Three events are on the schedule this weekend, as the fourth Lace Up For Ag Literacy 5K Run/Walk will take place on the farm at Hopkins Creamery beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 19. A healthy kids’ run will kick off the event at 8:50 a.m. The 21st Mariners Bethel Trail Run will begin from Camp Barnes in Frankford at 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 20. The runners have a choice of a 5K or a 10K, while the walkers can select a one-, two- or three-mile walk. There will also be a kiddie run. The event is well known for having one of the best post-race spreads of homemade food on the road race circuit. Also Sunday beginning at 3:30 p.m. from Baywood Greens golf course is the 12th Easterseals Walk With Me & 5K Run Delmarva. The events are spaced out far enough for runners to get from Camp Barnes to Long Neck in plenty of time. Three cool races with three nice benefits from which to choose. Anyone challenging themselves to do all three?
Joe O’Neill Invitational
The popular Joe O’Neill Invitational will host 42 teams this year Friday, Oct. 18, at Killens Pond State Park in Felton. The meet has traditionally been at Bellevue State Park in Wilmington, but it was moved due to park construction. Killens Pond will also host the Henlopen Conference Championships Saturday, Nov. 2, and the Delaware State Championships Saturday, Nov. 7, so having the Joe O’Neill at Killens makes sense to me. Teams competing from the downstate Delaware area include Cape Henlopen, Indian River, Laurel, Sussex Academy and Sussex Tech.
Middle school wrap
Fred Thomas traveled to two away meets this week, facing Georgetown and Sussex Academy in cross country action. The boys’ team continued its winning streak with a 15-50 victory over Georgetown Oct. 14. The team was led by Jude Peacock, who won with a time of 11:24. Devan Silva was second, Jack Hudson finished third, Ryder Usznyski was fourth and Joey Jordan finished sixth overall.
The girls made it two wins in a row with a 19-36 victory over Georgetown. The team was led again by Abby Bryson with a winning time of 13:55. Fine performances were also put in by Tenley Hazzard in second, Lexi Bryson in third and Amelia DiPaolo in fifth place.
Fred Thomas Middle teams then traveled Route 9 west Oct. 16, to take on Sussex Academy at Sandhill Fields. When the dust settled, it was the Fred Thomas boys over the Seahawks by a score of 23-36. The Fred Thomas boys’ team improved its record to 6-0 and was led by Jude Peacock with a time of 11:37. Fine performances also came from Jack Hudson in third, Devin Silva in fourth and Ryder Uszenki in seventh. The girls improved to 3-3 and were led by Abby Bryson in second place, Lexi Bryson in third and Amelia DiPaolo finishing an important fourth overall.
Beacon and Mariner traveled to Woodbridge and each took care of the Raiders by identical scores of 15-50 on the boys’ side. The Mariner girls topped Woodbridge 17-46, but the Beacon girls’ team did not compete. Dylan Harp was first across the line in a time of 12:01 for a new course record, while Brandt Kuklish from Beacon was second in 12:32. Andrew Ockels of Mariner rounded out the top three in 13:14. Mariner’s Bree Terhune ran 13:04 to set a course record with a three-second win over Beacon’s Emily Hilton, who was second in 13:07. Addison Farrell from Beacon was third in 14:38.
Peacock breaks record … again
Eighth-grader Jude Peacock, the top runner for the new Fred Thomas boys’ XC team, set another course and school record Oct. 10 at Cape by racing through the 3K course in a time of 10:26. Peacock first set the Cape course record of 10:38, lowering the previous record set last year by Nick Petito of 10:51. This time around, Peacock had some company, as Mariner’s talented Dylan Harp set the pace and ran his best race of the year. Late in the race, at the 2K mark, Harp had five seconds on Peacock, and as the twosome entered the stadium, Harp’s lead had shrunk to just two seconds. Harp could not get away from Peacock, and with 150 meters to go, both talented athletes started to kick, with Peacock hitting the line to a cheering crowd in 10:26.6. Harp was second in 10:27.3.
“That was one of the best middle school races I have ever watched in the last 40 years,” said an excited Rob Perciful.
I agreed. It was the closest finish I have witnessed in a middle school race in the last 30 years. The good news is that Peacock and Harp will be two of the top runners in the upcoming DAAD Middle School Championships Wednesday, Oct. 30, at Killens Pond. Even better news is that both runners will filter into the Cape Henlopen cross country program.
