FAIRMONT — David McCollam, a 29-year-old runner from Bridgeport, and Zach Tennant, an 18-year-old from Fairview, were the winners in the annual Run-to-Read 15K and 5K races here Saturday— an event annually sponsored by the Marion County Literacy Volunteers.
And Heather Bury Parks was a double-winner for the women — placing first in both races held here Saturday morning.
“There was a youth movement this year,” race director Jim Woolfitt said, pointing out that the eight of the top 10 finishers in the combined races were 19 or under. The five top finishers in the 5K race were teen-agers.
McCollam, a former cross country standout at Alderson-Broaddus won with a time of 52 minutes and 5 seconds. That was not a course record but set a new standard for the 20-29 age group.
McCollam placed second in the Run-to-Read half marathon in January.
McCollam edged out David Ciarolla, veteran West Fairmont cross country runner who finished with a time of 54 minutes and 31 seconds.
Sterling Snider of Kingwood was third (55:46) while Jobey Knapton, a former East Fairmont runner, was fourth (57:33) and Murshid Latif, a Morgantown physician, was fifth (57:57).
Heather Bury Parks of Bruceton Mills, a former All-American runner at West Virginia University, was the first-place woman with a time of 1:02:47.
Parks also won the women’s division of the 5K run — becoming the first woman ever to win both races on the same day. She placed 16th overall in the event.
She edged out Chelsea Clark, Polar Bear running standout, who finished nine seconds behind with 21:59, which was good for 16th place.
Chelsea’s father finished one second behind her in the 5K run.
Tennant, a North Marion High School runner in both track and cross country, had a winning time of 16 minutes and 50 seconds in the 5K.
Once again West Fairmont’s Ciarolla crossed the finish line in second place. His time was 18:28.
Tennant had won the 1600 meter championship in the West Virginia state track meet in Charleston last month.
Patrick Stanton, another Polar Bear runner, was third in 18:54 while Neil Bland, North Marion runner and the brother of WVU All-America runner Keri Bland, was fourth while Vinnie DeMarco of Shinnston was fifth in 19:45.
Woolfitt said the oldest runner competing Saturday was Albert McQuain from Bridgeport, who placed 58th in the 5K event. His time was 29:50.
Youngest runner was 9 year-old Daniel Wogoman, who placed 65th in the event with a time of 30:39.
Jamie Brooks of Connellsville, Pa., was the first-place walker with time of 33:10.
Woolfitt said that Brooks also ran in the 15K and placed 51st with a time of 1:19.14 before taking part in the 5K walk.
Woolfitt was pleased with the races.
“We had 78 runners in the 15K which beats our old record by two,” he said. “We also had 20 walkers — the most we had had since 2004.
Local sports
June 22, 2008
McCollam, Tennant win Run to Read
- Local sports
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Christmas fireworks
Fairmont Senior’s boys’ basketball team put on its greatest offensive display in years Tuesday against the visiting Brooke Bruins.
- Conference’s best Fairmont Senior ruled the North Central Athletic Conference in 2009, going through its league schedule unbeaten en route to a 9-1 regular season.
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Future Falcons
Kaitlyn Antolock, Kelsi Wright and Jessica Parsons each had visions of continuing their basketball careers at the collegiate level. The North Marion trio, though, never gave much thought to playing together.
- Hays: Huskies turned the corner in ’09 Daran Hays thinks of himself as a perfectionist. So while part of the North Marion football coach is pleased with his team’s play in 2009, the other half views his first year in the eyes of a skeptic, always wanting a little more.
- Twelve county players named all-NCAC soccer Fairmont Senior’s boys’ soccer team won the North Central Athletic Conference and advanced to the state tournament in 2009.
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Getting revenge
East Fairmont’s volleyball team got a little revenge on Robert C. Byrd when it counted the most.
- Huskies receive dose of bad karma After last year’s loss at Rachel, a defeat that snapped North Marion’s long winless streak, the Huskies figured Elkins would look to exact some revenge Friday night.
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Taken to task
If you somehow aren’t sure of Bridgeport’s offensive philosophy, about what the Indians are all about with a football in their hands, let lineman Zachary Stanley explain.
- Elkins nips North on last-second FG Cory Broughton waited a year to get redemption against North Marion.
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All eyes on Bridgeport
The showdown the state has been waiting to see will take place tonight at Wayne Jaimson Field in Bridgeport.
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