Grove City boys win own John Sample Invitational; GC's Pottinger, Mercer's Myers race-winners
Oct. 1—One week after winning the Class 2A team title at the prestigious PIAA Foundation Race in Hershey, coach Mike Sample's Grove City boys cross country team took top honors in its own John Sample Invitational at Memorial Park in Grove City.
Grove City (34) rolled the team crown while Hampton (87) was second. Quaker Valley (111), North Catholic (117), and Eden Christian (143) rounded out the top five. Jamestown (392) finished 14th.
Grove City sophomore MJ Pottinger finished first in a time of 15:57 while Quaker Valley junior Matthew Otto (16:10) was runner-up.
Also for Grove City, junior Quinn McKnight finished fifth in 16:31, senior Josh Jones (16:35) was sixth, senior Justice Brown (16:50) placed eighth, sophomores Isaiah Stauff (17:00) and Colsen Frank (17:00) were 12th and 13th, and junior Wyatt Shepson (17:49) was 28th.
Sharon freshman Justin Sims (19:17) finished 66th, Jamestown junior Cooper Riley (19:29) placed 68th, and Mercer freshman Tate Papay (20:07) was 77th.
GIRLS
Mercer senior Willow Myers clocked in at 18:53 to finish first overall. She finished seven seconds ahead of Chartiers Valley sophomore Lilah Turnbull (19:00).
Jamestown sophomore Karis McElhaney placed 11th in 20:06, Grove City freshman Josie Jones (20:33) was 18th, and Sharon senior Abby Douglas finished 19th in 20:37.
Also for Grove City, freshman Morgan Davis (21:00) was 23rd, junior Phoebe Graham placed 33rd in 21:53, and senior Abbey Nichols finished 36th (21:58).
Greenville senior Megan Ickes was 26th in 21:21 and Mercer freshman Maggie Jewell (22:20) finished 45th.
Beaver Area (68) won the team title. They were followed by North Catholic (98), Hampton (102), Chartiers Valley (103), and Altoona Area (123).
Grove City (141) finished sixth, Mercer (248) was 10th, and Greenville (337) 13th.
Cochranton Cardinal Classic
GIRLS
West Middlesex's AnnaSophia Viccari clocked in at 19:50 to finish first overall and teammate Lia Bartholomew (20:07) was second at Saturday's Cardinal Classic in Cochranton.
Lakeview's Kady Alexander finished third in 20:14 while the Sailors' Kendell Emmert (21:02) placed sixth. West Middlesex's Ella Bartholomew placed seventh in a time of 21:05.
Commodore Perry's Elaine Welton (23:07) placed 20th and Bella Snyder (23:15) was 22nd, Alaina Peltonen of Lakeview finished 23rd in 23:19, and West Middlesex's Lily Widmyer (23:30) was 27th.
Titusville (59) won the team title while West Middlesex (74) finished second. Meadville (94) placed third, Lakeview (107) took fourth, and Conneaut Area (144) fifth. Rounding out the team scores were Saegertown (150) and Commodore Perry (193).
BOYS
West Middlesex (73) captured the team title and Lakeview (74) finished second. Cochranton (101), Titusville (112), and Saegertown (120) rounded out the top five teams. Commodore Perry (220) placed ninth.
Lakeview ace Colson Jenkins captured the individual title in a time of 16:24. Saegertown's Sam Hetrick was runner-up in 16:47.
West Middlesex teammates Luke Schneider (17:12) and Giovanni Rococi (17:19) placed fourth and fifth, respectively, while Lakeview's James Alexander (17:22) placed sixth.
West Middlesex's Dennis Jones finished 12th in a time of 18:03 and Lakeview's Phil Peltonen (18:27) finished 16th.
West Middlesex's Derek Johnson clocked in at 18:36 to finish 18th while Commodore Perry's Trent Bell (18:45) placed 23rd.
Lakeview's Ryker Harold (18:47) finished 24th and Commodore Perry's Bradyn Winter (18:47) was 25th.
BOYS SOCCER
* Neshannock 6, West Middlesex 0 — At West Middlesex, the District 7 Lancers posted a shutout over the Big Reds.
Neshannock goalscorers were not reported to The Herald.
