Saturday was an exciting day of building for the Dock boys cross country team.
Micah Salvatori and Rylan Purnell made their 5-kilometer debuts to help the Pioneers score as a team for the first time in two years. The minimum of five guys to score as a team finished to enable Dock to place 20th at the Dutchmen Invitational at Union Canal Tunnel Park in Annville, Pa.
Aaron Sensenig paced the team for the second straight race. The junior captain ran 20:36.1 for 153rd place. His finish time was an improvement over his season opening race finish.
Josh Frederick was Dock’s No. 2 finisher. The sophomore ran 23:45.0 to take 236th place in his second 5k of the season.
Salvatori was barely a minute behind as the Pioneers’ third finisher. The sophomore was 245th overall in 24:48.5 in his first race for Dock.
Christopher Moore ran through a leg strain that had flared up the day before, and he ran an extra portion of the course adding a segment to the second loop of the course, yet still came within one minute of his season best. The senior ran 29:06.3 for 265th place.
Purnell finished up his first week on the team with an inspiring effort. The sophomore finished his first 5k in 269th place in 31:39.4.
Dock will compete in its first Bicentennial Athletic League meet Thursday at Tyler State Park.