Quarzo repeats as county champion
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Brownsville’s Gionna Quarzo runs all by herself through the middle part of Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus in Thursday’s FCCA Cross Country Championships. Quarzo repeated as county champion in a winning time of 20:38.26.
Belle Vernon's Grace Henderson sneaks a peek as she looks to make a turn on the course at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus during Thursday's FCCA Cross Country Championships.
Belle Vernon teammates Hannah Seitzinger (left) and Grace Henderson lead Uniontown's Madison Bertovich and the rest of the field through the early stages of the FCCA Cross Country Championships Thursday at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Brownsville's Sara Vance (left) and Gionna Quarzo lead the the field through the first ¼-mile of the course at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus in Thursday's FCCA Cross Country Championships.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Connellsville’s Shelby Basinger earned her first all-county honors Thursday after she finished ninth in the FCCA Cross Country Championships at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Gionna Quarzo is halfway to matching a county record held by only one other girl after winning her second cross country crown.
The Brownsville sophomore successfully defended her FCCA Cross Country Championship title Thursday at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus in a time of 20:38.26.
Quarzo is chasing the mark held by former Laurel Highlands standout Jennifer Adamovich. Adamovich is the lone girl to win four county cross country titles.
As expected, once Quarzo gained control of the race on Uniontown’s home course, she was not about to relinquish the lead.
“I just came out and ran,” said Quarzo. “We are running in the Slippery Rock Invitational Saturday (on the WPIAL course) and I wanted to get in a good tempo run.”
Teammate Sara Vance was the next runner to cross the finish line in a time of 21:09.84.
“I know Sara was going to be close to me. She’d be able to stay up,” said Quarzo.
The Lady Falcons also retained the team title with 25 points as Quarzo, Sara Vance, Jessica Vance (4, 22:21.47), Hannah DeWitt (8, 23:48.17), and Ashton Reposky (10, 24:08.05) all earned all-county honors.
“This was a team-binding race. I wanted them to do good, too, and they did,” said Quarzo. “It means a lot (to win the team title). We practice really hard. I wanted them to do just as good as me.”
Belle Vernon freshman Grace Henderson broke up the Brownsville string by placing third with a time of 22:00.58.
“I just wanted to go out and do my best,” said Henderson. “I wanted to stay with Brownsville’s best runners and see what I could do.
“The pace was fast. I forced myself to think happy thoughts, especially on those hills.”
Henderson added, “I was just trying to beat last week’s time. I am trying to improve every week.”
Uniontown senior Madison Bertovich earned her fourth all-county honor after she placed fifth in a time of 22:32.91.
“We all knew they go out strong,” Bertovich said of Quarzo and the Vance twins. “I just stayed positive. I wanted to keep them in my sights, within 200 meters at the furthest.”
Connellsville freshman Shelby Basinger won the junior high race last year and earned all-county honors again in her first varsity championship by finishing ninth with a time of 23:54.07.
“I’m happy with placing in the top 10. Finishing in the top 10 was my goal,” said a smiling Basinger, adding, “I don’t want people to pass me. I passed them back up.”
Belle Vernon’s Hannah Seitzinger (6, 22:41.89) and Uniontown’s Megan Kaplan (7, 23:25.44) also earned all-county honors.