Top 25 Countdown: No. 6 ECC boys’ XC 2nd in State for Second Straight Year

Between June 26 and July 30, D9Sports.com Sports Editor Chris Rossetti will be counting down his Top 25 favorites stories in District 9 from the 2017-18 school year starting with No. 25 June 25 and finishing with No. 1 July 30. Again these are Chris’ favorite stories and are open for debate.

(Submitted photo)

No. 6 ECC boys’ cross country finished second in the state for second straight year

In a banner year for District 9 athletics, the performance of the Elk County Catholic boys’ cross country team might get overlooked.

It shouldn’t.

The Crusaders brought home hardware to St. Marys when they finished second in the PIAA in Class 1A for the second year in a row, an impressive accomplishment.

ECC only fell to Penns Valley with the Rams taking the 68-95.

Ben Hoffman led the way for the Crusaders finishing eighth in the state in a time of 16:41. Logan Hoffman (26th, 17:16), Isaac Worthman (31st, 17:23) and Matt Dippold (46th, 17:38) gave ECC four runners in the Top 50, and Jacob Carnovale just missed it being five in the Top 50 when he finished 52nd (17:42). Sam Wolfe and Drew Daghir rounded out the team.

The Hoffman’s, Dippold and Wortman all were key contributors to both the 2016 title and the 2017 title.

Ben Hoffman was also the District 9 individual champion while helping ECC to D9 title.

Chris Rossetti’s Top 25 Sports Stories in District 9 for the 2017-18 School Year

No. 25 – A-C Valley girls win first PIAA playoff basketball game in school history
No. 24 – Two District 9 girls finish in Top 10 at District 9 Cross Country Meet
No. 23 – Jack Krug bursts onto the scene, helps Brookville football return to the postseason
No. 22 – Brendan Zerfoss wins D9 Track MVP Award, two PIAA medals
No. 21 – Cranberry wins District 9 Class 2A softball title
No. 20 – Ridgway/Johnsonburg Co-op Flourishing
No. 19 – Coudersport shoots lights out in beating unbeaten Ridgway for boys’ 2A hoops title
No. 18 – Clarion stops Kane’s run of D9 football titles; Win PIAA Game
No. 17 – Beimel’s dash wins D9 4A baseball title for St. Marys 1st 2000
No. 16 – Led by 4×100-relay team, Brookville boys’ track & field goes back-to-back in D9
No. 15 – Brookville Wrestling Continues Dominance
No. 14 – Brookville girls’ basketball goes from 6-16 to District 9 3A title and second round of PIAA playoffs
No. 13 – Record-setting players in D9 girls’ basketball
No. 12 – Nick Stewart becomes District 9’s all-time leading rusher
No. 11 – Lingenfelter records every out by strikeout
No. 10 – North Clarion girls’ basketball perfect in D9
No. 9 – Miller, Fullem both reach 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds during the season
No. 8 – Tori Obenrader scores 2,000 points, grabs 1,500 rebounds in her career
No. 7 – Conto’s 200th win; Fahlor’s wild D9 title-winning shot highlight another banner year at Karns City
No. 6 – ECC boys’ cross country finished second in the state for second straight year
No. 5 – Coming July 24
No. 4 – Coming July 25
No. 3 – Coming July 26
No. 2 – Coming July 27
No. 1 – Coming July 30