East Hartford Parks & Rec. Alumni Cross-Country Challenge

East Hartford, CT, August 26, 2002

Results & Story

Results courtesy of East Hartford Parks & Recreation

EAST HARTFORD PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT
50 Chapman Place, Box 1, East Hartford, CT 06108
(860)528-1458, Fax (860)282-8239
juhrig@ci.east-hartford.ct.us
Press Releases		Alumni Cross-Country Challenge Results
08/26/2002
Jim Uhrig, CPRP, Assistant Director
860-528-1458

FURR FLIES and SIMONI SIZZLES at HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI 5K CHALLENGE

Veterans Memorial Park, East Hartford, CT (Thursday, August 15, 2002) A blistering heat wave that gripped Connecticut did little to phase fifty-one dedicated runners who turned out for the 17th annual East Hartford Parks and Recreation Department Connecticut High School Alumni Cross Country Challenge 5K. Despite the heat and humidity of 96 degree New England weather, the runners charged up the first steep incline at the start of the race with grim determination. In fact, the runners got a quick jump on the pace vehicle and surged up the grass slope with aspirations of leaving the all-terrain vehicle in their wake. However, with minimal effort, the vehicle with the infernal combustion engine ascended the grueling grade and overtook the leaders before they had opportunity to gather themselves for a gradual downhill reprieve.

Two runners emerged from the tough uphill start to set the pace for the rest of the pack. Todd Brown, Glastonbury High School-1982, and Rodney Furr, Red Oaks High School Texas-1982, exchanged the lead over the first 1.5 miles of the race. A 5:13 second mile resulted in Furr establishing a gap of twenty yards that he lengthened as he moved towards the finish line. Furr ran up the series of hills in the middle and end of the course with a smooth rhythm and finished in 17:58. Brown finished second in 18:40 and Mike LeMay, Agawam High School-1985, finished third in 19:15.

The women's division featured an early duel between Cheryl Simoni, Wethersfield High School-1984, and Kathy Gvozdas of Middletown South High School, New Jersey-1988. Simoni pushed ahead of Gvozdas on the gradual incline at 1.5 miles into the race. She went on to finish first with a superb time of 20:38 which places her fifth on the all-time list of performances on the course. Gvozdas's time of 21:31 placed her second to Simoni and seventh on the all-time performance list in the 17 years of the race. Both of these women ran impressive times, especially when considering the record heat conditions under which the race was run.

The course is a collection of steep and gradual hills. There is very little reprieve for runners on any point of the course. When the course descends, it does so dramatically. Runners are not given the opportunity to cruise on any portion of the course. There is a certain sense of accomplishment that one experiences when cresting the final hill that overlooks the beautiful Connecticut River Valley. After the race, runners share in camaraderie inside the Veterans Memorial Clubhouse.

Congratulations to all those who completed this year's edition of the High School Alumni Cross Country Challenge. The Department acknowledges its appreciation to Versa Graphics for donating the race t-shirts, John Mozzicato and the East Hartford Golf Course Restaurant for providing the post-race buffet, Runner's World and Bob Moran and the East Hartford Track Club for providing race sponsorships and local television cable access Channel 5 for recording the event for broadcast.

Division Winners
Women 2000-2009 decade - 1. Hannah Wolcott, Suffield Academy 2004, 25:49, 2. Julianna Hassett-Salley, Sacred Heart 2007, 34:06, Blair Izard, Wethersfield 2005, 34:08; 1990-1999 decade - 1. Keron Smith, Loomis Chaffee 1993, 27:04, 2. Juliet Behnken, West Essex 1990, 39:28; 1980-1989 decade - 1. Cheryl Simoni, Wethersfield 1984, 20:38, 2. Kathy Gvozdas, Middletown South, New Jersey 1988, 21:31, 3. Bekkie Wright, Emma Willard 1980, 23:04; 1970-1979 decade - 1. Joan McGuire, St. Mary's 1972, 26:29, 2. Helen Garner, Gautier Benitez 1979, 29:13, 1960-1969 decade -1. Sue Leslie, Manchester 1967, 27:08, 2. Jane Jarrow, Penney 1969, 30:42.

