Burlington Township’s Payton Falkenstein placed 5th overall and led East Stroudsburg to 2nd place in the NCAA Division 2 Atlantic Region and a berth in the Division 2 Championships later this month.
Falkenstein, a junior, ran 21:32.5 over 6,000 meters at the West Branch Cross Country Course near Lock Haven, Pa. She was East Stroudsburg’s 1st finisher.
The top three teams earned auto bids to the NCAA Division 2 Championships, scheduled for Nov. 22 at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course, which is listed as being in Kenosha, Wisc., but is actually just north of Kenosha in Somers, Wisc.
East Stroudsburg’s XC web site hasn’t realized yet that the women’s XC team has qualified for nationals, so I can’t tell you the last time that happened or how often it’s happened or what their best finish is. Maybe later in the week they’ll get around to writing about this terrific achievement.
Davis & Elkins of Elkins, W. Va., won the team title 58-113 over East Stroudsburg.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 