The smallest school in the Schuylkill League pulled off another Hoosier-like performance Wednesday afternoon at scenic and picturesque Tuscarora State Park.

The Weatherly boys captured a second straight cross country league championship edging Minersville, 76-79.

In addition to beating the Miners, this band of Wreckers had to fend off several big schools - some with four times the boys’ enrollment as tiny Weatherly.

A year ago, it was the “captain” Scotty Zoscin, pumping his teammates up, pumping his legs harder and faster. Although he is now graduated, his impact still lingers.

“Scotty Zoscin inspired all of us last year, and we still feel his emotional support, said the Wreckers’ Jacob Parker. “We wanted to do something for a second time that no other Weatherly team did before.”

Parker and teammates Ricky Ray, Michael Berger, Frankie Willis, Tim Maguschak and Nathan Tripp did exactly that.

The Wreckers ran a terrific race according to their coach, Ryan Kately. They wanted to run in packs, they wanted to run with nerves of steel and determination - and they did all those things.

“Last year was great ... this year is even sweeter,” Kately said. “We lost our leader from last year in Scotty (Zoscin), and we’ve gone through injuries and tribulations. But this just feels great.”

Second-place Minersville - which is also one of the smaller schools in the league - had the best runner in the field in senior Landon Bovie.

The pre-race favorite, Boyle hit the finish line in a time of 16:23. Boyle’s time was 24 seconds ahead of second-place Deago Olavo of Shenandoah Valley.

However, the day belonged to the Wreckers.

“We knew this was going to be really tough, because we felt it was going to be the hardest race to win,” Parker said after he ran the course in 16:58 to finish third overall. “It was really tough competition.”

Ray - who was ill and missed Weatherly’s meet last week - added an eighth-place finish.

“I was sick last week, and I came in really nervous,” said the senior, who finished in a time of 17:26.

Wrecker junior Mike Berger added a 10th-place finish in a time of 17:40.

“I was nervously excited,” Berger said. “This is the best feeling ever. I’m so happy.”

Willis was euphoric, too, even though he twisted an ankle in the last mile, but managed to stay upright and finish in 20th place.

“I’m just so glad that we won it … but the guy who really got us here was Timmy Maguehack (35th place). He is a first-year runner, and he put us over the top.”

Tamaqua, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton and Marian finished fifth, sixth, seventh and 12th, respectively, in the team standings.

“We came a long way from the start of the season,” Tom Kanger, the veteran Tamaqua coach, said about his entirely underclassmen-comprised squad. The Raiders were paced by freshman Levi Kunkel, sophomore Stephen Keiffer and freshman Anthony Marchetti.

Like Tamaqua, Jim Thorpe’s runners will all return in 2022. The Olympians were paced by a trio of juniors in Ryan Bailor, Ridec Snyder and Jordan Remmel.

Lehighton’s top runners were sophomore Owen Serfass, and senior Kaden Kresge.

Marian was led by Albin Petschauer and Alex Porambo.

On the girls’ side, North Schuylkill unseated reigning champion Blue Mountain to capture the team title, as well as the overall Division I title in a run-off. Both teams ended the regular season in the division with 13-1 records.

The overall race favorite held true to form as one of the Schuylkill League’s finest runners, the Eagles’ Olivia Haas, raced past the field to win the top spot overall in a time of 18:04.

Tamaqua standout senior Grace Stegemerten had a big-time run with a fourth-place finish in a time of 20:24. Jim Thorpe’s Nicole Carroll hit the tape in a time of 21:08 finishing ninth overall, while Marian’s Grace Curnow placed 14th with a solid time 21:39.

Jim Thorpe hustled its way to a fifth-place finish despite not having its top runner, Kaylen Bos, who was out sick, but could possibly make it back for next week’s District 11 meet. Tamaqua added a sixth-place finish, Lehighton was eighth and Marian ninth.

Schuylkill League

Cross-country Championships

at Tuscarora State Park

BOYS

Team Scores

1. Weatherly 76; 2. Minersville 79; 3. Blue Mt. 80; 4. Shenandoah Valley 131; 5. Tamaqua 139; 6. Jim Thorpe 159; 7. Lehighton 160; 8. Pine Grove 230; 9. Pottsville 251; 10. Tri-Valley 259; 11. North Schuylkill 259; 12. Marian 277; 13. Nativity 321; 14. Mahanoy Area 370.

Individual Results

(top five plus other locals by school)

1. Landon Bovie (M) 16:23; 2. Diego Olavo (SV) 16:47; 3. Jacob Parker (W) 16:58; 4. Justin Williams (NS) 17:03; 5. Cole Schaffer (BM) 17:09.

Weatherly

8. Ricky Ray (17:38; 10. Mike Berger 17:40; 20. Frankie Willis 18:22; 35. Tim Maguschack 19:22; 61. Nathan Tripp 20:30.

Tamaqua

21. Levi Kunkel 18:25; 28. Stephen Keiffer 18:43; 29. Anthony Marchetti 18:52; 30. Adam Schock 18:53; 31. Jessie Gormley 18:56; 32. Brody Boyce 18:57; 66. Jayden Krell 21:13.

Jim Thorpe

12. Ryan Bailor 17:42; 14. Ridge Snyder 17:58; 15. Jordan Remmel 18:02; 49. Bowden Chicarelli 19:47; 69. Evan Rosenbrook 21:18; 75. Ehren Hassler 21:55; 85 Ethan McClure 23:01.

Lehighton

11. Owen Serfass 17:43; 26. Caden Kresge 18:40; 39. Brandon Hall 19:18; 41. Bandon Johnson 19:24; 43. Bradley Yenser 19:28; 45. Nick Zeigenfuss 19:35; 71. Jacob Hall 21:29.

Marian

18. Albin Petschauer 18:11; 33. Alex Porambo 18:58; 72. Robert Jones 21:31; 76. Alex Cornmesser 22:03; 78. Lachlan Segedy 22:16; 87. Ryan Berbe 23:53; 89. Jacob Mummey 23:58.

GIRLS

Team Scores

1. North Schuylkill 50; 2. Blue Mt. 57; 3. Pottsville 93; 4. Tri-Valley 141; 5. Jim Thorpe 141; 6. Tamaqua 142; 7. Sch. Haven 156; 8. Lehighton 184; 9. Marian 201; 11. Mahanoy Area 210.

Individual Results

(top five plus other locals by school)

1. Olivia Haas (BM) 18:04; 2. Ryley Schwalm (NS) 19:13; 3. Katie McCormick (NS) 19:38; 4. Grace Stegemerten (T) 20:24; 5. Adra Schell (P) 20:37.

Jim Thorpe

9. Nicole Carroll 21:08; 21, Isabella Acker 22:49; 24. Megan Rosahac 23:10; 38. Oliva Renode 24:47; 49. Brooke McKeon 26:22.

Tamaqua

4. Grace Stegemerten 20:24; 27. Mia James 23:51; 30. Isabella Jones 24:12; 40. Samantha Plasha 24:49; 41. Hailey Williams 24:59; 44. Ashley Jones 25:24; 50. Calista Fannock 26:51.

Lehighton

16. Katie Wojton 22:18; 29. Giana Sube 23:58; 35. Timara Klotz 24:39; 51. Julia Smith 26:57; 53. Abigail Meckes 27:22; 56. Sarah Dishong 28:57; 58: Elizabeth Troutman 30:16.

Marian

14. Grace Curnow 21:39; 36. Emma Ashfield 24:43; 45. Isabella Genao 25:27; 52. Kerrigan Digris 27:13; 54. Rebecca Boyle 28:19; 59. Alyssa Porambo 31:32