West placed all seven of its varsity runners in the top 20 out of the 65-man field. Rock Fortna (2nd, 16:41) and Brian Mass (3rd, 17:02) dropped the hammer convincingly at the front, while Ian Davies (14th), Trevor Belding (15th), Logan Mazullo (17th), Declan McDonald (19th), and Ben Severn (20th) all earned medals as well. After leading the Bucks last week in JV action, junior Logan Mazullo answered the bell well when classmate Brian Iatarola was sidelined with some I-T band inflammation. Mazullo was the Bucks' fifth and final scoring runner on Saturday. Second man and sophomore Brian Mass also had a terrific race, just two seconds shy of his PR on a sweltering day.
The heat also didn't stop the JV Bucks from stampeding to victory on Saturday. Beckett Wilson did some frontrunning and was able to claim silver individually, while Mark McClenahan (4th), Teagan Fortna (5th), Andrew Baker (7th), Alec Hofer (8th), and Matt Bowen (10th) also placed in the top ten overall in the 119-man field. Carter Zerweck, Ryan McIlhinney, John Smith (PR 19:23), Tyler Press, and Troy Press also earned medals for themselves by finishing in the top 25 individually.
Matt Belding, Damian Refice, Drew Schoen (PR 20:19), Michael Samson (PR 20:51), Jack McCausland (PR 20:55), Brody Johnson, Ben Sexauer (PR 21:06), Matt Bahner, Brendan Warren, Big Joe Altadonna, and Joe Manetta also finished in the top half of the field!
The Bucks return to action at the historic Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park,
Philadelphia on Saturday for Archbishop Ryan's Briarwood
Invitational.