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Vogel Wins 5th WVS Trail Run BY VINCE WOJNAR KINGSTON TOWNSHIP, PA--Scranton's Phil Vogel successfully defended his crown in the ninth annual Wyoming Valley Striders Trail Run at Frances Slocum State Park on Sunday, May 14, 2000. Vogel, 38, won the grueling race, which is approximately five miles in length, in 34:57. He outran second place finisher Joe Maskalis, 19, of Dallas, by 27 seconds. Frank Yanko, 44, of Gouldsboro, was third in 36:08. The win was Vogel's fifth for the Mother's Day race. He also has won the fall version four times. Vogel led as the runners backtracked through the start/finish area, but Maskalis was breathing right down his back. Maskalis eventually pulled in front of Vogel with about two miles remaining in the race and stayed in the lead for about a mile. "I thought that he [Maskalis] would die going up the hill," said Vogel. "But he didn't. He actually went up the hill pretty quick. I rested. I actually walked part way up the hill, saving myself for the way down. Then I let it rip going down the hill." Vogel's strategy paid off. He soon took over the lead for good, finishing strong, knocking off nearly a minute from his 1999 winning time of 35:49. Mountaintop's Maria DeRojas-Moulton stopped Jen Stec-Gagliardi's Spring Trail Run winning streak at five, capturing the female division crown in 41:13. Tunkhannock's Sandy Howard, 42, finished second in 42:26. Stec-Gagliardi, 25, of Benton, placed third in 42:42. "This was my first time racing in the Spring Trail Run," said DeRojas-Moulton. "And I just turned 40, so it's my first race as a Masters. So I'm excited about the win. MALE Overall 1. Phil Vogel 34:57 FEMALE Overall 1. Maria DeRojas-Moulton 41:13
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