Quaker Valley’s Wicker, Cohen shine at MAC cross country championships

By: Karen Kadilak
Friday, October 11, 2019 | 5:28 PM

Quaker Valley girls cross country did not have enough runners for a team, but still packed a powerful punch in the Midwestern Athletic Conference championship meet Oct. 9 at Beaver County’s Brush Creek Park.

Senior Annie Wicker (20 minutes, 36 seconds) and sophomore Anna Cohen (20:58) placed second and third among 108 individuals in the varsity race, which brought together schools from Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties and western Allegheny County.

Wicker had hoped to do better after finishing close to two seconds behind Moon sophomore Mia Cochran (18:45).

“My goal was to be a little more competitive up front,” Wicker said. “It’s frustrating, but we’re going to move on and focus on WPIALs.”

Wicker will be seeking her third consecutive WPIAL Class AA title Oct. 24 at Cal (Pa.).

Junior Julia Kubinski and freshman Riley Holles competed.

On the boys side, the Quakers came in sixth of 19 teams.

Senior Daniel Ford (17:09) led with fourth place among 141 individuals.

Ford said it was a good tune-up for the WPIAL championship, in which he finished third last season.

“The course features a few hills, which we are going to see at the WPIAL course,” Ford said. “The race gave our team confidence going into the WPIAL (meet) as we got a better idea as how we can compete as a team.”

Junior Nicolas Pascarella (18:57) and freshman Luke Hotchkiss (18:58) placed 31st and 32nd.

“Keep an eye out for them,” Quaker coach Jim Cohen said.

Cohen said senior Bobby Patterson, the Quakers’ fourth runner, is doing well in his first season in cross country.

Junior Owen Wagner, sophomore Henry Wagner and freshman Freddy McCullough were other competitors.

“The boys team is young and deep, and it will be fun to watch them develop over the next few years,” said Cohen, in his first season at the helm.

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