Salem's Scullion top finisher at district

McDonald's Ashleigh Tondo, a junior, placed 20th and collapsed at the finish line.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BAZETTA -- Aiman Scullion took first place in 16 minutes, 46.68 seconds, leading Salem High's boys team, which had four runners in the top 10, to the Division II district cross country championship Saturday at the Trumbull County Fair Grounds.
"I took charge at around two miles," said Scullion. "I stayed behind with the pack, then went after the guy who was first, caught him and took it from there."
Salem's Paul Shivers, who won the Sim Earich Invitational, was fourth in the district run.
"We flip-flop a lot," said Shivers. "Our top four continuously exchanged places in different runs. That shows how good our top four are."
Mooney placed second with 91 points as Dan Durina (16:57.64) finished third.
Crestwood captured the girls Div. II crown with 79 points. Salem was second with 82 and Poland was third with 99.
Molly Noll, a junior, said "We were second here last year and have just as good a team this season, maybe better.
"It was a little slow out there, but that was because of the wind," said Noll. "Our goal is get to state, that would be awesome, but we'll be pleased even if we get some individuals there."
McDonald defended its Div. III boys title with 33 points. Anthony Puntel (17:33.15), Joe Copploe (17:41.8), Matt McNicholas (17:45.16) and Aaron Thornton (17:45.47) placed third, fifth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
Range runnerup
South Range finished second with 95 points in the field of 12 schools.
McDonald coach Chris Rupe said, "We graduated some good kids last year, but this group has been running strong all season and some guys have stepped up and it made it fun for us."
Copploe, a sophomore, said, "We thought we would be all right. We trained hard all week to see what we could do, so we were somewhat surprised."
Dan Nemergut of South Range defended his title as he won the 5000-meter run in 16:59.
"It was cool and I felt kind of cramped, just pushed through," said Nemergut who was a half-minute slower than last year (16:29.2).
The McDonald girls team, fourth a year ago, won the Div. III title with 61 points. Maplewood was second with 76.
Ashleigh Tondo, a junior, placed 20th and collapsed at the finish line.
She had difficulty breathing and was given oxygen and taken to Trumbull Memorial hospital.
Coach Michael Richards said Tondo was being given tests later Saturday. Doctors suspected she had a low blood sugar count but he expected Tondo to be released.
Kyrsti Sowers (20:47.68), Erin Koppel (21:26.78), Tondo (22:12.67) and Jenn Molinari (22:13) were second, fifth, 20th and 21st, respectively.
"She [Tondo] ran a gutsy race had some trouble breathing the last mile and showed character and that's why the girls rallied around her," said Richards.
Division I
CANTON -- Massillon Jackson took both the girls (60 points) and boys (76 points) titles in the district meet at Malone College.
None of the area teams earned berths but Boardman's Jake Lape (16:55.85), who finished seventh, and Rick Lape (17:11.11) who was 15th, and Austintown Fitch's Ross Lenehan (17:05.33), who was 12th, were among the top 20 individuals not on a qualifying team to make it to region.
Also earning individual spots were Canfield's Regina Bresson (20:09.38) and Lauren Esarco (20:24.14).
In the Div. III boys competition, Loudonville won with 59 points. Kyle Crimson of Lisbon, who placed 16th, was the only area athlete (19:00.26) to make it to the regional.
East Canton's girls took team laurels with 65 points. Melissa DiPanflio of Leetonia (21:01.83) finished seventh and was the only area individual to make it to region.