Men 1990-1999 decade - 1. Steven Lamoureux, Windham 1993, 20:28, 2. Paul Doyle, Wethersfield 1991, 20:56, 3. Michael Albrecht, TUM Munich, Germany 1992, 28:17; 1980-1989 decade - 1. Rodney Furr, Red Oaks, Texas, 1982, 2. Todd Brown, Glastonbury 1982, 18:41, 3. Mike Lemay, Agawam, Massachusetts 1985, 19:16; 1970-1979 decade - 1. Dan Hartnett, Wethersfield 1974, 19:42, 2. Michael Munroe, Rockville 1977, 20:24, 3. Rick Urban, Jr., Windham 1972, 20:34; 1960-1969 decade - 1. Jeff Weatherhead, Northwest Catholic 1969, 21:24, 2. John Perra, East Hartford 1961, 28:32, 3. Michael Twarkins, Windsor 1969, 37:06; 1950-1959 decade - 1. Tom Butterfield, Watertown 1954, 23:37, 2. William Gagnon, McKinley, Buffalo, New York 1955, 27:35.

Team Winners
Men 1. Windham High School, 1:01:40, Steven Lamoureux 1993, 20:28, Rick Urban, Jr. 1972, 20:38, Larry Mooney 1978, 20:38. 2. Wethersfield High School, 1:02:17, Dan Hartnett 1974, 19:42, Paul Doyle 1981, 20:56, Brian Zawodniak 1985, 21:39.

Women 1. Wethersfield High School, 1:30:35, Cheryl Simoni 1984, 20:38, Blair Izard 2005, 34:07, Andrea Kopsak 2005, 35:50. First 3 East Hartford or Penney High School Men 1. Rick Konon, Penney 1975, 20:35, 2. Jim Shewokis, East Hartford 1982, 25:03, 3. John Perra, East Hartford 1961, 28:31. First East Hartford or Penney High School Women 1. Jane Jarrow, Penney 1968, 30:32.


 Platt Timing Systems           DATE:  08/15/02  PS FINAL PACE REPORT OVERALL RESULTS -  ALL COMPETITORS
                          2002 EAST HARTFORD CROSS_COUNTRY           
OVERALL                                           AGE/          DIV  
 PLACE   LAST          FIRST        CITY/SCHOOL  SEX  DIV    PLC/TOT   TIME     PACE  BIB
 
