Sports

old fort 5-miler

By ROBERT MINER bminerbwv140@cs.com

FORTY FORT – Matt Byrne’s Uncle Pat seldom missed watching his nephew compete in a local road race. So it was most appropriate, after Pat Byrne’s death last week, that the 33-year-old from Scranton dedicated his Memorial Day running victory to his uncle.

“This one is for Uncle Pat,” said Byrne, who won the Forty Fort Lions’ 28th annual Old Fort 5-Miler on Monday. The former Scranton High and St. Joseph’s University great led a field of 249 runners to the finish line, in 25 minutes and 42 seconds.

Byrne’s win didn’t come easy.

The former two-time Olympics Marathon Trials qualifier had to outrun Chris Wadas, the 26-year-old from Dallas who has won more Wilkes-Barre area races than any other male during the last few seasons. But in the end, Byrne scored a 14-second victory.

The two runners ran side-by-side for nearly three miles. Byrne put on a little surge just before mile three and moved in front with a slight lead.

“I could still hear his footsteps right behind me,” said Byrne. “I just wanted to keep up an under-5:10 (per mile) pace. But at around mile four, Chris dropped off the pace a bit. And I was able to hold him off for the win. But Chris didn’t fall apart. He stayed close the entire way. He ran a very good race.”

The women’s race was even closer.

Vicki McGrew, 28, of Factoryville, won top honors, finishing 11th overall in 31:06, scoring a four-second win over second-place finisher, Kelly Ochreiter, 29, of Shavertown.

McGrew, who ran for Baptist Bible College, of Clarks Summit, pulled ahead slightly between miles one and two. By mile four, McGrew had increased her lead. But Ochreiter wouldn’t go away.

“As we neared the finish, I could hear her coming up on me again,” said McGrew. “And I thought, ‘Oh no.’ But I managed to hold on for the win.”

Emily Bilbow, 28, last year’s female overall winner, finished fourth among the women in 34:18, earning her the First Female Forty Fort Resident to Finish Award. Derick Reisinger, 15, won the First Male Forty Fort Resident to Finish Award, placing eighth overall in 30:12.

Results of the Forty Fort Lions’ 28th annual Old Fort 5-Miler

Top 15

Matt Byrne, 33, Scranton, 25:42

Chris Wadas, 26, Dallas, 25:56

Jeff Skwiewiz, 25, Tresckow, 26:11

Sean Robbins, 38, Shavertown, 28:28

Robert Moulton, 16, Mountain Top, 29:15

Steve Esposito, 18, Hallstead, 29:43

Adam Staricha, 18, Harveys Lake, 30:11

Derick Reisinger, 15, Forty Fort, 30:12

Mike Kinney, 49, Wilkes-Barre, 30:55

Steve Housenick, 39, Kingston, 31:04

Vicki McGrew, 28, Factoryville, 31:06

John Hilson, 45, Dunmore, 31:06

Ken Vercammen, 48, New Brunswick, N.J., 31:08

Kelly Ochreiter, 29, Shavertown, 31:10

Mike Coco, 45, Exeter, 31:27

Male award winners: Overall (Bernie Hargadon Memorial Award, presented by Hargadon’s widow, Mary Jane): Byrne. First Male Forty Fort Resident to Finish (Eddie Kupstas Memorial Award, presented by Kupstas’ mother-in-law, Chardell Narcum): Derick Reisinger, 30:12. Age group winners: 12 & under: 1. Viny Murthy, Larksville, 33:38; 2. Andy Levandoski, Dallas, 42:31; 3. S. Murthy, Larksville, 47:32. 13-15: 1. D. Adams, Dallas, 36:16; 2. Shane O’Donnell, Drums, 39:17; 3. Matt Gorski, Shavertown, 39:22. 16-19: 1. Robert Moulton, Mountain Top, 29:15; 2. Steve Esposito, Hallstead, 29:43; 3. Adam Staricha, Harveys Lake, 30:11. 20-24: 1. Pete Miller, Shavertown, 35:50; 2. Andy Feil, Shavertown, 35:52; 3. Justin Winter, Nanticoke, 37:37. 25-29: 1. Chris Wadas, Dallas, 25:56; 2. Jeff Skwiewiz, Tresckow, 26:11; 3. Vic Verdekal, Wilkes-Barre, 33:44. 30-34: 1. Brian Hilburt, Wilkes-Barre, 32:40; 2. Joe Dowd, Pittston, 33:48; 3. Jared Godlenski, Old Forge, 34:54. 35-39: 1. Sean Robbins, Shavertown, 28:28; 2. Steve Housenick, Kingston, 31:04; 3. Brian Thomas, Tunkhannock, 32:52. Masters division: 40-44: 1. John Kirby, Scranton, 32:02; 2. Keith Austin, Sweet Valley, 32:44; 3. Fred Lombardo, Kingston, 33:09. 45-49: 1. Mike Kinney, Wilkes-Barre, 30:55; 2. John Hilton, Dunmore, 31:06; 3. Ken Vercammen, New Brunswick, N.J., 31:08. 50-54: 1. Reginald Thomas, Bear Creek Twp., 36:16; 2. Rich Shiptuski, Shickshinny, 36:25; 3. John Jones, Wapwallopen, 36:31. 55-59: 1. Dave Jiunta, Pittston, 33:31; 2. Tom Walski, Nanticoke, 39:05; 3. Jack Neary, Scranton, 40:19. 60 & over: 1. Stewart Harry, Forty Fort, 36:38; 2. Joe Naughton Pocono Pines, 42:31; 3. Mike Fay, Hazleton, 42:39.

