Teen titans: 16-year-olds Schwertfeger, Ohler claim victory at Woodruff 5K
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Matt Schwertfeger cruises to the finish during the 41st annual John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk at Falcon Stadium in Connellsville on Wednesday evening. Schwertfeger was the overall winner of the run for the second year in a row.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Southmoreland’s Lexi Ohler rests near the finish line at Falcon Stadium after running in the 41st annual John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk on Wednesday evening. Ohler finished first in the female division. Ohler and her father, past winner Steve Ohler, became the first father-daughter duo to win the Woodruff.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Runners take off from the starting line during the 41st annual John Woodruff 5K race Wednesday evening in Connellsville.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Carl Kondrach (right) poses with racing partner Sarah Donley following Wednesday evening’s John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk in Connellsville. Kondrach won the walk for the sixth time in the past seven years while four-time champion Donley took second in the female walk division.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Jacynth Drumhiller, the head coach of Mount Carmel Christian School’s inaugural cross country team, finished first among female walkers during Wednesday evening’s John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk.
Jim Downey (far right) checks his watch as he hits the finish line inside Falcon Stadium during Wednesday evening's John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk. Downey placed third among male walkers to extend his streak of top-five finishes in the event to four.
Walkers take off from the starting line during the 41st annual John Woodruff 5K race Wednesday evening in Connellsville.
Runners hit their stride near the beginning of Wednesday night's John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk in Connellsville.
Kevin Harrison mans his traditional spot at Falcon Stadium near the finish line as the P.A. announcer for the John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk on Wednesday evening. Harrison provided his usual entertaining banter while urging on the competitors.
Competitors mingle inside Falcon Stadium in Connellsville before the start of the 41st annual John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk on Wednesday evening.
Runners jostle for position near the beginning of Wednesday night's John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk in Connellsville.
Ed Newcomer (seated) and his SERJ Timing staff work to compute results for the 41st annual John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk at Falcon Stadium in Connellsville on Wednesday evening. It's the 28th consecutive year SERJ has provided results for the event.
Brooke Burchianti (left) and her brother Colton, both of Washington, stand in front of the famous oak tree at Falcon Stadium after the two ran in the John Wookruff 5K race Wednesday evening. In addition to the gold medal Woodruff earned in the 800 run at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin he also was given a potted English oak sapling which was planted at the north end of the stadium where it still stands today.
CONNELLSVILLE — Matt Schwertfeger and Lexi Ohler were not only winners at the 41st annual John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk on Wednesday, they produced a couple of records as well.
Schwertfeger was the top overall runner for the second year in a row and Ohler was a first-time champion in the female running division.
Not bad for a pair of 16-year-old athletes. The two juniors-to be — Schwertfeger at Laurel Highlands and Ohler at Southmoreland — are the youngest winners of the Woodruff when it comes to combined age (32).
Also, Ohler and her father, Steve Ohler, became the first father-daughter duo to win the Woodruff. The elder Ohler is believed to be the first Connellsville graduate to win the race.
“My dad won this awhile ago when he was in college so I wanted to win it one time,” Lexi Ohler said with a smile.
Carl Kondrach, of Barnesville, Ohio, was the overall walk champion for the sixth time in the past seven years. The first place female walker was Jacynth Drumhiller, of Mount Pleasant.
Schwertfeger’s victory broke a string of six consecutive years of first-time winners in the male running division.
The Mustang speedster hit the finish line inside Falcon Stadium in 17:33, a bit slower than his winning time of 17:07 in 2022, although his margin of victory (28 seconds last year compared to 29 seconds this year) was similar.
Despite winning handily, the race wasn’t all smooth sailing for Schwertfeger on a hot and humid evening.
“It was difficult,” he said. “I was a little sore coming into this so that played a big factor. And, it was very hot.”
Jesse Irwin (18:02) and Austin Molinaro (18:15), both of Connellsville, finished second and third, respectively. Mitchell Minda (18:18), the 2020 winner, was fourth with Jonah Lindstrom (18:29), of Connellsville, fifth.
Schwertfeger didn’t map out a specific strategy in his attempt to repeat.
“I was just going to go out with the leaders but I ended up taking it,” he said. “I didn’t have too much of a plan.”
Although he was happy to finish first again, Schwertfeger admitted there’s nothing like that first win.
“The first time felt a lot better as an accomplishment,” he said.
Lexi Ohler, who was 16th overall, finished with a time of 20:01, six seconds ahead of second-place Julia Urban (20:07) of Mount Pleasant.
“I got fourth overall last year,” said Ohler who admitted her goal was to push to win it this year in her second attempt. “There was one girl who was kind of with me right at the start, but after that I was just by myself for most of the race.”
Or so she thought.
“I didn’t think there was anyone by me but at the end my dad was like, ‘There’s someone really close to you,’ so I kind of picked it up with whatever I had left,” Ohler said.