Ben Erb (seven saves) and CJ Kirby (two saves) split time in goal for the Big Reds.
GIRLS SOCCER
* West Middlesex 5, Sharpsville 3 — At West Middlesex, Emily Davano fired in four goals to power the Reds past the Devils.
Davano also had six additional shots on goal and Delaney Donaldson placed four shots on net. Cassie Vorisek scored the other goal for WM.
Goalkeepers Katelynn Moyer (11) and Vorisek (12) combined to make 23 saves.
WM coach David Moyer reported that "Taylor Moore, Ayzlin Jones, Wriley Tyree, and Millie Meyers played crucial roles supporting the offense and solidifying the defense.
"It was a very exciting game and a big win for these young ladies," added Moyer. "These girls continue to give it 100 percent with no substitute players the entire game."
FOOTBALL
* Grove City 33, Greenville 27 — At Snyder-Stone Stadium in Greenville, the Eagles withstood a Trojan fourth-quarter rally to pick up the Region 3 victory.
Down 33-14 entering the fourth quarter, the Trojans (0-4, 0-5) scored twice on a Malachi Hyde 2-yard carry and a Mason Dickens 9-yard tote to pull within 33-27 with 5:15 to play, but Grove City ran out the clock with a long drive, getting inside the Trojan 10 before settling for a pair of kneeldowns.
Greenville opened the scoring on a Bennett Hayne 3-yard interception return of a tipped Hunter Hohman pass for an early 7-0 lead. The Eagles (3-1, 4-2) answered quickly with Nathan Greer taking the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a 7-7 tie with 3:53 remaining in the first.
Grove City took a 19-7 lead on a pair of Gavin Lutz touchdown catches from Hohman. The first — a nice extension catch in the back of the endzone — from 16 yards out just 23 seconds into the second quarter and the second came almost 9 minutes later from 8 yards out.
Following the second Lutz score, the Trojans pulled to within 19-14 on a 1-yard carry from Mason Dickens with under a minute to play in the first half.
The Eagles extended their lead to 33-14 entering the 4th quarter on Lutz' third touchdown reception (26 yards) and a Hohman 1-yard carry.
Lutz led the Eagles with a season-high 9 receptions for 95 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Anthony Nemec rushed for a season-high 137 yards on 21 carries. Hohman completed 12-of-19 passes for 111 yards.
For Greenville, Hyde led the way with 96 yards on 23 carries, while Dickens chipped in 82 yards on 11 totes — Information submitted by Herald Sports Correspondent Corey J. Corbin.
* Reynolds 50, Kennedy Catholic 6 — At Butala Stadium in Hermitage, coach Josh Mull's Raiders (4-0, 5-1) remained unbeaten in Region 1 play with the win over the Golden Eagles (1-3, 1-5).
Jalen Wagner rushed for three touchdowns and quarterback Brayden McCloskey threw three TD passes and ran for a score.
Wagner's touchdown runs were 17, 39, and 26 yards while McCloskey's TD run came from six yards out.
McCloskey's touchdown passes went to Haydin McLaughlin (41 yards), P.J. Winkle (37 yards), and Kevyn Malgieri (11 yards). McLaughlin also picked off a pass and returned it for a score.
Kennedy Catholic's lone score was in the second quarter on a 59-yard pass from Damian Harrison to Jermaine Dunlap.
Full stats have not yet been reported to The Herald.
CROSS COUNTRY
Grove City John Sample Invitational
BOYS
Team Results: Grove City 32, Hampton 83, North Catholic 112, Quaker Valley 116, Eden Christian 139, Chartiers Valley 168, Beaver Area 169, Altoona Area 175, Deer Lakes 260, Franklin 266. Also: Jamestown 14th (395). Greenville, Mercer, and Sharon did not field full teams.
