Kinne Impacts New State With Paul Short Win

By Brian Towey of DyeStat

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- In moving from Neuqua Valley IL to the Pittsburgh area's North Allegheny High in July, Zach Kinne has experienced some big adjustments. After his family moved from Naperville, Ill., and the famed Neuqua Valley running program, Kinne and his father sought a high school that, among other things, could replicate the experience of a harrier coming from the Midwestern giant.

John Nepolitan Photos - High School | College/Open

"The program at Neuqua Valley was really strong with a history of running fast," Kinne said. "In my three years there we finished third once (at the state meet), second once, first once. We went to NXN two times. It's definitely a powerhouse program. Coming to North Allegheny has been pretty similar because (it's) also a strong program."

Running in the Varsity Brown boys race Saturday at Lehigh University's Paul Short Run, Kinne sparkled in his eastern Pennsylvania debut, running 15:24 to pull away from a quality field that included Salesianum DE's Michael Keehan (second, 15:31) and Loyola Blakefield MD's Camden Gilmore (third, 15:31).

"Pittsburgh is a lot hillier than Illinois," said the senior Kinne, whose brother Austin runs for Washington and Lee (Va.) College. "That's taken a little getting used to. But I'm getting stronger and pretty comfortable."

Cardinal Gibbons NC, placing two runners in the top 10 (Lowell Hensgen seventh, 15:52 and Carson Williams in 10th, 15:58), beat Salesianum 126-204 for the team title. Loyola-Blakefield was third (214 points).

Northern PA junior Marlee Starliper, coming off of an 18:12 win at the PIAA Foundation meet on the state course in Hershey, edged Loyalsock Township PA's Isabel Sagar in the Varsity Girls Brown Race, 17:58 to 18:06. Union Catholic NJ senior Jerika Lufrano was third in 18:17.

Northern Virginia's Colonial Forge VA, backed by a stellar showing from senior Mckenzi Watkins (sixth, 18:30),won the team title over Cardinal Gibbons NC, 123-154. Lake Braddock VA, led by freshman Alexandra Hague's 15th place (19:12) showing in her first varsity race, finished third with 181 points. 

"It's a process," Colonial Forge coach Harry Booth said. "The regional meet, state meet is where you have to perform. It's a confidence-builder for our girls and gives them a pretty good feeling."

Colonial Forge and Lake Braddock presented two of Old Dominion's most dominant girls programs (Blacksburg VA also won the robust Carlisle PA Invitational Saturday two hours down route I-81).

"Colonial Forge is interesting because of the way they're built," Lake Braddock VA coach Mike Mangan said. "They have three really good girls. ... They're going to be tough to beat.

"West Springfield, everyone is sleeping on them. If they have everything, they'll beat Blacksburg."

Spurred on by the team's disappointing fifth-place finish at last year's Pennsylvania state championships after Patrick Wagner collapsed near the finish, Jenkintown dominated the Boys Varsity White race (84 points). Senior Jack Miller, who finished third at state last year, resoundingly won (15:45) over Bel Air MD's Caleb Zylka (16:17) with Carter Geer in fifth (16:28).

"It was devastating when he collapsed," Miller said of Wagner, who finished fourth for Jenkintown. "He is just the most dedicated guy I've been around. Since he's been back, he's been a much better runner."

NOTES: For Lake Braddock, a September swing to Pennsylvania marked an easy trip.

"We take a major trip a year," Mangan said. "This was our trip. This was as domestic as we get. We went to (Arizona) for the Desert Twilight Classic last year. We've been to Iolani (Hawaii), Stanford, Alabama, New York.

"The travel is the main thing. The racing's not our focus. Yesterday we went out and saw waterfalls with the girls. The trip is about the trip."

Wallenpaupack PA's Tyler Wirth (eighth, 15:53 in Varsity Boys Brown), a senior in only his second cross country season, spoke about how Kinne's transfer tips the balance of power in Pennsylvania.

"Overall in the state, with the transfer of Kinne, we have that fast guy. We had Rusty (Kujdych) last year," Wirth said. "And after that it's very competitive with a lot of guys running similar times."