Top 5 females

Vicki McGrew, 28, Factoryville, 31:06

Kelly Ochreiter, 29, Shavertown, 31:10

Ann Zoranski, 37, Swoyersville, 33:15

Emily Bilbow, 28, Forty Fort, 34:18

Oliva Flynn, 25, New York City, 34:31

Female award winners: Overall (Kerry O’Neill Memorial Award, presented by Kerry’s mother, Bonnie, and Kerry’s father, Dr. Eddie O’Neill): McGrew. First Female Forty Fort Resident to Finish Award: Emily Bilbow, 34:18. Age group winners: 12 & under: None. 13-15: 1. Ally Popson, Kingston, 40:46; 2. Johanna, McGovern, Ashley, 44:02; 3. Natale Carr, Exeter, 44:15. 16-19: 1. Katie Levandoski, Dallas, 35:12; 2. Stacey Stepniak, Dallas, 38:58; 3. Maril Adams, Dallas, 40:15. 20-24: 1. Maria Demuro, Pittston, 36:56; 2. Kristen Sebashan, Pittston, 38:34; 3. Alison Taroli, Tully, N.Y., 38:38. 25-29: 1. Kelly Ochreiter, Shavertown, 31:10; 2. Oliva Flynn, New York City, 34:13; 3. Erin Moreck, Forty Fort, 37:02. 30-34: 1. Jen Stec-Gagliardi, Benton, 36:16; 2. Kerry Zowadski, Larksville, 37:40; 3. Erin Brown, Forty Fort, 40:00. 35-39: 1. Ann Zoranski, Swoyersville, 33:15; 2. Danielle Gall, New York City, 37:44; 3. Leslie Moran, Scranton, 37:56. Masters division: 40-44: 1. Patty Granoski, Swoyersville, 37:23; 2. Kathleen Rogers, Dalton, 39:20; 3. Cheryl Baur, Shavertown, 40:48. 45-49: 1. Carylon Ritter, Waterbury, N.J., 39:57; 2. Diane Levandoski, Dallas, 40:16; 3. Maureen Van Bloom, na, 41:28. 50-54: 1. Gloria Rawls, Mountain Top, 37:20; 2. Jen Sloot, Sugarloaf, 44:37; 3. Jeannette Kretchik, Wyoming, 44:45. 55-59: 1. Sharon Davies, Mountain Top, 40:29; 2. Lynda Podczasy, Hanover Twp., 45:32; 3. Margaret Fraley, White Haven, 51:01. 60 & over: 1. Jeanne Chisarick, Forty Fort, 55:03; 2. None; 3. None. Field: 270 registered, 249 finishers. Official starter: Bill Scott, incoming Forty Fort Lions president. Timing: Vince Wojnar (Wyoming Valley Striders). Results: Insta Results. Race director: Bernie Popson.

Schedule

Saturday, June 7: West Pittston Anthracite 4-Mile Run and Fun Walk (the run is the second leg of the First Liberty Bank & Trust 2008 Luzerne County Triple Crown) at the West Pittston Borough building, Exeter Ave., West Pittston, at 9 a.m. Info: Sue Alaimo, 655-7782.

Sunday, June 15: Wilkes-Barre Duathlon (3-mile run, 16.9-mile bike, 3-mile run) at Wilkes-Barre Public Square at 7:30 a.m. Info: Nicky Pachucki, 823-2191 or Eric Kranson, 824-4646.