Best for last
Uniontown’s Batovsky qualifies for state meet in final attempt
WHITE OAK — Ezra Batovsky made sure his final race in the WPIAL Class 2A Boys Cross Country Championship was his best, as the Uniontown senior broke his PR (personal record) in a time of 16:54.6 on Thursday at White Oak Park.
Batovsky finished in 12th place, which ensured qualification for the PIAA championship meet on Nov. 7 at Big Spring High School in Newville.
Batovsky was 25th at the one-mile mark in 5:10.4 and 17th after two miles in 11:02.7. He surged past five runners in the 1.1 miles.
Batovsky credited Red Raider alumni John Clacko for helping him prepare mentally for Thursday’s competition.
“My buddy, John Clacko, who is going to start coaching track and just graduated from PennWest California, told me last night to write down plans, goals and affirmations,” Batovsky said. “I didn’t quite write them down, but I thought in my head when I was falling asleep and all this morning about them.
“My plan was to get out faster than I have previously because I am really bad at getting out fast, but I did get out fast today. My goals were to make states and break 17. In terms of affirmations, I knew I could do it. I had put in the training with 1,200 miles in the last 11-12 months and I wanted it. I wanted to go sub-16 this season, but you get what you get.”
Batovsky’s journey to the state meet has been one of perseverance, as he wasn’t in the Red Raiders’ top seven as a freshman and sophomore before placing 53rd last year in the district meet with a time of 17:48.80.
“I didn’t even break 20 my sophomore season,” Batovsky said. “Last year, I was roughly 30 places off from qualifying for states. I did PR substantially from Tri-States to WPIALs last season. I had a time of 18:20 at the Tri-States and was 17:50 at WPIALs.”
Belle Vernon’s Leonidas Soto will run in the PIAA championship meet for the second-straight season after the senior placed 15th in Class 2A with a time of 17:00.4.
Uniontown placed seventh as a team in Class 2A. Junior Matthew Page was 27th in 17:25.7 prior to freshman Bridger Hug coming in 47th at 18:08.5. Senior Logan Davis (76th/18:58.5) and sophomore Patrick Foster (77th/18:59.2) rounded out the Red Raiders’ top five.
Laurel Highlands junior Noah Hudock led the Mustangs with a 34th-place finish in 17:46.3 in Class 2A. Sophomore teammates Mason Mahoney (43rd/18:02.2) and Wil Skowronski (55th/18:17.1) came in second and third for LH, who finished 10th in the team standings.
Senior Ryan Filcheck (74th/18:49.6) and freshman Carter Flinn (99th/19:40.1) closed the scoring for the Mustangs.
West Greene had a pair of state qualifiers in sophomores Joel Grimes and Kameron Hackney, who finished 12th and 35th overall. Grimes, who will be making his second appearance in the state meet, completed the course at White Oak Park in 16:52.4. Hackney, who will be making his debut in the PIAA championship meet, crossed the finish line in 18:40.6.
California’s Carter Kent was 15th overall in Class A after finishing in 17:21.9. The senior will be making his fourth appearance in the state championships.
Connellsville is the lone area squad to compete in Class 3A. Freshman Sawyer Pritts led the Falcons in 51st place with a time of 17:08.9.
Albert Gallatin senior Brock Mace placed 79th in the Class 2A race with a time of 19:01.5.
Waynesburg Central senior Will Maxwell was 44th in Class 2A after recording a time of 18:03.6.
Southmoreland’s Stephen Redmond crossed the finish line in the Class 2A in 19:52.8. The junior was 114th overall.
Brownsville senior Owen Shimshock ran his final high school cross country race in 20:45.5 in Class 2A.
Frazier freshman Blake Glumac was 50th in Class A after clocking in at 19:03.7.
Carmichaels’ Luke Donaldson, a senior, ran in the Class A race, and completed the 5K (3.1 mile) course in 22:37.8.