Bellotti finishes fourth in PIAA cross country finals
Jade Bellotti entered the PIAA Class AA Cross Country Championship as the WPIAL champion and the Uniontown senior exited the final meet of the season Saturday as the fourth-fastest female distance runner in the state.
Waynesburg Central senior Sean Hilverding finished sixth last year, and reprised that finish this year in Class AA in a time of 16:28. Southmoreland’s Ben Bickerton also earned a state medal in the same race by finishing 22nd in a time of 16:49.
Bellotti covered the 5K course near the Giant Center in Hershey in 19:14, 1:28 faster than last year and 2:31 quicker than as a sophomore in 2012.
Former teammates Julie Friend, the WPIAL champion in 2012, finished seventh with a time of 19:32 in the state meet as a senior in 2012 and Julie Gerber, the WPIAL runner-up in 2013, finished 12th in the PIAA meet with a time of 19:39.
“I noticed that. It was kinda crazy,” Bellotti said of her time comparison.
Bellotti wanted to set the tone early by getting out at the start.
“I went out a little fast, like I did at the WPIALs. It helped me for the rest of the race,” said Bellotti. “There’s a lot of space in the first 400 meters. After that, you get on a trail and can’t really move a lot.”
Bellotti settled in to the top 10 after the first mile, setting up for the hilly second mile.
“I got to the hills and started to race a little faster. The hills on Uniontown’s course (at Penn State Fayette) prepared me for this course,” explained Bellotti. “I moved into sixth going into the third mile.”
With such a large field, one might expect little open space throughout the 5K course. But, that was not necessarily what Bellotti experienced.
“I was not with one (particular) person for a while. It was strange, this doesn’t feel right,” said Bellotti.
Dallas junior Ally Rome finished first in 18:44, five seconds ahead of teammate Lindsey Oremus. Danville’s Mackenzie Jones was third with a time of 19:06.
“I wanted to stay up front as long as I could. I wanted to keep them (the leaders) in my sights,” said Bellotti.
As for what she learned and used from her previous two state meets, Bellotti added, “I worked on a strategy. I learned how to strategize for the race.”
Commenting on her last cross country race for the Lady Raiders, Bellotti said, “I was very happy with the way it ended.”
Lady Raiders’ senior Deanna Hager finished 120th overall with a time of 21:20.
Hilverding, who finished third in last week’s WPIAL final, was just two seconds shy of a top-5 finish and 17 seconds behind Class AA champion Dominic Hockenbury, of Lake-Lehman. Bickerton was a couple seconds away from a top-20 finish in the same race.
Laurel Highlands senior Marisa Deichert finished 36th overall in the Class AAA finals with a time of 19:27. She was just 11 seconds from earning a spot on the medals podium.
“I tried to do a conservative start in the first mile. I did not want to go out too hard,” said Deichert. “I wanted to be more conservative and then work the hills in the middle of the race.
“I felt pretty good. I powered to the finish.”
While the weather was cold and rainy in Fayette County, runners had better conditions in Hershey.
“We had no rain. It was a little bit windy, but once you got going it wasn’t bad,” said Deichert.
Deichert was happy with her final high school race.
“My time was 18 seconds faster than last year and 30 seconds faster than the PIAA Foundation race earlier this year. That’s pleasing,” said Deichert. “I tried not to get too sentimental (about being a senior). But, I’m pleased with my last school event.”
Southmoreland freshman Kaylee Farino had a top-50 finish in her state meet after finishing 41st overall in the Class AA final with a time of 20:15. Teammate Riley Beistel was 159th overall in 22:10.
Brownsville freshman Saralynn Vance placed 109th in her first Class AA championship in a time of 21:13. Teammate Kara Rohlf, a senior, was 135th with a time 21:44.
Paul Klatt was the first Uniontown boy to cross the finish line in the Class AA final in 44th overall and a time of 17:12. Klatt was 17th for team scoring.
Braden Carei was 97th overall and 48th in team scoring with a time of 17:47. The remaining top-5 finishers for Uniontown included Patrick Hager (132, 66, 18:02), Justin Hostetler (139, 72, 18:11), and Evan Klatt (171, 93, 18:35).
Vincentian Academy’s Marianne Abdalah won the girls Class A title with a time of 18:35. Central Cambria won the team title with 72 points. Shaler’s Brianna Schwartz was the Class AAA champion in 17:39 and Pennsbury won the team title with 68 points. Villa Maria won the Class A crown with 60 points.
Central Bucks East’s Jake Brophy finished first in the boys Class AAA final with a time of 15:24. North Allegeny ran away with the team title with 72 points. York Suburban won the Class AA team crown with 86 points. South Williamsport’s Griffin Molino won the Class A title in a time of 15:46. Winchester Thurston was the Class A team champion with 65 points.