BY JEFF FALK
Daniel Neiswender never looked over his shoulder to see who was behind him. He knew his teammates had his back.
On a sunny Tuesday afternoon at Ephrata Middle School’s 3.1-mile course, Neiswender’s individual title paced the Cedar Crest boys’ cross country team to the team championship at the Lancaster-Lebanon League Meet. Neiswender’s winning time of 16:27 represented his second fastest ever.
Cedar Crest’s team score of 54 points was well ahead of runner-up Hempfield’s 94. The performance placed an exclamation point upon a regular season in which the Falcons went 21-0 in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
“Actually, I like staying in the back of the lead pack,” said Neiswender. “Today, no one wanted to take the pace I like. I don’t like to lead the first half of the race. I’d rather have people around me, but I got to do what I wanted to do at the end.”
Neiswender received phenomenal support from his senior classmates and teammates. Willie Bragg, who edged Neiswender to win the individual title at the Lebanon County Championships, came in fifth with a time of 16:50, fellow senior Jarrod Cruise was eighth in a time of 16:59, while a fourth CC 12th-grader, Chad Bomgardner took 14th with a 17:14.
The Falcons’ fifth counter was junior Jordan Cruise.
“This was a humongous goal,” said Neiswender, who finished first in every league meet this fall. “It was really, really nerve-racking coming in because historically I hadn’t done well in this event. I never medaled in this event in the last three years.”
Cedar Crest will meet its next challenge at the District Three Class AAA Championships, at Hershey’s Parkview Course, on Wednesday at 12:45 p.m..
“Even though I did go undefeated this season I had guys with me every single race,” said Neiswender. “They were right there pushing me.
“It’s awesome,” added Neiswender. “I love having my teammates right there. It gives me confidence. I train with those guys so I know it’s right where I need to be.”
LANCASTER-LEBANON LEAGUE
Cross Country Championships
(at Ephrata Middle School)
PLACE TEAM POINTS PLACES OF FINISHERS AVG. TIME SPREAD 1 Cedar Crest 54 1 5 8 14 26 28 37 17:01 1:06 2 Hempfield 94 6 16 18 22 32 59 61 17:20 0:55 3 J P. McCaskey 127 3 7 12 50 55 57 88 17:29 1:34 4 Garden Spot 192 11 25 40 51 65 83 100 17:51 1:20 5 Penn Manor 202 13 19 35 63 72 73 87 17:54 1:31 6 Warwick 210 2 36 45 47 80 103 109 17:55 2:06 7 Manheim Central 211 23 30 31 48 79 121 123 17:59 1:17 8 Solanco 226 9 15 34 46 122 135 138 18:02 2:55 9 Manheim Township 235 4 10 69 71 81 91 97 18:00 2:02 10 Lancaster Mennonite 237 24 41 44 62 66 82 90 18:06 0:59 11 Annville-Cleona 278 27 33 56 76 86 92 104 18:17 1:24 12 Elizabethtown 290 17 52 60 67 94 108 139 18:20 1:52 13 Ephrata 377 38 54 84 99 102 124 130 18:43 1:21 14 Donegal 407 49 68 77 101 112 115 132 18:53 1:21 15 Lebanon 413 53 58 78 105 119 120 127 18:56 1:39 16 Lancaster Catholic 419 43 74 85 106 111 126 136 18:54 1:25 17 Lampeter-Strasburg 422 42 64 89 113 114 118 125 18:55 1:35 18 Conestoga Valley 437 20 96 98 107 116 131 137 18:59 2:17 19 Cocalico 467 70 75 95 110 117 129 141 19:08 1:08 20 Eastern Lebanon Co. 470 21 39 128 140 142 19:35 3:50 21 Northern Lebanon 542 29 93 133 143 144 147 149 20:05 3:49 22 Columbia 723 134 145 146 148 150 22:32 4:34 Dual Meet Scores Cedar Crest 21 wins J P. McCaskey 20 wins Hempfield 19 wins Garden Spot 17 wins Solanco 17 wins Penn Manor 16 wins Manheim Central 15 wins Warwick 14 wins Manheim