   1 FURR           RODNEY B.   VERNON          VT 82 M8089   1/  9   17:58     5:47   24  
   2 BROWN          TODD                        CT 82 M8089   2/  9   18:41     6:01   53  
   3 LEMAY          MIKE        SOUTH WINDSOR   CT 85 M8089   3/  9   19:16     6:12   46  
   4 HARTNETT       DAN         WETHERSFIELD HS CT 74 M7079   1/ 17   19:42     6:21   5   
   5 MUNROE         MICHAEL     ROCKVILLE HS    CT 77 M7079   2/ 17   20:24     6:34   18  
   6 LAMOUREUX      STEVEN      WILLIMANTIC     CT 93 M9099   1/  4   20:28     6:36   38  
   7 URBAN          RICK JR     WINDHAM HS      CT 72 M7079   3/ 17   20:34     6:37   11  
   8 KONON          RICK        PENNEY HS       CT 76 M7079   4/ 17   20:35     6:38   22  
   9 MOONEY         LARRY       WINDHAM HS      CT 78 M7079   5/ 17   20:38     6:39   17  
  10 SIMONI         CHERYL      EAST HAMPTON    CT 84 F8089   1/  6   20:38     6:39   44  
  11 DOYLE          PAUL        WETHERSFIELD    CT 91 M9099   2/  4   20:56     6:44   1   
  12 WEATHERHEAD    JEFF        GRANBY          CT 69 M6069   1/  3   21:24     6:53   29  
  13 BALAVANDER     JOE         PULASKI HS NEW BCT 72 M7079   6/ 17   21:25     6:54   23  
  14 MCLAUGHLIN     STEVE       GLASTONBURY HS  CT 80 M8089   4/  9   21:28     6:55   10  
  15 GVOZDAS        KATHY       WEST HARTFORD   CT 88 F8089   2/  6   21:31     6:56   40  
  16 ZAWODNIAK      BRIAN       WETHERSFIELD HS CT 85 M8089   5/  9   21:39     6:58   4   
  17 BARRIOSNUERO   WILL        SOUTH WINDSOR   CT 71 M7079   7/ 17   21:49     7:02   47  
  18 WOLCOTT        SAM         W. SUFFIELD     CT 75 M7079   8/ 17   21:52     7:03   25  
  19 WRIGHT         BEKKIE      EMMA WILLARD HS NY 80 F8089   3/  6   23:04     7:26   9   
  20 BUTTERFIELD    TOM         WATERTOWN HS       54 M5059   1/  2   23:37     7:37   3   
  21 MELINOSKY      DAVID       SOUTH WINDSOR   CT 87 M8089   6/  9   23:44     7:39   41  
  22 GEORGE         CHRIS       WEST HARTFORD   CT 72 M7079   9/ 17   23:50     7:41   45  
  23 PEKARI-MONGIAT SHEILA      E HAMPTON HS    CT 81 F8089   4/  6   23:59     7:44   12  
  24 FOLEY          BRIAN       EAST HARTFORD   CT 87 M8089   7/  9   24:05     7:46   52  
  25 DRISCOLL       CLINTON     SOUTH WINDSOR   CT 71 M7079  10/ 17   24:21     7:51   49  
  26 WITTMER        JENS        WEST HARTFORD   CT 87 M8089   8/  9   24:42     7:58   33  
  27 SHEWOKIS       JIM         E HARTFORD HS   CT 82 M8089   9/  9   25:03     8:04   19  
  28 DOYLE          PETER       WEATHERSFIELD   CT 73 M7079  11/ 17   25:05     8:05   30  
  29 POTTERTON      RANDALL     BOLTON HS       CT 76 M7079  12/ 17   25:38     8:15   16  
  30 AMARAL         CARLOS      EAST HARTFORD   CT 73 M7079  13/ 17   25:45     8:18   37  
  31 WOLCOTT        HANNAH      W. SUFFIELD     CT  4 NOAGE    /      25:49     8:19   26  
  32 IZARD          THOMAS      WETHERSFIELD HS CT 74 M7079  14/ 17   26:07     8:25   6   
  33 HARRIS         ROB         PRESTON         CT 75 M7079  15/ 17   26:19     8:29   34  
  34 MCGUIRE        JOAN        ST MARYS NEW HAVCT 72 F7079   1/  2   26:29     8:32   14  
  35 SMITH          KERON L.    HARTFORD        CT 93 F9099   1/  2   27:04     8:43   36  
  36 LESLIE         SUE         SOUTH WINDSOR   CT 67 F6069   1/  2   27:08     8:45   43  
  37 GAGNON         WILLIAM     MCKINLEY HS BUFFNY 55 M5059   2/  2   27:35     8:53   13  
  38 ZAWDODNIAK     BRUCE       WETHERSFIELD    CT 79 M7079  16/ 17   27:46     8:57   2   
  39 ALBRECHT       MICHAEL     WETHERSFIELD    CT 92 M9099   3/  4   28:17     9:07   31  
  40 PERRA          JOHN A.     PORTLAND        CT 61 M6069   2/  3   28:32     9:11   35  
  41 WEST           BILL                        CT 94 M9099   4/  4   28:37     9:13   32  
  42 GARWER         HELEN                       CT 79 F7079   2/  2   29:13     9:25   48  
  43 JARROW         JANE        PENNEY HS       CT 69 F6069   2/  2   30:42     9:54   20  
  44 MARQUES        CRISTINA    MIDDLETOWN      CT 88 F8089   5/  6   31:00    10:00   51  
  45 PEDRAZA        SONIA       HAMDEN          CT 88 F8089   6/  6   31:07    10:02   50  
  46 HASSETT-SALLEY JULIANA     PLYMOUTH        MA  7 NOAGE    /      34:06    10:59   28  
  47 HASSETT-SALLEY TIM         PLYMOUTH        MA 77 M7079  17/ 17   34:07    11:00   27  
  48 IZARD          BLAIR       WETHERSFIELD HS CT  5 NOAGE    /      34:08    11:00   7   
  49 KOPSAK         ANDREA                      CT  5 NOAGE    /      35:51    11:33   42  
  50 TWARKINS       MICHAEL     WINDSOR HS      CT 69 M6069   3/  3   37:06    11:57   21  
  51 BEHNKEN        JULIET P.   WETHERSFIELD    CT 90 F9099   2/  2   39:28    12:43   39