Youth challenged experience in both the men’s and women’s races in the second annual Pittsylvania XC Challenge on November 11 on the hilly Frick Park 8K course.

Marathoner Eric Shafer (30-34) and miler Dan Mazzocco (16-19) each won their age group with ease, and Shafer edged Mazzocco by one second for the overall title: 26:41 to 26:42.

Shafer won All-American honors twice in cross-country at Indiana University of PA (’91), and Baldwin High’s Mazzocco won the Pennsylvania High School 1600m title last spring.

Shafer and Mazzocco–along with third place finisher Dave Hackworth–made it easy for the Pittsburgh Pharoah Hounds to win the men’s team title with 18 points.

West Penn Track Club veteran Sharon Meeder (30-34) and Norwin High’s Natalie Rothrauff (16-19) staged the same scenario in the women’s race, but Rothrauff won in 34:46.

Five runners won their age group for the second straight year: Mazzocco (16-19), Betsy Schauer (20-24), Dan Holland (30-34), Meeder (30-34), and John Harwick (65-69).

Sandy Onofray repeated as the women’s Masters winner. She won the 40-44 title last year in 37:02 and cut off 15 seconds to win the 45-49 title this year in 36:47.

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