Award winners from Middletown, Indian River lead All-State cross country teams

Brad Myers, Delaware News Journal
·3 min read

Middletown senior Jonathan Drew has won the Vic Zwolak Award as the state’s top boys cross country runner, and Indian River junior Brynn Crandell has won the William L. Gerow Award as the state’s best girls cross country athlete.

Both runners lead the All-State cross country teams, determined by the 21 fastest overall times from the state meet, with seven runners per team and an extra coaches’ selection on the girls side this year.

Drew was unbeaten against Delaware competition this fall, capping a stellar season with a victory in the DIAA Division I boys race on Nov. 12 at Killens Pond State Park in Felton.

Middletown's Jonathan Drew (right) leads teammate Jonas Rush before Drew took first and Rush fourth in the DIAA Division I Boys Cross Country race on Nov. 12 at Killens Pond State Park. Drew earned the Vic Zwolak Award as the state's top boys runner.
Middletown's Jonathan Drew (right) leads teammate Jonas Rush before Drew took first and Rush fourth in the DIAA Division I Boys Cross Country race on Nov. 12 at Killens Pond State Park. Drew earned the Vic Zwolak Award as the state's top boys runner.

Crandell earned the top honor among girls for the second straight season. The junior finished second at the Lake Forest Cross Country Festival, won at the Salesianum Invitational, finished fourth at the Joe O’Neill Invitational and won the DIAA Division II title in 18:49.50, the fastest time in both divisions by 11 seconds.

Crandell also made the All-State first team for the third consecutive year. Padua junior Sophia Holgado, Tatnall junior Katie Endres and Tatnall sophomore Katie Payne earned first-team honors for the second time.

BOYS STATE MEETSalesianum survives, Tatnall thrives again for DIAA boys cross-country titles

Padua junior Mary Flanagan, St. Andrew’s Lily Murphy and Middletown junior Isabelle Walsh reached first-team status for the first time.

Cape Henlopen senior Ryan Baker was the only repeat first-team selection among boys, reaching the top for the third time.

All of the other boys first-teamers – Drew, A.I. du Pont senior Lathan Love-Brown, Salesianum senior Matt Miller, Middletown senior Jonas Rush, Salesianum senior Colin Small and DMA sophomore Ethan Walther - made the top team for the first time.

GIRLS STATE MEETPadua stretches streak, St. Andrew's wins first team title in DIAA girls cross country

Jennifer Carroll, who guided St. Andrew’s to the New Castle County and DIAA Division II team titles for the first time, was named Girls Coach of the Year. Carroll also won the honor in 2015.

Boys Coach of the Year honors went to Middletown’s Mary Kay Waltemire and Courtney Brinsky, who guided the Cavaliers to a second-place team finish in Division I.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

All-State cross country teams

Girls

First team

Brynn Crandell, jr., Indian River

Indian River’s Brynn Crandell runs to a win in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Indian River’s Brynn Crandell runs to a win in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Katie Endres, jr., Tatnall

Tatnall’s Katrina Endres runs en route to placing third in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Tatnall’s Katrina Endres runs en route to placing third in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Mary Flanagan, jr., Padua

Padua's Mary Flanagan finishes fifth in the Joe O'Neill Cross Country Invitational at Bellevue State Park Friday, Oct. 14, 2022.
Padua's Mary Flanagan finishes fifth in the Joe O'Neill Cross Country Invitational at Bellevue State Park Friday, Oct. 14, 2022.

Sophia Holgado, jr., Padua

Padua’s Sophia Holgado runs to a win in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Padua’s Sophia Holgado runs to a win in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Lily Murphy, sr., St. Andrew’s

St. Andrew’s Lily Murphy takes fourth place in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
St. Andrew’s Lily Murphy takes fourth place in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Katie Payne, so., Tatnall

Tatnall’s Katie Payne heads for a second place finish as she runs in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Tatnall’s Katie Payne heads for a second place finish as she runs in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Isabelle Walsh, jr., Middletown

Middletown's Isabelle Walsh finishes third in the Joe O'Neill Cross Country Invitational at Bellevue State Park Friday, Oct. 14, 2022.
Middletown's Isabelle Walsh finishes third in the Joe O'Neill Cross Country Invitational at Bellevue State Park Friday, Oct. 14, 2022.

SECOND TEAM

Anna Bockius, fr., Padua; Natalie Donaldson, sr., Saint Mark’s; Leah Horgan, so., St. Andrew’s; Katie Kuhlman, sr., Cape Henlopen; Kylie McCarthy, jr., Padua; Lia Miller, sr., St. Andrew’s; Alyssa Napier, so., Conrad.

THIRD TEAM

Lily Bowe, jr., Sussex Academy; Katya Geyer, fr., Sussex Academy; Claire Hulsey, fr., St. Andrew’s; Clare Kornacki, sr., Ursuline; Maddie Priest, jr., Archmere; Natalie Radecki, fr., Caravel; Arina Varrato, jr., Sussex Tech; Carlita Kaliher, jr., Tatnall

Boys

First team

Ryan Baker, sr., Cape Henlopen

Eventual third-place finisher Ryan Baker of Cape Henlopen runs in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Eventual third-place finisher Ryan Baker of Cape Henlopen runs in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Lathan Love-Brown, sr., A.I. du Pont

Alexis I. DuPont’s Lathan Love-Brown runs to a second place finish in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Alexis I. DuPont’s Lathan Love-Brown runs to a second place finish in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Jonathan Drew, sr., Middletown

Middletown’s Jonathan Drew runs to victory in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Middletown’s Jonathan Drew runs to victory in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Matt Miller, sr., Salesianum

Salesianum’s Matt Miller runs en route to taking second place in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Salesianum’s Matt Miller runs en route to taking second place in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Jonas Rush, sr., Middletown

Middletown’s Jonas Rush runs to a fourth place in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Middletown’s Jonas Rush runs to a fourth place in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Colin Small, sr., Salesianum

Middletown's Walter Samuels (6th place) and Salesianum's Colin Small (5th) run in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Middletown's Walter Samuels (6th place) and Salesianum's Colin Small (5th) run in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Ethan Walther, so., DMA

Delaware Military Academy’s Ethan Walther runs to a win in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Delaware Military Academy’s Ethan Walther runs to a win in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Boy’s Division II Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

SECOND TEAM

Matthew Bradley, sr., Salesianum; Maddox Downs, jr., Caesar Rodney; James Kennedy, jr., Salesianum; Ben Pizzaro, so., Tatnall; Walter Samuels, sr., Middletown; Camerin Williams, jr., Hodgson; Connor Wilson, sr., Smyrna.

THIRD TEAM

Peter Bird, so., St. Andrew’s; Joey DeGregory, jr., Cape Henlopen; Sam Felice, jr., Salesianum; Ian Hayes, sr., Woodbridge; Troy Hedrick, sr., DMA; Liam O’Donnell, sr., Cape Henlopen; Eamon Rush, sr., Middletown.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware high school sports: All-State cross country teams