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Canfield boys win ‘Legends’ team championship
By TIM CLEVELAND
BAZETTA
Saturday was a good day for the Canfield and Austintown Fitch boys and girls cross country teams.
At the Legends meet, which was held at Trumbull County Fairgrounds, Canfield’s boys won the Division I team title with 42 points and Fitch placed third with 99. On the girls’ side, Fitch was third (89 points) and Canfield finished fifth (109).
“Overall, we definitely did well,” Canfield coach Mike Yankey said. “We had a couple things that needed adjusted. It looks like we took a move in the correct direction. We got the W today, and as a team, we got a lot accomplished today.”
Canfield’s Alec Kennedy was second among individual runners, finishing in 16:33.5. Brandon Green of North was first in 16:17.0.
“I feel I ran well,” Kennedy said. “I felt like I pushed myself good enough to come through in second.”
“He had a very good race,” Yankey said. “We had a group of four that usually tends to stay together. He put about a 20-second gap on that group today, so it shows he had a really great race today.”
Among the other top finishers in the boys Division I race were Tyler Kennedy (Canfield, fifth, 16:52.0), Bryce Baker (Fitch, sixth, 16:54.6), Rollin Bresson (Canfield, eighth, 16:56.4), and Chase Kern (Canfield), 16:58.3).
“That was my best time this year, but I ran the Sim Earich last year, which is in the same place, and I got 16:02,” Baker said. “I’m coming back and getting better.”
“That time for him, I’m very happy with,” Fitch boys coach Paul Farr said. “He was dealing with some injury issues earlier in the season.”
The top local runner in the girls Division I race was Carissa Jenkins of Fitch, who finished third in 19:22.4, 6.4 seconds behind Vanessa Pasadyn of Brunswick.
“This is my PR for the season,” Jenkins said. “I think it was a rough season, so I’m glad I got my PR for the season. Compared to when I ran this as a freshman, I feel I’m stronger here. Freshman was a rookie year, so I had a little craziness on my side.”
Fitch girls coach Amy Diefenderfer said Jenkins is hitting her stride heading into the postseason.
“She did really well today,” Diefenderfer said. “She PR’d for this season, close to her all-time PR. She’s in a really good start now going into the district meet.”
In boys Division II, Maplewood (66 points) was second behind CVCA (61). Champion was fifth with 164 points. Tristan Dahmen of Maplewood was third in 16:37.0.
Bobby Johnson of McDonald was the boys Division III individual winner in 16:35.7. The Blue Devils were third as a team.
South Range’s Mollie Pierson was fourth in the Division III girls race in 19:47.3.
With the district meet back at Trumbull County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 19, Farr was asked about Fitch’s preparation for the postseason.
“We’ve got two weeks to get ready for the district, and that’s what we’re leading up to,” he said. “We kind of wanted to see if guys were going to separate themselves coming toward the end of the season.”