DELAWARE STATE MEET

Padua Girls Run To Perfect Score For 12th Straight D1 Title; Tatnall Sweeps D2 Titles

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

The Padua girls cross country know the assignment.

Saturday at the Delaware cross country state championships, the team scored a perfect 15 points en route to the program’s 12th consecutive Division 1 title under head coach Marnie Giunta.

Led by junior Anna Bockius’ first-place finish in 17:41, Padua captured the first six positions. Bockius’ victory on the 5,000-meter Killens Pond State Park course was her second straight state title and more than a minute faster than last year. 

It was a bit of a closer battle in the boys race as defending champion Salesianum held off Cape Henlopen by three points to win the Division 1 title, 56-59. The victory marked the program’s fourth straight state title.

Salesianum had three runners finish in the top 10. Individually, Cape Henlopen junior Jason Becker was the top finisher in 15:54, the only runner under 16 minutes. 

Like a year, Tatnall swept the girls and boys Division 2 titles. Senior Katie Payne led the team with a first-place finish in 17:39.6, the fastest time of the day. Tatnall placed four runners in the top five to score 32 points.

Tatnall senior Benjamin Pizarro won the Division 2 race in 15:27.7 to lead his team to a fifth-straight state title, the program's 14th in the last 15 seasons. Tatnall had five runners finish in the top 17. 

TEAM CHAMPIONS

Division I: Salesianum boys 56 points; Padua girls 15 points - RESULTS

Division II: Tatnall boys 43 points; Tatnall girls 32 points  - RESULTS