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Beyond the Byline: Remembering my interview with Sen. McCain

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Hartwick spoils Jonathan Drach’s debut as Wilkes football coach

DALLAS TWP. &#8212; Nearly 800 runners from 27 schools, from as far away as Northeast Bradord, competed in the 44th annual Cliff Robbins Memorial High School Invitational Cross Country Races on Saturday at Letterkenny Fields. And runners from Crestwood, Scranton High, Scranton Junior High and Montrose secured top honors in the races that serve as a warm up for the upcoming high school cross country season.Going into the premiere race of the day, Boys Varsity 5K, the buzz throughout the grounds had Dallas senior Mitch Rome the favorite. But Scranton High School junior, Josh Christianson pulled off the big upset, breaking the tape in 16 minutes and 53 seconds.Rome pulled in second, seven seconds behind. Holy Redeemer senior Bryce Zapusek finished third, nine seconds behind Rome.&#8220;I moved in front of (Rome) with about 250 meters to go, &#8220;Christianson said. &#8220;Then I went into a full sprint and was able to hold him off. I looked back with about 50 meters to go to see if he was coming up on me &#8212; he wasn&#8217;t. So I just held my speed to the finish.&#8221;That wasn&#8217;t the only upset of the day.In the Girls Varsity 5K, Crestwood freshman, Molly DeMarzo broke the tape in 20:13, outracing Scranton Prep senior Mia Bellucci by 13 seconds. Last year, Bellucci won the two warm ups for the upcoming cross country season &#8212; Cliff Robbins and Coaches Invitational at the Wyoming County Fairgrounds &#8212; and that&#8217;s why DeMarzo&#8217;s win was shocking.&#8220;I went out at a reasonable pace,&#8221; DeMarzo said. &#8220;I stuck with the lead pack over the first two miles and began picking off people. I ran with (Bellucci) for a while. And I pulled away from her with about a mile to go.&#8221;Bella Nareika, an eighth grader from Scranton Junior High, won the Girls Junior High 3K in 12:18. She outran second-place finisher, Paige Brewer, an 8th grader from Montrose, by 10 seconds.&#8220;I ran at the same pace over the early part of the race,&#8221; said Noreika. &#8220;I caught and passed the lead girl on the second downhill. Once I moved in front, I picked up the pace and ran to the win.&#8221;The most exciting race of the day ended up in a disqualification and a big disappointment.Peter Sica, an 8th grader from Moscow, made what appeared to be a valiant come-from-behind six hundreds of a second win in 11:30 over Sam Stashko, an 8th grader from Montrose in the Boys Junior High 3K. But after the race, race director Karen Moskel disqualified Sica on a technicality &#8212; he is home schooled &#8212; and was running unattached and not with North Pocono High School and never proved he passed a physical.PIAA physicals are required to show that you are, in fact, fit to run hence covered for liability insurance purposes. Sica put off joining North Pocono because he had trouble deciding between playing soccer or running cross country.So, Montrose&#8217;s Stashko was awarded the win.The first 25 finishers in each race received medals.Wyoming Valley Striders 44th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Invitational Cross Country RacesResultsJunior High Girls 3K (1.86 miles)Bella Nareika, 8th, Scranton, 12:18Paige Brewer, 8th, Montrose, 12:28Amelia King, 8th, Scranton, 12:44Stephanie Summerville, 8th, Montrose, 12:51Lexie Marcinkowski, 8, Holy Redeemer, 12:58Field: 154 finishers.Junior High Boys 3KPeter Sica, 8th, Unattached, 11:30.62 (DQ)Sam Stashko, 8th, Montrose, 11:30.68Nick Hockenbury, 8th, Lake-Lehman, 11:35James Bixby, 8th, Montrose, 11:36Dustin Polchin, 8th, Hazleton, 11:41Vincenzo Iacavazzo, fresh, Mid Valley, 11:46Field: 160 finishersGirls Varsity 5K (3.1 miles)Molly DeMarzo, fresh, Crestwood, 20:13Mia Bellucci, senior, Scranton Prep, 20:26Madison Bradric, soph, Lake-Lehman, 21:02Abby Paczewski, junior, Lake-Lehman, 21:11Nicole Zambetti, junior, Pittston, 21:11Field: 133 finishersBoys Varsity 5KJosh Christianson, junior, Scranton, 16:53Mitch Rome, senior, Dallas, 17:00Bryce Zapusek, senior, Holy Redeemer, 17:09Liam Mead, senior, Montrose, 17:31Stephen Postupak, senior, Scranton Prep, 17:51Field: 235 finishersOfficial starters: Vince P. Wojnar and Kyle Garner. Timing and results: Runner&#8217;s High (run high.com).Finish line coordinators: Jim Moran and Dick Daniels. Race directors: Karen Moskel and Don Grose.<style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Holy Redeemer girls runners begin the Wyoming Valley Striders 44th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Invitational Cross Country Races in Dallas. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL090118XC1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Holy Redeemer girls runners begin the Wyoming Valley Striders 44th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Invitational Cross Country Races in Dallas. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL090118XC2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Dallas&#8217; Mitchell Rome takes the lead during the Wyoming Valley Striders 44th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Invitational Cross Country Races in Dallas. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL090118XC2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Dallas&#8217; Mitchell Rome takes the lead during the Wyoming Valley Striders 44th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Invitational Cross Country Races in Dallas. </caption1><photoCredit1>Sean McKeag | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL090118XC3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Crestwood&#8217;s Molly DeMarzo, 13, drinks water after she won the Girls Varsity 5K during the Wyoming Valley Striders 44th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Invitational in Dallas. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL090118XC3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Crestwood&#8217;s Molly DeMarzo, 13, drinks water after she won the Girls Varsity 5K during the Wyoming Valley Striders 44th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Invitational in Dallas. </caption2><photoCredit2>Sean McKeag | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Robert MinerFor Times Leader</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>UPCOMING SCHEDULEMonday: Candlehouse Hope Teen Challenge 5K Run and 1.1 Mile Fun Walk at Kirby Park at 9 a.m. Info: Sally Kinney, 570-592-3725.Saturday, Sept. 15: Scranton Race for the Cure 5K Run &#8212; there is also a fun walk &#8212; at Wyoming Ave. and Adams Ave., near Courthouse Square, Scranton at 8:30 a.m. Info: 570-969-6072.Sunday, Oct. 7: 23rd annual Steamtown Marathon, starting at Forest City Regional High School at 8 a.m. and finishing at Courthouse Square in Scranton. Info: www. race committee@hotmail.com</factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @TLsports</shirttailMeta></div>

Upsets on hand at Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial invy