Above: Hampton Head Coach Dean Longwell discusses The Talbots' Victory and the fitness level of his team.
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The Hampton boys pulled off the upset at the Boardman Invitational on Saturday. The 2A squad knocked off the 3A Reigning Champs, North Allegheny, to earn the team title.
Hampton finished first with 148 points, Hoover (OH) finished second with 164, and North Allegheny slotted in at third with 166.
Hampton benefited from a stellar outing from Dale Hall. Hall out-dueled Jack Bertram (North Allegheny). The two remained in stride throughout most of the 5K course, but Hall was able to outkick Bertram in the closing meters of the race. The two crossed the line at 15:36.10 and 15:37.60, respectively.
Above: Dale Hall discusses his race with Jack Bertram as the two top the field.
Hampton then placed its No. 2, Christopher Belch, ahead of North Allegheny's James Behrend. The two teams then exchanged places through the rest of their lineups. In the end, Hampton finished with a 16:27 average, while North Allegheny notched a 16:33 average mark.
Hampton's triumph comes after North Allegheny won last week's Red, White, and Blue Classic. The two teams are developing a rivalry despite their difference in classification.
This victory is a granule of a larger pursuit for the Hampton Talbots. The Talbots are chasing a 2A State Title this year. There is no question that they have the team to get it done, but they have sturdy competition in the group from Grove City Area.
On the Girls' side at Boardman - It was no surprise that PA #1 North Allegheny came away with the trophy.
That squad has been untouchable through the early parts of the year. The Tigers didn't run their entire varsity squad but snagged the title easily and scored 78 points. The next best team finished with 123.
Ultimately, Pennsylvania teams swept the Division 1 (Top Division) races at the Boardman Spartan Invitational.