BEV TOMASAK LEADS PATTY PHILLIPS IN THE WOMEN’S OVER-50 DIVISION.

‘W’ is for Win at Wyoming Valley
Striders Cherry Blossom 5 Miler

WILKES-BARRE, PA--In the battle of the Chris Ws, Chris Wasnetsky jumped into the lead after the gun sounded and put pressure on Chris Wadas throughout the 37th Wyoming Valley Striders Cherry Blossom 5 Miler to pull away for a 34-second win on a 60-degree day in Kirby Park. The 22-year-old University of Scranton runner, Wasnetsky, and the 29-year-old Miseracordia University coach, Wadas, were clearly the class of the field as it was four minutes back to the next runner. Wasnetsky, who had won this race in 2009, broke the course record set by Wadas in 2006.

Twenty-two-year old Samantha Snead of Moscow (PA) had as large a margin of victory in the women’s race, winning by more than two minutes over Deedra Porfirio of West Pittston.

Third placer John Evangelista of Blakely was the top Masters male and with that performance took a clear lead in the Striders triple-crown competition which includes the Winter’s End Run and the upcoming Summer 10K. Snead is the women’s triple-crown leader.

Third place woman, Ann Zoranski of Swoyersville, held on for the women’s Masters championship by 27 seconds over Lynn Dolan of West Wyoming.

MASTERS WINNER JOHN EVANGELISTA, DAN THOMAS, WOMEN'S WINNER SAMANTHA SNEED, AND FORMER WINNER PAUL LEONARD

The course was changed from the previous year’s course because high water levels in the Susquehanna River rendered last year’s course muddy. This year’s course on the Kirby Park dike was a course from an earlier version of this race as this course has changed numerous times over the years.

1. Chris Wasnetsky 25:32
2. Chris Wadas 26:06
3. John Evangelista 29:31
4. Paul Leonard 29:38
5. Samantha Snead 30:17
6. Pat Leonard 30:51
7. Dan Thomas Jr 31:30
8. Brian Thomas 31:36
9. Will Butkiewicz. 31:44
10. Dave Mitchell 31:56
11. Brian Krypel. 32:05
12. Jay Albers 32:36
13. Deedra Porfirio 32:32
14. John Zawadski 32:36
15. George Dunbar 32:56
16. Forest Hawkins 33:39
17. Joe Kichilinsky 33:48
18. Jeff Austin 34:07
19. Paul Manley 34:20
20. Dave Juinta. 34:32

MASTERS WOMEN’S WINNER ANN ZORANSKI

21. Bob Strungis 34:40
22. Ann Zoranski 34:45
23. Flash Barchick 34:57
24. Tim Clark 34:58
25. Lynn Dolan 35:12
26. Bob Warnagiris 35:50
27. Kerry Zawadski 36:04
28. Karen McLaughlin 36:08
29. Robert Miller 36:15
30. Joe Stanitis 36:31