East Stroudsburg sophomore Payton Falkenstein, a Burlington Township graduate, won her 1st conference title Saturday at the PSAC Championships.
Falkenstein ran an indoor PR 17:51.68 to win the 5,000 meters at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships at Lehigh’s Rauch Fieldhouse in Bethlehem.
Falkenstein, Slippery Rock junior Ruthie Hughes and Edinboro junior Kate Szep were together in the lead pack much of the race, with Hughes leading and Szep 2nd. Falkenstein moved into 2nd with three laps to go and took the lead for good on the final lap, closing in 34.80.
She finished seven meters ahead of Hughes, who was 2nd in 17:53.16. Szep finished 3rd in 18:02.34.
Falkenstein is East Stroudsburg’s 1st conference champ at 5,000 meters in 32 years, since Jenn Moyer won the 5 and 10K at the 1993 meet.
Her time is No. 8 in school history indoors.
Falkenstein is also No. 8 on the all-time East Stroudsburg outdoor list with her 17:36.93 from a meet this past April at Bucknell. Three spots above her is Northern Burlington graduate Laura Mason, who ran 17:23.24 in 1985 and went on to compete in the 1992 Olympic Trials at 10,000 meters.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 