Township 13 wins Lancaster Mennonite 13 wins Annville-Cleona 11 wins Elizabethtown 10 wins Ephrata 9 wins Donegal 8 wins Lancaster Catholic 6 wins Lampeter-Strasburg 6 wins Lebanon 6 wins Cocalico 4 wins Conestoga Valley 3 wins Eastern Lebanon Co. 2 wins Northern Lebanon 1 wins Columbia 0 wins Individuals ID# PLACE FINISHER TIME PACE 1. Cedar Crest 5 1 Daniel Neiswender, Sr 16:27 5:18 2 5 Willy Bragg, Sr 16:50 5:26 3 8 Jarrod Cruise, Sr 16:59 5:29 1 14 Chad Bomgardner, Sr 17:14 5:33 7 26 Jordan Cruise, Jr 17:33 5:39 9 28 Matthew Royer, So 17:40 5:42 4 37 Zach Miller, Sr 17:53 5:46 Total Time = 1:25:03 Total Places = 54 2. Hempfield 141 6 Duncan Brady, Jr 16:50 5:26 146 16 Justin Yurchak, So 17:15 5:34 140 18 Tommy Athey, Sr 17:22 5:36 148 22 Nick Norton, Fr 17:28 5:38 143 32 Harrison Kline, Jr 17:45 5:43 144 59 Christian Schmitt, Jr 18:22 5:55 145 61 Joey White, So 18:22 5:55 Total Time = 1:26:40 Total Places = 94 3. J P. McCaskey 162 3 Xavier Guttierrez, Jr 16:46 5:24 163 7 Duncan Hopkins, Jr 16:54 5:27 166 12 Nathan Henderson, Fr 17:07 5:31 159 50 Luke Harnish, Sr 18:15 5:53 164 55 Anthany Perez, Jr 18:19 5:54 160 57 Aidan Hickey, Sr 18:21 5:55 161 88 Clay Verkouw, Sr 18:57 6:07 Total Time = 1:27:21 Total Places = 127 4. Garden Spot 128 11 Sam Mancuso, So 17:06 5:31 124 25 Ben Martin, Sr 17:32 5:39 127 40 Austin Smith, Jr 17:55 5:47 125 51 Donovan McConnell, Sr 18:15 5:53 126 65 Nathan Phillips, Jr 18:25 5:56 129 83 Michael Martin, So 18:52 6:05 131 100 Brad Shirk, So 19:13 6:12 Total Time = 1:29:13 Total Places = 192 5. Penn Manor 284 13 Joel Burkholder, So 17:10 5:32 280 19 Austin Stetler, Sr 17:23 5:36 281 35 Joshua Bye, Jr 17:52 5:46 286 63 Malachi Lyon, Fr 18:25 5:56 279 72 Starrett Metzler, Sr 18:40 6:01 285 73 Doug Kramer, Fr 18:41 6:01 282 87 Bennett Manning, Jr 18:57 6:07 Total Time = 1:29:30 Total Places = 202 6. Warwick 317 2 Michael Urban, Sr 16:42 5:23 320 36 Will Howland, Jr 17:52 5:46 315 45 Jordan Garner, Sr 18:04 5:50 322 47 Matt Polonus, So 18:07 5:50 321 80 James Latanishen, So 18:48 6:04 318 103 Ryan Williams, Sr 19:17 6:13 316 109 Banner Samuelson, Sr 19:24 6:15 Total Time = 1:29:33 Total Places = 210 7. Manheim Central 233 23 Kyle Kegarise, Sr 17:30 5:38 239 30 Cole Sunderland, Fr 17:42 5:43 235 31 Nate Lachman, Jr 17:44 5:43 234 48 David Dise, Jr 18:09 5:51 237 79 Galen Fitzkee, Fr 18:46 6:03 236 121 Nathan Boyer, Fr 19:55 6:25 240 123 Caleb Weaver, Fr 20:05 6:29 Total Time = 1:29:51 Total Places = 211 8. Solanco 297 9 Noah Brady, Jr 17:01 5:29 301 15 Liam Hodgson, So 17:15 5:34 298 34 Matt Curran, Jr 17:51 5:45 299 46 Kyle Munro, Jr 18:04 5:50 296 122 Connor Brown, Sr 19:55 6:25 304 135 Connor Neaves, Fr 20:41 6:40 300 138 Scott Tice, Jr 20:51 6:43 Total Time = 1:30:06 Total Places = 226 9. Manheim Township 256 4 Brian Delany, So 16:48 5:25 250 10 Ethan Hummel, Sr 17:05 5:31 252 69 Bennett Mertz, Sr 18:36 6:00 254 71 Andrew Magro, Jr 18:39 6:01 249 81 Brian Ball, Sr 18:50 6:04 251 91 Luke Mallie, Sr 19:01 6:08 255 97 John Schultz, Jr 19:11 6:11 Total Time = 1:29:58 Total Places = 235 10. Lancaster Mennonite 211 24 Jesse Schatz, Sr 17:32 5:39 214 41 Dan Zook, Sr 17:56 5:47 210 44 Paul Markovits, Sr 18:04 5:49 213 62 Andre Zimmerman, Sr 18:23 5:56 216 66 Ben Stutzman, So 18:31 5:58 215 82 John Hursh, Jr 18:52 6:05 212 90 Mitchell Steffy, Sr 18:58 6:07 Total Time = 1:30:26 Total Places = 237 11. Annville-Cleona 332 27 Jeff Inman 17:33 5:40 331 33 Garrett Bosworth 17:50 5:45 334 56 Anthony