Thanks go out to all those that prayed for perfect weather for Dock Distance Night.
Those prayers were answered with a wind-free, beautiful Wednesday evening on the brand new Dock track that lent itself to a bevy of bests.
In the boys 800 meters alone, 14 of the top 16 finishers ran either a season or personal best.
Distance Night brought together competitors of all ages – elementary school youth to middle school to high school in age specific races, and then adults for a pair of open events.
The Pioneers delivered some of their finest performances of the season.
In the first race of the night for Dock high school athletes, Sadie Bernd ran a season-best 6:08.99 for second place in the girls 1,600 meters. Claire Nyce was third taking nearly 10 seconds off her personal record to lower it to 6:13.28. She just edged out Neva Peterson, who dropped nine seconds off her best to run 6:13.34.
Ryan Ykoruk ran under 5:30 for the boys 1,600. The freshman placed 13th overall in a personal best of 5:29.91. Isaac Snedigar ran 5:52.13 in his first time in the event. Coming out of the second heat, Aaron Sensenig ran 5:25.90 for 12th place overall.
Tessa Moyer was second in the girls 800 meters in a season best. The sophomore ran a District 1 AA automatic qualifying time of 2:34.22. She is already qualified automatically in the 1,600. Lydia Sensenig ran a personal best of 2:43.51 for third place. And Ella Lee debuted in the 800 with a 3:43.70 clocking.
The boys 800 had the most entries of any race, and the three heats did not disappoint. Xander Morsby competed hard in the second heat and ran 2:12.46, a time that puts him fifth in the district rankings. Out of the first heat, Bennett Briggs closed strongly for a 2:18.68 finish that also has him on the edge of the top 10 in the district. Cade Jackson debuted with a 2:24.31 time and Roman Kurian ran 2:28.42. Snedigar ran 2:36.17 in his first open 800.
The 3,200 closed out the night for Dock athletes with many of them doubling back in the longest high school event. Moyer ran a personal-record 12:44.67 for second place in the girls race. The other three Dock girls were running it for the first time this year. Lydia Sensenig closed fast for third place in 14:06.80. Peterson ran 14:15.68, and Nyce debuted at the distance in 14:23.26.
For the boys, Ykoruk was consistent throughout his debut at the distance and ran 11:59.87. Aaron Sensenig ran 12:09.03 in his first time running the event this year.
Other Dock related highlights from the evening were Asher Sensenig winning the elementary 800 in 3:10.07, and Esther Snedigar making her track debut in both the elementary 800 meters and 1600 meters. Aria Morsby ran 2:49.66 to win the middle school girls 800.
Steve Dvorchak won the open 5,000 meters in 19:30.63 with Dock alum Michael Gunden second in 21:46.80 in his final preparation for a marathon this weekend.
Also notably, nationally ranked eighth-grader Mackenzie Skelly won the middle school girls 1,600 in 4:54.75. Another acclaimed eighth grader, Berkeley Marcelis ran 11:06.22 to win the middle school girls 3,200 with Sophia Klein running 12:03.82 for second. Souderton High boys coach Jimmy Stevenson won the open mile in 4:37.53. Dock senior James Steinmetz ran 6:00.48 and Gunden cruised 7:11.95.
The full Dock team returns to action at the Whippets Invitational at Downingtown West on Saturday.