STRATTANVILLE, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Jonathan Hansford was named the Keystone Shortway Athletic Boys Cross Country MVP earlier in the week.
But the Keystone senior still felt like he had a lot to prove at the KSAC Invitational on Thursday afternoon on Clarion-Limestone’s course.
(Pictured above, Keystone’s Jonathan Hansford crosses the finish line to place first at the KSAC Invitational on Thursday afternoon/photo by Diane Lutz)
“This was a pretty high-stakes one for me,” Hansford said. “I had beaten just about everyone in the field in individual meets, but some had faster times than me. I started out farther back, sat in sixth or seventh place just to get a feel.”
Hansford ratcheted up his pace down the stretch and cross the finish like with a winning time of 17 minutes, 27.38 seconds to win the individual championship.
Jonas Wilshire of Clarion was second at 17:5.16 and Dillan Stroup of Karns City was third, finishing in 17:51.25.
Clarion-Limestone was the team champion, thanks to two top-10 finishes in Ty Rankin (sixth) and Drake Edmonds (seventh), as well as top 25 finishes from Logan Powell (17th), Logan Lutz (20th) and Paul Craig (24th).
The Lions, with 70 points, edged North Clarion and Cranberry, which were tied for second, a mere three points behind C-L with 73.
North Clarion, the regular-season champ, was without one of its top runners in Gabriel Fair, who suffered a chipped bone on the top of his foot.
For Hansford, winning was emotional.
After the race, he gave out a yell of excitement and threw his arms in the air.
“It was just really satisfying because of all the work I put in this summer, the last couple of summers, really,” he said. “It just made it all pay off in a tangible way.
“It really didn’t set in until a couple of minutes after,” Hansford added. “It was just pure exhaustion.”
On the girls side, Clarion-Limestone sophomore Adisen Jackson continued her stellar campaign, placing first with a time of 20:24.29.
She edged Cranberry twins Kelsey Hanna and Kayla Hanna.
Cranberry, though, won the team title with 28 points. Clarion-Limestone was second with 32.
Like Hansford, Jackson was the KSAC MVP.
Now the focus will shift to the District 9 meet, which will be held Oct. 28 at Ridgway.
“I definitely have more confidence going into the district meet,” Hansford said. “I made state last year and I expected to return, but you never know.”
Hansford was also thankful to receive the KSAC MVP honor.
“I was not expecting that at all,” he said. “I’m very grateful and thankful for my coach pushing for me and all the coaches voting for me.”
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