Perkiomen Valley Runners Ready to Hit the Trails

Running cross-country can be a solitary venture, unless you are a member of a Perkiomen Valley team that has won the regular season Pioneer Athletic Conference title twice in the last three years.

The goal of the Perkiomen Valley staff is always to have the Vikings be one of those teams that others try to emulate, setting the tone at meets by working in unison and running together as a pack.

The Vikings boys and girls, along with the contingent from Pope John Paul II, participated in a 21-team meet at Spring-Ford in preparation for the Pioneer Athletic Conference season, at which they had a field of more than 225 boys and 215 girls.

The top finisher for the Vikings was Sean Hodgins, who came in second overall, followed by teammates Connor Lyons, Kevin Gibbons and Jay Pierce.

“We are getting started a meet with all these great teams gives us a gauge of where we are at as a team,” said Lyons, who runs the mile and two mile in the spring. “We are trying to set a good base time for ourselves and really focus on working as a team. That was insane in the girls race when Downingtown East had, like, eight girls finish all within two seconds of each other in one pack. That is what everyone is shooting for.” 

“For the freshman and (underclassmen), it’s important to get as many miles in as possible at this point,” said Perk Valley junior Kevin Gibbons, who finished 12^th overall. “We have a chance to have a great season, we just need to put the work in and push each other.”

In a girls field that featured five other PAC-10 schools, along with Bishop Shanahan, Downingtown East, Upper Merion and state contender West Chester Henderson, the Vikings held their own as senior Kim Nolan crossed the line 13^th overall and was followed close behind by teammate Mallory Snyder.

“We need to keep the intensity up,” said Nolan. “We have an awesome group of girls; we are like a family. We all push each other, but we also encourage each other to run together and when the season gets started we should be in great shape.” 

Sophomore Snyder, who will compete in the mile run in the spring and is in her first campaign as a cross country runner ,has been surprised by the amount of mileage put on the legs of cross country runners.

“I can’t believe how many miles I have put in over the summer,” she said. “We definitely have great speed as a team and a positive attitude.”  

Sarah Brandt, who has run competitively since she was in third grade, will be another set of legs that are heavily depended as the Vikings pursue a PAC-10 title and district bid.

“Cross country is about being a team, said Brandt. ”When you see a group running together like Downingtown East was, it’s very intimidating. All you see are spikes kicking in the air. We are making sure as a group we support and positively reinforce each other all try to keep together in a pack.”