Cooper’s Lake’s hilly terrain doesn’t faze Riverview runners

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, October 24, 2017 | 9:03 PM

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The steep hill that marks the beginning of the Cooper's Lake cross country course in Slippery Rock may not seem as daunting this year to the Riverview boys cross country team at the WPIAL championships Thursday as they seek to qualify for the PIAA meet for a third straight time.

It's not that the Raiders don't respect the lengthy hill that is part of the challenging course, but it pales in comparison to the 1,000-plus-foot elevation changes they ran in the Rocky Mountains this summer.

The Raiders went as a team, along with some parents and alumni, to the Wild West Relay in Colorado in August. The Wild West Relay spanned 200 miles from Fort Collins, Colo., through Wyoming and finished in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Each person was responsible for running three legs on the course, which had a total elevation climb of 16,000 feet.

Riverview senior Ben Barnes placed first in the Deadman's Pass leg, running the 8.5-mile trek that had an elevation change of 1,100 feet in one hour.

For Barnes and the rest of the Raiders, the trip provided a good warm-up for the Western Pennsylvania cross country season.

“Now, we look at the hills around here a lot differently because they're hills, not the mountains we ran out in Colorado,” Barnes said. “I think we acclimated well to the difference, and it really helped us this year.”

Riverview took trips before, including one to New Jersey in 2016, but coach Palma Ostrowski said the Colorado trip was a special one because of how her seniors — Barnes, Mike Komaniak, Ryan Cecil, Rick Smith, Sean Sliben, Mason Racicot, Ben Johnson, Michael McDonough, Nick McShea and Sam Connolly — have been with the program for awhile and all get along very well.

The team stayed in a house together in Steamboat Springs during the trip, which provided a good team building experience for an already close-knit group.

“The Colorado trip really brought us together,” said Komaniak, also a starter on the Riverview soccer team that plays in the WPIAL quarterfinals Wednesday. “We see each other every day at practice during the season, but living in a house together for four or five days in another state brought us together even more.

“With all the views in the mountains … you couldn't ask for a better trip.”

Izzy Komaniak, Mike's younger sister, went on the trip along with Meredith Kocur from the girls team. They didn't participate in the relay but ran behind the runners during certain legs. Izzy enjoyed every aspect of her time in Colorado.

“The scenery was so beautiful,” Izzy said. “When I'm running, I usually don't take the time to look up and appreciate everything. There, I kept my head and looked around at everything that was there. It was so nice.”

Izzy was a state qualifier last year and hopes to join her brother in Hershey again.

The boys and girls teams both enter WPIALs in good form. The boys won the Freedom Invitational last week, and Barnes was the individual winner. The girls tied for third at Freedom.

Barnes is aiming for a top-five finish at Cooper's Lake after placing seventh last year. Komaniak placed 16th last year, and Riverview placed second as a team behind Winchester Thurston.

The seniors on the boys team want one last shot at states and the course in Hershey. They finished 11th at states last year. A top-three finish in the WPIAL would guarantee the team a spot in the PIAA meet.

“This could be the last time I run with a lot of these guys unless they decide to further their running careers in college,” Barnes said. “I'm interested to see how I place, because a lot of the top runners from last year at WPIALs and states graduated.”

“Team-wise, I think we're really strong,” Mike Komaniak said. “I have a playoff soccer game on Wednesday, so I'll be tired, but I'm definitely excited. It'll be difficult, but it'll be worth it.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer.

Tags: Riverview