by two-tenths of a second. Gilleland鈥檚 furious closing sprint resulted in a finishing time of 17:29.80, just ahead of Lindstrom鈥檚 17:30.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 worried about Ethan. He鈥檚 my teammate. If he鈥檚 out in front of me, I鈥檒l try to keep up with him the best I can,鈥� said Gilleland. 鈥淚 was more worried about sticking with Jonah. He had a decent lead on me until College Hill.
鈥淚 tried to stay as close as possible. I was hoping it would come down to the finish.鈥�
Gilleland had an incentive for a top-three finish.
鈥淢y girlfriend told me she鈥檇 buy me Potter鈥檚 if I finished third,鈥� said a smiling GIlleland.
Lindstrom also finished fourth last year, but did so with a faster time this year.
鈥淚t was definitely different,鈥� Lindstrom said of the start. 鈥淓than went out harder than I expected. Matt went out reserved. (The race) did not go as I expected.鈥�
Lindstrom noted where he might鈥檝e picked up the pace.
鈥淎fter the second hill, I did the downhills pretty well, but you can always do them better,鈥� said Lindstrom, adding, 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful it all happened.鈥�
Connellsville鈥檚 Jake Pritts finished fifth in 18:04.10.
Belle Vernon teammates Leonidas Soto (18:13.10) and Deydon Soto (18:30.10) were the next runners across the finish line.
Uniontown鈥檚 Chase King was eighth in 18:33.50.
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Logan Metzger, Uniontown鈥檚 Donte Rugola and Albert Gallatin鈥檚 Brock Mace battled for the last two all-county spots. Mace held a slight lead as the three turned towards the finish line, but was not able to hold off the pair.
Metzger finished ninth in 18:45.10 and Rugola was 10th in 18:45.50. Mace finished in 18:45.80.
The Red Raiders easily won the team title with 34 points.
Stephen Chapley was the top finisher for Calvary Chapel Christian School in 16th place with a time of 19:47.40. Brownsville鈥檚 Owen Shimshock was 23rd in 20:48.80. Geibel Catholic鈥檚 Kade Yoders placed 38th with a time of 25:02.20.
Matthew Page led the Uniontown JV squad to the team title with 17 points. Page鈥檚 winning time was 20:31.70.
Connellsville鈥檚 Ellic Pritts handily won the middle school race in 7:44.10 and the Falcons were the team champions with 40 points.