Schnorr repeat Woodruff winner
CONNELLSVILLE – Nearly 800 runners and walkers faced 90-degree temperatures Wednesday evening to take part in the 28th annual John Woodruff 5K race at Falcon Stadium. Wade Schnorr of Connellsville won the race for a second consecutive year, leading the field with a time of 16:44. “It felt good to defend my title,” Schnorr said. “It was a challenge today. The heat made it much harder to run than last year.”
Vanderbilt’s Shannon Kovach was a first-time winner, claiming the overall title in the women’s run. Kovach said she was little surprised to win, because she didn’t have much of a kick at the end. “The heat made it a very tough race,” she said. “I was surprised there weren’t more people with me. I was able to pace myself behind a couple of the guys. That really helped me out.”
Racing veteran Don Slusser of Monroeville won the overall walk in a time of 26:23. Slusser declined any comments only to say, “Look for me next year.”
Jamie Brooks of Connellsville won yet another Woodruff title overcoming a bloody forehead to take part in the race. “I was helping my son finish the kids fun run and walked into something,” she said. “I didn’t know I was bloody until someone told me. I wasn’t sure I was going to do the race. I warmed up and thought if I didn’t feel good I was going to drop out. Once I got going I felt great.”
The kids fun run held before the race was limited to one lap instead of two because of the heat.
Lucas Hammerle, age six, of Connellsville was the first boy and the overall winner of the run. The first girl to cross the finish line was eight-year-old Talbot Maruca of Connellsville.
Race committee members expressed thanks to the many people who made the race a success, especially the residents along the race route for providing water and misting cooling stations for the runners. Also Fayette EMS provided a cooling tent and treatment tent as a precaution because of the hot and humid conditions.
The Molinaro band once again provided the music for the spectators in attendance while the race was under way. Tony Cavalier sang the National Anthem and Rev. Dennis Rozer of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Connellsville gave the pre-race prayer.