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PITTSTON — Chris McCabe ran to his fourth straight victory and set a course record while Jenny Yonick scored her second win in the Pittston Tomato Festival 5K Run on Saturday.

McCabe crossed the finish line in a record 15 minutes, 39 seconds, slashing nearly 10 seconds off the previous course best, set by the late Tim Thomas, A Bloomsburg University grad, in 2000.

“I feel good about setting a new course record — that was the goal — that’s what I wanted,” said McCabe, 28, a former Wyoming Area standout, who now lives in Carlisle. “I missed the record last year by three seconds. This year I started my kick going down the final hill with about a half-mile remaining. Last year I waited too long before going into my kick. Starting my kick about a quarter of a mile sooner helped a lot.”

Bob Yonick, 35, of Camp Hill and a Penn State grad, finished second in 17:35. Mike Batyko, 33, finished third, 22 seconds behind Yonick.

In 2015, McCabe finished second behind Matt Flynn, of Media, who won the race for the third straight time. The next year, McCabe used a different strategy — pound the hills — and he won, preventing Flynn from scoring his fourth straight victory.

Now McCabe has won four straight and set a new course record besides.

One of the spectators asked McCabe, “Now that you’ve set a new record, will you be back next year?”

McCabe answered, “I’ll keep running this race until somebody beats me. It was really humid here today. But the wet pavement following the heavy rain was just fine.”

Jenny Yonick, wife of Bob Yonick, won overall female honors in 19:42. The 33-year-old, who swam at the club level for Penn State, won easily over second-place finisher, Meg Banigan, 31, of Wynnewood (near Philadelphia), who clocked in at 20:21.

Last year’s winner, Amy Viti, 25, of Sugar Notch, thought she had posted a time close to her winning-time from a year ago. She finished third in 20:38, eight seconds off her 2018 mark.

“Those women running up ahead of me were really flying,” Viti said.

“This is the toughest 5K around,” Jenny Yonick said. “But I raced smarter this time. I normally go out too hard early and try to run in front. But today, I ran behind a pack of three women and waited until 1-1/2 miles into the race before I moved in front.

“Once I took the lead, I tried to maintain my same pace on the hills. The strategy worked.”

Jenny Yonick was a 500-yard freestyle specialist in college. She and Bob didn’t start running until they met at Penn State.

Banigan, who is a Boston College grad, didn’t swim in college, But, like Yonick, she was a long distance specialist swimmer in high school.

Viti ran cross country and track for Hanover Area High School and for Misericordia University.

21st annual Pittston Tomato Festival 5K Run

Results

Top 3 overall award winners

Chris McCabe, 29, Carlisle, 15:39 (course record)

Bob Yonick, 35, Camp Hill, 17:35

Mike Batko, 33, 17:57

Age group award winners: 14 & under: Dan Danilovitz, Moosic, 18:18. 15-19: Lukas Volpetti, Laflin, 18:43. 20-24: Sal Horta, Dunmore, 23:44. 25-29: Jacob Schultz, Pittston, 18:22. 30-34: Josh Stamm, Kingston, 20:12. 35-39: Ryan Grochal, 19:53. Masters division: 40-44: Paul Vanluvender, 19:01. 45-49: Chris Pahoski, 19:07. 50-59: Paul Shaffer, West Pittston, 19:27. 60 & over: Ed Lipinski, 22:01.

Top 3 female overall award winners

Jenny Yonick, 33, Camp Hill, 19:42

Meg Banigan, 31, Wynnewood, 20:21

Amy Viti, 25, Sugar Notch, 20:38

Age group award winners: 14 & under: Ella McKernan, 23:44. 15-19: Aubriana Marranca, 21:18. 20-24: Olivia Lanza, 23:44. 25-29: Taylor Burak, 25:34. 30-34: Tara Remley, Nescopeck, 23:27. 35-39: Kristen Wilce, Duryea, 22:46. Masters division: 40-44: Shelly Walters, 27:34. 45-49: Kris Danilovitz, Moosic, 22:36. 50-59: Kim Shambora, Wilkes-Barre, 27:58. 60 & over: Sheila O’Brien, Scranton, 33:25.

Field: 216. Official starter: Bo Granza. Finish line coordinators: Joleen Lazecki and Melissa Eustice. Timing and results: Jason Geadritics, Scranton Running Company (scrantonrunning.com). Race director: Jay Duffy. Tomato Festival Chair: Lori Nocito (22nd and final year as chair).

Schedule

Thursday: Wyoming Valley Striders’ Valley’s Fastest Man/Woman Series, Race No. 3 (final race of series): Giants Despair Challenge (1-mile uphill race), Northampton Street, Laurel Run, just up from Breaker Brewing Company at 7 p.m. Info: Chris Wadas, 570-592-2820.

Saturday, Aug. 31: Wyoming Valley Striders’ 45th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Invitational Cross Country Races at Letterkenny Fields (home cross country course of Misericordia University), just off E. 42nd St., Dallas Township at 10 a.m. Info: Don Grose, 570-239-5892 or Karen Moskel, 570-406-4029.

Tony Schwab (left), recovering from a stroke and back on his feet, took the 1.5-mile walk with good friend Stanley Waleski.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_2019-Tomato-5K-TL-5-2.jpg.optimal.jpgTony Schwab (left), recovering from a stroke and back on his feet, took the 1.5-mile walk with good friend Stanley Waleski. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

More than 200 runners and walkers participated in the annual Pittston Tomato Festival 5K and 1.5-mile Fun Walk on Saturday morning.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_2019-Tomato-5K-TL-1-2.jpg.optimal.jpgMore than 200 runners and walkers participated in the annual Pittston Tomato Festival 5K and 1.5-mile Fun Walk on Saturday morning. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Jenny Yonick, of Camp Hill, topped the women’s field for the second straight year on Saturday, winning in 19:42:67. Her husband, Bob Yonick, finished second overall.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_2019-Tomato-5K-TL-3-2.jpg.optimal.jpgJenny Yonick, of Camp Hill, topped the women’s field for the second straight year on Saturday, winning in 19:42:67. Her husband, Bob Yonick, finished second overall. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Members of the Pennsylvania State Police take part yearly in the Pittston Tomato Festival 5K Run.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_2019-Tomato-5K-TL-2-2.jpg.optimal.jpgMembers of the Pennsylvania State Police take part yearly in the Pittston Tomato Festival 5K Run. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Saturday’s race benefited Miles for Michael, a not-for-profit local foundation named for Michael Joyce, who died in 2006 after battling esophageal cancer.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Run2.jpg.optimal.jpgSaturday’s race benefited Miles for Michael, a not-for-profit local foundation named for Michael Joyce, who died in 2006 after battling esophageal cancer. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Karen Renfer takes a warm-up trot before the start of Saturday’s race.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Run1.jpg.optimal.jpgKaren Renfer takes a warm-up trot before the start of Saturday’s race. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Wyoming Area alum Chris McCabe points at the timing clock after winning Saturday’s Pittston Tomato Festival 5K with a record time of 15:39.43. It was McCabe’s fourth straight victory in the race.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_web-mccabe.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area alum Chris McCabe points at the timing clock after winning Saturday’s Pittston Tomato Festival 5K with a record time of 15:39.43. It was McCabe’s fourth straight victory in the race. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

By Robert Miner

For Times Leader