CHARLOTTE, NC - The Berkeley Heights PAL WolfPacks competed and measured themselves nationally when they competed at the National Cross Country Championships on Saturday, December 2 at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, North Carolina. Two WolfPacks runners -- Louis Abbey, age 8, and Tom Hunt, age 11, received All American Honors by placing in the top 8. They were given patches by meet officials celebrating such feats.
Top 25 finishers received medals per age division. Sixteen WolfPack’s participated resulting in seven medals and nine personal best (PB) with the rest equaling or came close to their season’s best times.
"This is by far the highest placings for the WolfPack’s nationally," said coach Steve SanAntonio.
Over 1200 runners from across the nation represented their state. The meet was well organized and ran flawlessly, said WolfPack coach Steve SanAntonio. "The PAL runners wrapped up their final meet of the season and peaked at the right time. The trails were beautiful with a minor hill around 600 meters from the finish line, but overall fairly flat. The weather was perfect, overcast and low 50 degrees."
“Very proud of our team runners,” said SanAntonio. “The majority of our runners have less than a year in the program and others just a few months of running experience. In a few short months we caught up to the level of seasoned nationally ranked runners from across the country. The success could not have been accomplished without the buy- in from the runners and parents in commitment, dedication and perseverance.”
Coach SanAntonio added, “Sprinkled with the right recipe in training, the runners shinned and their hard work paid off, no better way to celebrate a successful season…… one chapter closes with another ready to open up”.
Below is a snapshot of the competitor’s results.
OFFICIAL RESULTS LINK: http://adkins.trackscoreboard.com/#/results
2017 AAU National Cross Country Championships - McAlpine Creek Park, NC
Boys Age 13 4000 Meter Run Individual
22nd Marinko, Christopher 14:30.44 (PB) and Medaled
Girls Age 11 3000 Meter Run Individual
20th Djibatche, Sara 12:17.15 (PB) and Medaled
51st Ameli, Makenzie 13:30.90
Girls Age 12 3000 Meter Run Individual
39th Matthews, Alexis 12:45.52
43rd SanAntonio, Emma 12:53.45
Boys Age 11 3000 Meter Run Individual
6th Hunt, Thomas 10:49.70 All American Honors and Medaled
Boys Age 12 3000 Meter Run Individual
15th Linde, Aidan 10:50.03 and Medaled
43rd Yarad, Nicholas 11:41.36
52nd Tan, Owen 11:52.66 PB
Boys Age 9 3000 Meter Run Individual
36th Tan, Carson 13:06.07 PB
52nd SanAntonio, Cameron 13:50.35
Boys Age 10 3000 Meter Run Individual
9th Burkitt, Andrew 11:39.00 PB and Medaled
42nd Ameli, Aidan 12:29.19 PB
Boys Age 7 2000 Meter Run Individual
15th Mathur, Shalin 9:48.81PB and Medaled
Boys Age 8 2000 Meter Run Individual
7th Abbey, Louis 7:57.59 PB All American Honors and Medaled
29th Ameli, Tristan 8:51.91PB