Frattorole 18:20 5:55 333 76 Jon Zechman 18:44 6:02 335 86 Matt Darok 18:57 6:07 336 92 Michacel Darok 19:04 6:09 337 104 Tyler Carpenter 19:18 6:13 Total Time = 1:31:24 Total Places = 278 12. Elizabethtown 91 17 Matt Stephens, Sr 17:18 5:35 97 52 Simeon Schlicher, So 18:16 5:53 96 60 Mitchell Hoffmaster, So 18:22 5:55 94 67 Nick Good, Jr 18:33 5:59 92 94 Phil Gish, Jr 19:09 6:11 90 108 Graham Rich, Sr 19:24 6:15 95 139 Matt Sauder, Jr 20:54 6:44 Total Time = 1:31:38 Total Places = 290 13. Ephrata 110 38 Nate Becker, So 17:54 5:46 113 54 Zach Lefever, Fr 18:18 5:54 106 84 Tyler Gallagher, Sr 18:53 6:05 111 99 Rhett Hart, So 19:12 6:11 112 102 Josiah Nimon, So 19:15 6:12 108 124 Thomas Shoff, Jr 20:06 6:29 107 130 Justin Mease, Sr 20:26 6:35 Total Time = 1:33:32 Total Places = 377 14. Donegal 62 49 Nate King, Sr 18:13 5:52 69 68 Austin Burkholder, Fr 18:35 5:59 67 77 Zachary Miller, So 18:45 6:03 66 101 Nicholas Miller, So 19:14 6:12 64 112 Kadin Heisey, Jr 19:34 6:18 63 115 Barry Sauder, Sr 19:36 6:19 68 132 Noah Zern, So 20:34 6:38 Total Time = 1:34:21 Total Places = 407 15. Lebanon 223 53 Linus Morales, Sr 18:16 5:54 228 58 Derin Klick, Fr 18:22 5:55 229 78 Daryl Werni, Fr 18:45 6:03 226 105 Jesse Brownstein, So 19:22 6:15 225 119 Ethan Arnold-Paine, Jr 19:54 6:25 224 120 James Sumlin, Sr 19:55 6:25 222 127 Jaime Montalvo, Sr 20:14 6:32 Total Time = 1:34:39 Total Places = 413 16. Lancaster Catholic 195 43 Tommy Slotcavage, Sr 18:03 5:49 198 74 Joe Zukus, Jr 18:42 6:02 192 85 Simon Joseph, Sr 18:54 6:06 193 106 Connor Lent, Sr 19:22 6:15 199 111 Henry Womble, So 19:27 6:16 200 126 Tyler Moore, Fr 20:13 6:31 194 136 Austin Schoelkopf, Sr 20:43 6:41 Total Time = 1:34:28 Total Places = 419 17. Lampeter-Strasburg 176 42 Evan Pugh, Sr 18:00 5:48 181 64 Luke Raum, So 18:25 5:56 178 89 Caleb Gawne, So 18:58 6:07 174 113 Ben Kingsley, Sr 19:34 6:19 179 114 Zach Hargraves, So 19:35 6:19 177 118 Nathan Cooper, So 19:49 6:23 180 125 Tyson Owens, So 20:08 6:30 Total Time = 1:34:32 Total Places = 422 18. Conestoga Valley 47 20 Eric Denlinger, Jr 17:26 5:37 45 96 Thomas Fowler, Sr 19:10 6:11 51 98 Tim Nguyen, So 19:12 6:11 49 107 Nate Burkhart, So 19:23 6:15 44 116 Caleb Comeaux, Sr 19:43 6:21 50 131 Chris Martin, So 20:30 6:37 46 137 Chance Post, Sr 20:45 6:41 Total Time = 1:34:54 Total Places = 437 19. Cocalico 19 70 Aaron Longstaff, Sr 18:37 6:00 25 75 Andrew Weston, Jr 18:43 6:02 24 95 Andrew Walsh, Jr 19:10 6:11 20 110 Tyler Gerber, Jr 19:25 6:16 21 117 Jake Renninger, Jr 19:45 6:22 23 129 Michael Verdegem, Jr 20:16 6:32 27 141 Max Martin, Fr 21:11 6:50 Total Time = 1:35:40 Total Places = 467 20. Eastern Lebanon Co. 80 21 Jonathon Garcia, Jr 17:26 5:37 82 39 Jared Harnish, So 17:55 5:47 83 128 Aaron Zurick, So 20:16 6:32 78 140 Dylan Bennett, Sr 21:02 6:47 79 142 Lance Litschi, Sr 21:16 6:51 Total Time = 1:37:55 Total Places = 470 21. Northern Lebanon 269 29 Tyler McFeaters, Jr 17:42 5:42 267 93 Paul Kudlanov, Sr 19:06 6:10 270 133 Eugene Kudlanov, So 20:37 6:39 271 143 Nate Lyon, So 21:29 6:56 272 144 Matt Snyder, So 21:30 6:56 274 147 Jarrett Huber, Fr 22:45 7:20 273 149 Devin Tipton, So 23:17 7:31 Total Time = 1:40:24 Total Places = 542 22. Columbia 40 134 Codie Witherite, So 20:38 6:39 36 145 Zach Keller, Sr 21:41 7:00 39 146 Michael Foehlinger, So 22:20 7:12 37 148 Steve Waugh, Jr 22:48 7:21 41 150 Xavier Jackson, Fr 25:11 8:07 Total Time = 1:52:38 Total Places = 723 TEAM
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