Cross Country Wins Philadelphia Catholic League Championship

The Cross Country team captured the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at Belmont Plateau, marking the first title since 2009, and the 13^th overall in school history (the most in Philadelphia Catholic League history).

The day began with a dominating performance turned in by the freshman team. The team received a tremendous 1-2-3-4 start from Matt Zilligen, the individual champion, and was followed by Matt Szekely, Sean Krumenacker, and Jack Seiberlich who were all just 22 seconds apart . Immediately following Cardinal O'Hara's first runner was Mac Costonis and Dan Timoney finishing 6^th and 7^th. The Freshman team's depth showed with three more runners for a total of nine in the top 15 - Michael Loftus in 12^th, Peter Taylor in 13^th, and Shawn McKenna in 14^th.

Following the Freshman team's outstanding run the Junior Varsity team ran a very tough race to turn back a great challenge by Cardinal O'Hara 25-30 and put up a team performance that would have placed them third in the Varsity race! The JV boys were led by individual champion Greg Galbreath's PR of 17:28. The Explorers then received a 4-5-6-9 finish from Jack Galbreath, Quinn O'Neill, Tommy Farrell, and Sean Egan (to average an outstanding 17:45 for the first five runners). Once again the team's impressive depth was on display with an additional thirteen runners in the top 25 – for a total of eighteen out of the top 25. Twelve of those runner finished under 19:00, including the great races of Spencer Norris in 11^th, Nick Cardamone in 12^th, Kieran Morgan in 13^th, Matt Pires in 14^th, Jimmy Lombardi in 15^th, Liam Ward in 17^th, and Michael Reilly in 18^th.

The Varsity capped off the day with the most exciting race yet. The tremendous pack running that the Explorers have relied on all year proved, once again, be their strength, and carried them to their first Philadelphia Catholic League hubcap since 2009 and 8^th since 2003. The final score was 27-50 for La Salle over Cardinal O'Hara as the team received four outstanding PRs to start their scoring in 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th places from Eddie Goebel (16:41), Evan Addison (16:45), Stephen Paul (16:49), and Frank Livolsi (16:54). They were close behind the two returning PIAA State Medalists from O'Hara (Rob Morrow 1^st in 16:22, and Ryan James 2^nd in 16:30). The scoring was finished off by the gritty run from senior captain Patrick Grant in 9^th place (17:00). Again, depth was on display with Brendan Price grinding out a 13^th place finish (17:07) and Nick Camusi closing well for a PR in 15^th (17:23) – so that all seven runners earned 1^st team All –Catholic (added to the list of other All-Catholics – 1^st Team: G. Galbreath, J. Galbreath, O'Neill, Farrell – for a total of eleven 1^st teamers, and Honorable Mention: Krummenacker, Zilligen, and Reilly – for a total of fourteen All-Catholics).

The team will return to Belmont Plateau on Thursday, October 29, 2015 for the PIAA District XII Championship. The top two boys AAA teams (plus the top ten individuals not on those teams) will qualify for the PIAA State Championship in Hershey, PA on Saturday, November 7, 2015.