TUSCARORA – The challenge between the best girls runners in the Schuylkill League had to be shelved on Wednesday afternoon at Tuscarora State Park.

The potential showdown between Marian’s Tina Capparell and Pine Grove’s Christina DiFalco, the defending league cross country champion, never materialized because DiFakco was injured and not in uniform.

Capparell was a little disappointed because, like all great athletes, she wanted to compete against the best. She never showed that disappointment on the course, however.

Instead, Capparell breezed to the finish line all by herself with a career-best time of 18:55 on the Tuscarora course.

“I have no control over other things, I just want to go out and win,” said Capparell after she ran a one-mile cool-down jog. Although Capparell felt the Hershey Parkview Course – where the state championship are held in early November – is the toughest, she admitted this one is very hard, too.

“This is a tough, challenging course,” said the Fillie senior. “I was excited about the time. It was the best (time) I ever ran here.

“The heat got to me today … the dry air and the leaves made it tougher to run.”

It obviously didn’t slow Capparell too much as she finished 24 seconds ahead of second place finisher Cori McCormick of North Schuylkill.

After the top two runners, Tamaqua made its mark.

A traditional power in cross country, the Raiders had three girls in the top six, led by freshman standout Francis Kabana who was third with a time of 19:40.

“Yeah, I was surprised,” said Kabana about her finish. “But the course wasn’t a surprised. “I’m used to the course because I ran the Truskey Run here every year. I also knew the course from being in junior high race the past two seasons.”

Tamaqua coach Tom Kanger was excited about the showing of Kabana and her teammates.

“Francis really came on as the season went on. I noticed her times were getting better about half way through the season,” he said. “She got stronger and was running with our leaders. She was running with good competition.”

That competition included teammates Kailee Carroll and Sarah Maue, both two-time state qualifiers for the Raiders, who finished fourth and sixth respectively.

Tina Capparell’s sister, Nicole, who is a junior, ran a time of 20:40 good for an overall seventh place.

Lehighton was paced by Tinaya Klotz (22:13) in 17th place. Weatherly was led by freshman Ashley James (23:20) in 35th place. Jim Thorpe’s freshman Tessa Bevilacqua (24:40) led her side with a 50th place finish.

TEAM STANDINGS ... Tamaqua blazed to the top of the heap winning the championship with 33 points. Mahanoy Area (93) was far back in second place. Among local teams, Lehighton (127) was fifth, Marian (131) was sixth, Weatherly (260) was 10th, and Jim Thorpe (315) was 11th. “I was happy and excited with the way I ran and our team winning,” said Tamaqua’s Carroll. “Winning the team race was very important.”

SCHUYLKILL LEAGUE GIRLS

at Tuscarora State Park

Top 5 Finishers

1. Tina Capparell (MC) 18:55, 2. Cori McCormick (NS) 19:19, 3. Francis Kabana (T) 19:40, 4. Kailee Carroll (T) 19:59, 5. Brenna Nagle (P) 20:13

Other Local Finishers

6. Sarah Maue (T) 20:23, 7, Nicole Capparell (MC) 20:40, 9. Brianna Dumond (T) 21:04,11. Lottie Mateyak (T) 21:48, 12. Madelyn Jones (T) 21:51, 17. Tinaya Klotz (L) 22:13, 19. Kelsey Gaston (L) 22:38, 20. Carolyn Mehall (MC) 22:40), 23. Asia Arner (L) 22:45, 24. Oliva Stank (T) 22:47.