VALLEY SPORTS REPORT: ATHENS' DENLINGER NAMED BOYS CROSS COUNTRY 'RUNNER OF THE YEAR,' TIOGA'S WOOD TOP NEWCOMER IN 2022 (2022-11-22)
Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY — Athens senior
Ethan Denlinger was the No. 2 runner on the Wildcats for the majority of the season, but peaked for the postseason and earned a berth in the PIAA Championships. He is the 2022
Valley Sports Report Boys Cross Country “
Runner of the Year.”
Tioga freshman
Talon Wood is the 2022 “
Newcomer of the Year.”
Denlinger, who missed out on a trip to States by just 1 second as a junior, placed 19th at the District 4 Championships to punch his ticket to Hershey this year. He placed 164th at States.
During the regular season, Denlinger finished seventh at the NTL Coaches Invite, 10th at the Owego Invitational, 12th at the Bob Greene Invite, and 36th at the Chenango Valley Invite.
Denlinger finished 29th at the prestigious McQuaid Invitational in a time of 17:12.9, which was good for 260th in the merged results — in a field of 2,182 runners.
Wood placed 29th at Section IV, Class D Championship, 27th at the IAC Championships, and 14th at the IAC South Divisional championship.
During the regular season, Wood finished 25th at the Whitney Point Invite, 38th at the Owego Invitational (Small School Division), and 75th at the Bob Greene Invite.
The 2022 All— Valley Boys Cross Country team:
Ethan Denlinger, senior, Athens: See above.
Ethan Hicks, sophomore, Athens: Hicks, who was the No. 1 runner for the Wildcats for the majority of the season.
Hicks was 34th at the District 4 Championships, and fifth at NTL Coaches Invite.
During the regular season, Hicks was eighth at Bob Greene Invite, ninth at the Owego Invitational (Large School Division), and 11th at Chenango Valley Invite.
Hicks finished 13th at the prestigious McQuaid Invitational in a time of 16:44.7, which was good for 143rd in the merged results.
Thomas Hurd, senior, Tioga: Hurd never quite reached the times he ran as a junior. He finished 17th at the Section IV, Class D Championships, missing out on a return trip to States.
Hurd placed fifth at the IAC South Divisional championship, and 15th at the IAC Championships.
During the regulars season, he finished eighth at Whitney Point Invite, 27th at the Owego Invitational, and 29th at Bob Greene Invite.
Nate Prickitt, senior, Athens: Prickitt was consistently the No. 3 runner for the Wildcats this season.
Prickitt finished 49th at the District 4 Championships, and was 31st at the NTL Coaches Invite.
He finished 29th at the Owego Invitational (Large School Division), 57th at the Bob Greene Invite, and 59th at the Chenango Valley Invite.
Prickitt finished 133rd at the prestigious McQuaid Invitational in 18:52.8.
Ronel Ankam, sophomore, Athens: Ankam solidified his spot as the Wildcats’ No. 4 runner early in the year.
He finished 42nd at the NTL Coaches Invite.
During the regular season, Ankam was 36th at the Owego Invitational (Large School Division), 59th at the Bob Greene Invite, and 66th at the Chenango Valley Invite.
Ankam finished 171st at the rugged McQuaid Invitational in a time of 19:28.7.
——————
IN PHOTO: Athens senior Ethan Denlinger (left) and Tioga freshman Talon Wood.
——————
Boys Cross Country "Runner of the Year"2022 — Athens’ Ethan Denlinger
2021 — Athens' Matt Gorsline
2020 — Waverly's Collin Wright
2019 — Waverly's Collin Wright
2018 — Waverly's Collin Wright
2017 — Waverly's Collin Wright
2016 — Athens' Camden Allen
2015 — Athens' Gabe Herbst
2014 — Sayre's Nick Sweet
2013 — Sayre's Nick Sweet
2012 — Sayre's Nick Sweet
2011 — Tioga's Brenden Walker
2010 — Tioga's Brenden Walker
2009 — Athens' Matt Millard
