TAMAQUA - The undefeated Tamaqua girls' cross country team stayed the course Wednesday afternoon on senior day, riding the legs of its two top runners enroute to sweeping its tri-meet over North Schuylkill and Jim Thorpe.

It was ditto on the boys' ledger for North Schuylkill as it remained spotless, improving to 11-0 overall and 7-0 in Division I of the Schuylkill Cross Country League.The Lady Raiders dominated in running by the Lady Spartans 17-46, and shutting out the Lady Olympians 15-50. On a wet track, Monica Shimko teamed with sophomore Sarah Maue to hit the finish line 1-2 and help propel the team to its seventh straight league win.Surely, it was a challenge to navigate the course under adverse conditions. Shimko raced home in a time of 21:07 to lead all of the lady runners. Maue hit the tape 40 seconds after Shimko at 21:47."You just have to be careful, especially around the turns," smiled Shimko as she made her final run on her home course - one of the tougher courses in the league with a steep hill and a near hairpin curve close to the end of the 3.1 mile race."You've got to be really careful as you come down the hill and you go around the turn, it can really cause you a problem," explained Shimko, who hopes to make a run at the upcoming all-league meet, the District 11 meet and maybe the state meet, something she missed last season.Maue, who made an appearance at states last year as a freshman, knew the weather would have an impact on times."You've got to deal with (the rain) and the mud, it gets in your eyes," she said smiling and happy where she finished under the conditions. "I try and do my best and not let it get to me."Jim Thorpe's top lady runner was Emma Gavornik, with a time of 28:58, while Panther Valley's Mackenzie Lazar, running independently, finished with a time of 29:03.Tamaqua coach Tom Kanger said he is pleased the way the Lady Raiders continue to race."I really thought the girls ran well today," said Kanger. "We've been trying to work on our time gap on fifth, sixth and seventh."Kanger noted the weather conditions can play head games at this time of the season, and added some humor as well."Last week we ran in 90-degrees and here (today) it's in the 60s, but I tell them they can breathe better."The boys' managed a split getting splashed on by the Spartans 19-42, but flipped the tables on Thorpe 21-36. The Raiders record goes to 2-5 in league meets, but Kanger sees drastic improvement."They've run a lot of miles and that team (North Schuylkill) is a very strong team, but we're not that far out. Everyone is trying to run harder and faster."North Schuylkill's Chris McCormick is one of the top boys' runners in the league and could be headed for district gold and a league title. He ran a smooth time of 18:25, besting Tamaqua's Brad Clemson at 18:30.After Clemson, came a quartet of Spartan runners - Sean McCabe Ryan Roseberry, Lenny Bolinsky and Matt McCormick. Meanwhile, Clemson's teammate, senior Adam Melnick, finished seventh overall in a time of 18:51. Jim Thorpe's Ben Saxon placed ninth at 18:54.Clemson said he wants to compete and tried to shrug off the conditions."I love to compete and I try to win. But you can't let the rain get to you."Melnick made his swan song at home saying, "You run you're hardest and hope for the best."BOYSNorth Schuylkill 19, Tamaqua 42Tamaqua 21, Jim Thorpe 36No. Schuylkill 15, Jim Thorpe 501. Chris McCormick (NS) 18:25, 2. Brad Clemson (T) 18:30, 3. Sean McCabe (NS) 18:38, 4. Ryan Roseberry (NS) 18:39, 5. Lenny Bolinsky (NS) 18:41. 6. Matt McCormick (NS) 18:42, 7. Adam Melnick (T) 18:51, 8. George Anthony (NS) 18:54, 9. Ben Saxon (JT) 18:59, 10. Jake Nahas (NS) 19:00, 11. Austin Roseberry (NS) 19:36, 12. Colin Abrensfield (NS) 19:40, 13. Alex Roseland (T) 20:13, 14. Noah Rodgers (JT) 20:15, 15. Mike Russell (NS) 20:17.GIRLSTamaqua 17, North Schuylkill 46Tamaqua 15, Jim Thorpe 50No. Schuylkill 15, Jim Thorpe 501. Monika Shimko (T) 21:07, 2. Sarah Maue (T) 21:47, 3. Kailee Carroll (T) 22:22, 4. Brinn DeAngelo (NS) 22:45, 5. Nicole Wasserleben (T) 22:58, 6. April Gerber (T) 23:57, 7. Genevieve Beck (T) 24:21, 8. Lottie Mateyak (T) 24:23, 9. Chloe Stravinsky (NS) 24:42, 10. Sara Ryman (NS) 25:20, 11. Kailyn Erbe (T) 25:22, 12. Arianna Ryan (T) 25:54, 13. Brianna Dumond (T) 26:14, 14. Jennie Li (NS) 27:28, 15. Emma Gavornik (JT) 28:58.