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Bonner & Prendie Athletics

Home of the Friars and Pandas

Bonner & Prendie Athletics

Home of the Friars and Pandas

Team News.

Team News

6.0 years ago @ 11:52AM

Foundation Invitational Brings Hope Towards States & the Future

For 11 years the Foundation Invitational has been a preview for PIAA State Championships. This meet, run on the PIAA State cross country course, brings out the best in the state to compete with a little more than a month to the big Championship day. 

The meet for the Friars meant something else. This meet was meant for the current seniors to see where they are headed going into Championship season AND it was made to see how the youth of the team will hold up in touch conditions. 

Tony Harper finished 4th overall in the race, putting him in the mix for the top 50 athletes in PA right now. Tony is one of the returning state medalists from a year ago as he looks towards making his senior year his best yet.

The senior was followed by two freshman, Brian McGarrity (18:29) and Billy DiRita (20:00), both running their season best times on the tough course. 

The freshman were followed by sophomore Arian Ravenell, who also ran a season and personal best time of 22:39. 

Arian was followed by junior Sean Milligan at 22:57 then senior Bobby Ulmer at 23:37. 

The team showed that their future is a bright one heading into DELCO Championships on October 7th at Rose Tree Park. 

Team News

6.0 years ago @ 9:03AM

Blood & Sweat: This is XC

The heat may have put some damper on times at the Briarwood Invitational on Saturday, but that did not stop the Friars from performing admirably. 

Tony Harper lead the way, medaling and finishing 7th overall running a 17:09 in the Varsity Challenger race. Freshman Brian McGarrity was the Friars #2, running an 18:31. 

While those performances were great, Billy DiRita did something admirable as a freshman. While on one of the toughest hills on the course, Billy got tripped, fell, bloodied and bruised, got up and finished the race. Bonner Alumnus Ron Gionta, who was a spectator at the meet, put it best:

We observed an incident that was most likely not reported to the officials and was costly to one of your runner’s .   To me, the incident was unnecessary but caused quite a display of character and courage by your runner. 

Accordingly, we saw Billy DiRita get tripped by another runner on the downhill and fall very hard to the ground, rolling down the hill.  Nevertheless, neither the incident nor the bruises defrayed Billy from racing.  He immediately got up, disregarded his bruises, regained his composure and stride and continued to race.  He also became determined to beat the tripper.  He caught up to the tripper and beat him to the finish line.  

After the race, as we washed his road rashes and bruises from his face, back, arms and knees, he told me “I got tripped and beat him” – the character of a true sportsman.

Arian Ravenell took command as the Friars 4th man, running 22:26, with a pack of 3 runners (5, 6, and 7) a few minutes behind.

JV Race: Sean Milligan and Mike Gross showed high favor by putting up solid times! Sean went 23:40, with Mike not far behind at a 24:01.


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