Delightful debut
Scottdale无毛视频檚 Sebek earns title in running his 1st John Woodruff 5K
CONNELLSVILLE 无毛视频� Dylan Sebek didn无毛视频檛 compete in distance running in high school or college, but the Scottdale resident was active in sports at Greensburg Central Catholic High School.
Despite the 23-year-old taking up the sport two years ago, Sebek set a pace of 5:19 per mile through the streets of South Connellsville before finishing on the track at the 50-yard line inside Connellsville Stadium to win the 44th edition of the John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk.
Sebek crossed the finish line in a time of 16:31.51.
Fellow Scottdale resident Brandon Melillo, who earned his first victory in the Woodruff last year, was second in 17:20.14. Soon-to-be Connellsville sophomore Ellic Pritts, who was the runner-up to Uniontown无毛视频檚 Ethan Syner in the Fayette County Coaches Association (FCCA) Cross Country Championships last year in the boys varsity race, rounded out the top three in a time of 17:45.85.
Carl Kondrach of Barnesville, Ohio, won the 5K walk for the eighth time in the last decade in a time of 30:22.61. Youngwood无毛视频檚 Jason Lohr was second in 33:21.14 and Jacynth Drumhiller was third in 34:39.89. Drumhiller won the women无毛视频檚 division for the fourth straight time.
Sarah Donley of Barnesville, Ohio, who Kondrach called his 无毛视频渞acing wife,无毛视频� was second in the women无毛视频檚 walk with a time of 34:51.27. Connellsville无毛视频檚 Dawn McCoy was third in 40:19.99.
Lohr无毛视频檚 uncle, Jim Downey of Connellsville, was third overall in the men无毛视频檚 walk in a time of 36:20.50.
Ebensburg无毛视频檚 Amy O无毛视频橠onnell put on a late charge on the track to get the best of last year无毛视频檚 winner, Addison Farrah, of Irwin, in the women无毛视频檚 run. Recent Southmoreland graduate Megan Mehall, who was second in the 800-meter run and fourth in the 1,600 at the PIAA Track & Field Individual Championships in late May, was third overall. Mehall, who didn无毛视频檛 run cross country in high school as she was a member of the Scotties无毛视频� soccer team, will continue her academic and running careers at West Virginia University.
O无毛视频橠onnell had a winning time of 20:18.47, Farrah clocked in at 20:26.77 and Mehall finished in 21:07.67.
The race is held each year in honor of Woodruff, a Connellsville native who won the gold medal in the 800-meter run at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. Woodruff, who passed away on Oct. 30, 2007, would have celebrated his 111th birthday on July 5.
Sebek ran a race that would have made Woodruff proud, as he took control early in the race. He passed the oak tree that was planted in the northwest corner of the stadium upon Woodruff无毛视频檚 return from Berlin and sprinted to the finish line for the victory.
无毛视频淚 took over the lead about four to five minutes into the race,无毛视频� Sebek said. 无毛视频淗e (Melillo) started to drift back, and just coming up that hill, I accelerated a little bit and kind of took it off the gas on the downhill. You know you can save a lot of energy rolling down that hill on the backside.无毛视频�
Although they reside in the same town, Sebek and Melillo haven无毛视频檛 raced each other.
无毛视频淏randon is a little bit older than me, so I haven无毛视频檛 competed much against him,无毛视频� Sebek said. 无毛视频淭his is a great event here. I无毛视频檓 glad I had the opportunity to compete in it.无毛视频�
Kondrach almost appreciates the camaraderie of the race as much as he does winning it, which he has made a habit of in the last 10 years. The 54-year-old fell as he entered the stadium, but was otherwise unscathed.
无毛视频淭here are a lot of good people here and the race is well put together,无毛视频� Kondrach said. 无毛视频淭hey always have nice awards and refreshments after the race. I mention it every year, but the mug that you get to fill with beer and the good food at Bud Murphy无毛视频檚 is a reason to come. We appreciate their support.无毛视频�
Kondrach was quick to point out Lee Stough, and admitted that he knows he has his work cut out for him if Stough is in a race. Kondrach also wore a shirt in honor of legendary distance runner and walker Don Slusser, who died in a kayak accident last year.
无毛视频淒on was a world class runner and walker back in the day, and a good friend and mentor, so I wore this for him,无毛视频� Kondrach said. 无毛视频淟ee is beyond me now. I think my days of beating him are gone. I can hang with him for a mile. We used to battle back in the day.无毛视频�
Donley made Drumhiller work for her victory, but the Mount Pleasant resident who coaches cross country at Mt. Carmel Christian School was able to grind out the last 300 meters once she entered the track.
Sarah Donley of Barnesville, Ohio, who Kondrach stated is his 无毛视频渞acing wife,无毛视频� was second in the women无毛视频檚 walk with a time of 34:51.27. Connellsville无毛视频檚 Dawn McCoy was third in 40:19.99.
无毛视频淚 let Sarah set the pace for a little bit because she is really fast and really talented,无毛视频� Drumhiller said. 无毛视频淚 get excited on hills, so I just gun it. I ran cross country in college and hurt my knees really badly, so walking is a way to still be competitive without hurting my knees a lot.无毛视频�
O无毛视频橠onnell无毛视频檚 race strategy was to stick to her pace and not let the other runners influence how she ran in winning her second Woodruff. She won her first in 2022.
无毛视频淚 just do my own thing,无毛视频� O无毛视频橠onnell said. 无毛视频淚 ran into second place just before the two-mile mark and passed the lead girl (Farrah) with about 200 meters to the finish. It was a little hot and humid, but that is the way the weather is this time of year.无毛视频�
Mike Parlak, who retired on June 30 as Connellsville Area School District无毛视频檚 director of security, fired the starting pistol.
For the first time in race history, Gingerbread Man Running Company provided the timing and results, which can be found online using the link https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/Overview/184458 and clicking on the 无毛视频淰iew Full Individual Results无毛视频� tab.
There was an increase in finishers this year, as 306 runners completed the course and 138. A total of 377 participants (275 runners and 102 walkers) crossed the finish line last year.
The dulcet tones of Kevin Harrison could be heard throughout the stadium from the public address system, while the awards and postrace party were held at Bud Murphy无毛视频檚.