Rounding out the top five female runners were defending champion Amy O’Donnell (20:34), of Ebensburg, Amy Moody (20:49), of Greensburg, and 2021 winner Chloe Kalp (22:09), of Melcroft.
Schwertfeger and Ohler had differing opinions on the race route, which was altered for this year’s race due to construction around Falcon Stadium.
“The time was slow, but it’s alright … different course. I think it was harder personally,” said Schwertfeger, who was running in his third Woodruff. “The heat, and it was a little steeper.”
“I think it was better,” Ohler said. “It was like a mile and a quarter of hills and then it pretty much flattened out. I think it was faster. Last year I felt the first two whole miles were more hilly.”
Ohler assessed that she had a fairly consistent performance.
“The hills were fine,” she said. “My first two miles were about the same pace. I think they were 6:34, 6:35, and then my last mile was like 6:09, so I picked it up a little in the end.”
Ohler handled the hot and humid conditions well.
“It was kind of bad, but I’ve been running in the heat more this year to try to get used to it for cross country in August and September when it’s still hot, so it didn’t bother me too too much,” she said.
Kondrach won despite a hectic schedule of competing and work.
“This is my fourth race in five days and my ninth race in 13 days and my 60th race of the year,” said Kondrach, whose winning time was 31:58, far outdistancing second-place male finisher Rich Santella (35:21), of Derry.
“I just came back from Cleveland last night, got home about 2:30 in the morning. Then I got up at 6 (to go to work) so I had about four hours of sleep then I came straight here. I’m just running on fumes.
“Normally my walk times are in the 27s or 28s. I barely broke 32 today. That’s how hot and hilly it is. It’s a tough, challenging course. You can’t get a PR on this kind of course in these kind of conditions. You keep that in the back of your mind and you adjust your goals accordingly.”
Jim Downey (36:21) of Connellsville took third place, extending his streak of top-five finishes in the Woodruff to four. Downey was second last year, third in 2021 and fourth in 2020.
Rounding out the top five male walkers were Jason Coppula (36:24), of Pittsburgh, and Jack Crislip (36:28), of White.
Drumhiller, who was second overall, won her first walk in her second attempt with a time of 35:16. She finished second in the female division a year ago.
“It’s pretty nice,” Drumhiller said of claiming victory. “I used to be a cross country runner. but I damaged my knees a little bit when I was in college so it’s harder for me to run so I usually walk races now. I enjoy it.”
Drumhiller, a graduate of Chestnut Ridge Christian Academy in Uniontown, is still involved in cross country running.
“I actually just started coaching a cross country team last year (Mount Carmel Christian School), so a lot of my kids are here running it as well,” she said.
Drumhiller gradually worked her way to the front and held off four-time champion Sarah Donley (36:01), who was second.
“I really like to pass people on an uphill because that’s where I feel strongest,” Drumhiller said. “That’s where I passed most of the people.”
Drumhiller estimated she took over the lead about a mile into the race.
“There was a walker who came even with me (Donley) on one of the downhill stretches, but once we got off the downhill I find it easier on flat and uphill,” she said.
Tina Woodruff (36:50), the 2021 winner, finished third and was followed by Kelly Miner (38:54), of Mill Run, and Sydney Petrowski (41:06), of Lemont Furnace, who will enter her senior season as a pitcher at Washington & Jefferson.
Defending female walk champion Jamie Brooks opted to run in the race on Wednesday, as she has done several times in recent years, instead of shooting for an 18th title.
The Woodruff is run in honor of the late John Woodruff, the 1935 Connellsville graduate who won a gold medal in the 800 run at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. This year’s race also was run in honor of the late Jamie McPoyle, a Connellsville teacher who died in May of cancer. McPoyle navigated the race in a wheelchair with his support group last year.
Kevin Harrison was in his traditional spot near the finish line as the P.A. announcer for the event, adding entertaining banter as he urged the competitors on.
Winners of the prerace kids Fun Run were Camden Basinger and Ella Basinger, who are not related.
Winners of the two $1,500 John Woodruff Memorial Scholarships for 2023, previously announced, were Hailey Murray, who will attend Robert Morris where she intends to study history, and Dylan Brooks, who will attend Seton Hill where he intends to study physical therapy. This is the 35th year the scholarships have been awarded.
SERJ Racing Services, headed up by Ed Newcomer, provided the results for the 28th consecutive year.
There were 376 participants (279 runners and 97 walkers) in this year’s event, fewer than last year (450) but more than in 2021 (322).
Kondrach has lauded the Woodruff event many times in the past and this year was no different.
“I love this race,” he said. “The people are nice, the food is great, Bud Murphy’s (the preferred postrace stop for most competitors) is great, the awards are great. I love the atmosphere. You can hear the excitement. Look, everybody’s all happy.”