Syner, Gilleland lead Red Raiders into PIAA cross country berth
McKEESPORT 鈥� Not only did Uniontown teammates Ethan Syner and Cooper Gilleland extend their cross country seasons by a week, the Raiders squad did as well Thursday afternoon after finishing fourth in the WPIAL Class AA Cross Country Championship at White Oak Park.
Syner led the way after he finished eighth in a season-best time of 16:18.80.
鈥淚 had a mindset to keep running and stick with the next pack, and pass them,鈥� said Syner. 鈥淚 was hoping to run 16:30 or less.鈥�
Syner qualified for his first state meet.
鈥淭his is a great achievement,鈥� added Syner.
Gilleland steadily worked his way through the field to secure 15th place in 16:29.80.
鈥淚 picked off a lot of people. I had to. My plan was to run even splits and pick people off as they slowed down,鈥� said Gilleland.
Gilleland is making his third trip to Hershey and is pleased to do so with his entire team.
鈥淭his is my third trip in a row. (Qualifying) was really weighing on my mind and my team came through. I鈥檇 much rather go as a team my final year.鈥�
Laurel Highlands鈥� Matt Schwertfeger earned his third berth into the state meet after he finished 14th in Class AA in a time of 16:38.10.
鈥淚t was okay. More towards the rough side,鈥� Schwertfeger said of his race.鈥� I don鈥檛 know (why). I just didn鈥檛 run great.鈥�
There were few gaps without runners, so Schwertfeger always was running in a pack.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely easier to run with a pack. I just had a hard time running with pack,鈥� said Schwertfeger.
California sophomore Carter Kent anxiously watched the scoreboard last year before qualifying with one of the last berths in Class A.
No such drama this year with Kent placing 14th with a time of 16:48.30.
鈥淭here was a group of us I tried to stay with as long as I could. I knew we were in the top 15, so I tried to hang on as long as I could,鈥� said Kent. 鈥淭he pace felt about right, actually. I felt comfortable with the pace.
鈥淲henever I came up the hill the second time, I felt I had to go. I had lost a place and knew I had to pick it up.鈥�
Kent added, 鈥淚 picked off somebody at the end.鈥�
Kent finished what he set out to do.
鈥淢y goal was to get a medal. I knew I had a shot,鈥� said Kent.
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Leonidas Soto finished 34th in the Class AA race in 17:18.20. He missed the final qualifying berth by one spot and .60 seconds.