Jun 24, 2017 By The 2 min read

Ben Bumgarner situated himself just off Nate Edenfield’s shoulder through the first three laps of the inaugural Joe Thomas Mile.

Then, Bumgarner, a Penn State University recruit, passed Edenfield with about 300 meters remaining and the recent Waynesburg Central graduate didn’t relinquish the lead to break the tape in a winning time of 4:35.34.

Edenfield, a Uniontown graduate, wasn’t far behind in second place with a time of 4:35.97.

The track race was created to honor Joe Thomas, who was one of the fastest milers in the country when he was in high school, as part of the slate of activities in the Chef Joe’s Omelette Run that benefits the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children and the Uniontown cross country team.

California University of Pa.’s Neftali Jiminez was third overall with a time of 4:51.74.

Uniontown graduate Julie Friend was the first female to break the tape in a time of 4:57.82. Southmoreland senior Kaylee Farino was second in 5:29.23, with her older sister Vayda the third female finisher in 6:08.19.

Albert Gallatin graduate and Point Park runner Xavier Stephens won the 5K run with a time of 17:18. Uniontown graduate Caleb Patton trailed by six seconds in second place and Washington’s Heath Piper was third in 18:13.

The same trio that dominated the mile did so in the women’s 5K run. Friend pulled away from Kaylee Farino in the final mile to finish first in 19:29. Farino was second in 20:21, finishing 36 seconds ahead of her sister Vayda.

Sarah Donley moved into the lead of the 5K walk after the first mile and battled Jeff Davis for much of the back half of the course, but held on to win in 34:20.

Uniontown’s Mandy Fike was the second-place finisher in 36:28 and Brownsville’s Karen Fraley was third in 36:48.

Davis, of Greensburg, finished second overall for the men’s title in a time of 34:54. Connellsville’s Jim Downey was the second male and third overall in 35:54. Uniontown’s David Wirick was third male finisher in 37:05.