Fillies wrap up another Section 2-AAA title
Uniontown's Jade Bellotti finished first with a time of 19:12 in Tuesday's Section 2-AAA meet at Albert Gallatin High School.
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Lexi Kostelnik (left) and Uniontown’s Deanna Hager compete during Tuesday’s Section 2-AAA cross country meet at Albert Gallatin High School. Kostelnik finished seventh with a time of 21:35, 15 seconds ahead of Hager.
YORK RUN — Uniontown’s Jade Bellotti won the race, but the Laurel Highlands girls won the battle for the title Tuesday as the Fillies closed with two wins at Albert Gallatin for the Section 2-AAA crown.
Bellotti pushed into the lead in the second half of Albert Gallatin’s course and then lengthened her advantage to win in 19:12, 27 seconds ahead of Laurel Highlands’ Marisa Deichert.
The Fillies, though, had five runners in the top 10 to defeat the Lady Raiders (21-38), Connellsville (15-48), and Albert Gallatin (15-48). Ringgold also swept the meet, beating Connellsville (17-45), Uniontown (26-29), and Albert Gallatin (17-42). Laurel Highlands finishes the section at 8-0. The Lady Raiders close at 6-2 and Connellsville finishes with a 4-4 mark. Albert Gallatin won two section meets.
The section finale started late because of a 75-minute weather delay because of thunder and lightning. The girls race was then further delayed when one of the male runners was injured and had to be tended to on the course.
When the race finally began, Ringgold’s Kirsten McMichael, as expected, sprinted out from the gun with Deichert, Bellotti and the Fillies’ Bristyn Yanick in tow.
By the time the race coursed back to the start line, Bellotti was in the lead, trailed by Deichert, Yanick and McMichael.
“I felt ready to go,” Bellotti said of the delay. “We had barely warmed up (when the boys race was called at the start).”
As for the early pace set by McMichael and Deichert, Bellotti said, “I prefer to stick with someone. It helps me mentally.”
The Albert Gallatin course finishes with a lap around the track, something favored by Bellotti.
“I like the track finish,” said Bellotti, adding, “I beat my PR from Saturday (at the A.J. Everhart Invitational).”
McMichael held on for third place in 20:11, just five seconds ahead of Yanick.
“I assigned myself to Jade. That wasn’t going to happen,” Yanick said of her approach to the race. “I assigned myself to Uniontown’s second girl (Deanna Hager). My main concern was to keep her away from me.
“I’ve been trying to stay with Marisa as long as I can. I’m want to close that gap. She’s pulling, I’m pushing.”
Yanick added, “I try to surprise myself, and I did.”
As for effect the weather delay, Yanick said, “I just wanted to go home. The rain makes me achy.”
Skylar Bogus was the first Albert Gallatin runner to complete her home course, finishing in 11th place with a time of 22:53.
Freshman Megan Haggerty led the Lady Falcons home in 13th place with a time of 23:33. Ally Ramsey usually leads the pack for Connellsville, but wasn’t feeling well, so Haggerty picked it up in her stead.
“I look up to her,” Haggerty said of Ramsey. “You have to do this for the team. I moved into her spot (usual finish).”
The delay led to a growling stomach for Haggerty.
“I’m hungry. I had lunch at 10 (a.m.),” Haggerty said after the race. “I listened to music and did some homework.”