Individual Results: 1. MJ Pottinger (Grove City) 15:57; 2. Matthew Otto (Quaker Valley) 16:10; 3. Dale Hall (Hampton) 16:19; 4. Sean Aiken (Eden Christian) 16:25; 5. Quinn McKnight (Grove City) 16:31; 6. Josh Jones (Grove City) 16:35; 7. Owen Schessler (North Catholic) 16:47; 8. Justice Brown (Grove City) 16:50; 9. Christopher Belch (Hampton) 16:56; 10. Clark Lalomia (Quaker Valley) 16:56; 11. Joe Harmanos (North Catholic) 16:57; 12. Isaiah Stauff (Grove City) 17:00; 13. Colsen Frank (Grove City) 17:00; 14. Ethan Haring (Eden Christian) 17:01; 15. Jim Couch (Freedom Area) 17:05; 16. Caleb Prettyman (Franklin) 17:06; 17. Santo Riccardi (Chartiers Valley) 17:10; 18. Jay Prettyman (Franklin) 17:11; 19. Andrew Quinn (Altoona Area) 17:15; 20. Gavin Kidder (South Side Area) 17:18; 21. Jacob Bonnar (Hampton) 17:23; 22. Sam West (North Catholic) 17:27; 23. Layne Haught (Hampton) 17:29; 24. Eli Priest (Beaver Area) 17:30; 25. Rigel Weakland (North Catholic) 17:37.
GIRLS
Team Results: Beaver Area 68, North Catholic 98, Hampton 102, Chartiers Valley 103, Altoona 123, Grove City 141, Fairview 175, Quaker Valley 190, Eden Christian 225, Mercer 248. Also: Greenville 13th (337). Jamestown and Sharon did not field full teams.
Individual Results: 1. Willow Myers (Mercer) 18:53; 2. Lilah Turnbull (Chartiers Valley) 19:00; 3. Ava Vitiello (Hampton) 19:11; 4. Kevyn Fish (Hampton) 19:16; 5. Julia Zalenski (North Catholic) 19:29; 6. Ella Andrew (Beaver Area) 19:31; 7. Cecilia Montagnese (Quaker Valley) 19:48; 8. Nadalie Latchaw (Franklin) 19:49; 9. Rylie Teapole (Beaver Area) 20:00; 10. Eva Kulbago (Chartiers Valley) 20:03; 11. Karis McElhaney (Jamestown) 20:06; 12. Danica Purtell (Beaver Area) 20:12; 13. Hope Haring (Eden Christian) 20:20; 14. Reese Wilber (Altoona) 20:20; 15. Madeline Meeuf (North Catholic) 20:28; 16. Grace Lazzara (North Catholic) 20:31; 17. Grace Baldauff (Northgate) 20:32; 18. Josie Jones (Grove City) 20:33; 19. Abby Douglas (Sharon) 20:37; 20. Isabel Owens (Fairview) 20:53; 21. Rachel Klemmensen (Deer Lakes) 20:55; 22. Teresa Grimm (Hampton) 21:00; 23. Morgan Davis (Grove City) 21:00; 24. Allison Tate (Beaver Area) 21:02; 25. Gracie Gioiosa (Altoona) 21:16.
FOOTBALL
GROVE CITY 7 12 14 0 33
GREENVILLE 7 7 0 13 27
Scoring plays
G — Hayne, 3 interception return (R.Stefanowicz kick)
GC — Greer, 97 kickoff return (Stucchio kick)
GC — Lutz, 16 pass from Hohman (kick failed)
GC — Lutz, 8 pass from Hohman (kick failed)
G — Dickens, 1 run (R.Stefanowicz kick)
GC — Lutz, 26 pass from Hohman (run failed)
GC — Hohman, 1 run (Martin pass from Hohman)
G — Hyde, 2 run (pass failed)
G — Dickens, 9 run (R.Stefanowicz kick)
Team stats
GROVE CITY GREENVILLE
16 First downs 12
172 Rushing yards 203
111 Passing yards 48
19-12-2 Att-comp-int 16-7-1
283 Totals yards 251
0-0 Fumbles-lost 1-0
7-50 Penalties-yards 9-82
Individual stats
Rushing: GROVE CITY — Nemec 21-137, Hohman 11-28, Greer 1-7, Lutz 1-0; GREENVILLE — Hyde 23-96, Dickens 11-82, Solderich 6-23, R.Gentile 1-2, Calvin 1-0.
Passing: GROVE CITY — Hohman 19-12-2-111; GREENVILLE — Solderich 15-7-1-48, Hyde 1-0-0-0.
Receiving: GROVE CITY — Lutz 9-95, Greer 3-16; GREENVILLE — Herrick 5-40, Porter 1-5, Philson 1-3.
