By Ed Farrell

Herald Assistant Sports Editor

IT’S THE small school that boasts a big heart. What speed is to football, hand-eye coordination is to baseball and core strength is to hockey, you have to have heart to compete in cross country.

And when it comes to developing harriers with heart, there’s none in Mercer County better than Jamestown High.

During the recent District 10 Championships the Muskies’ Derrick Mausser became the tiny hamlet’s latest harrier to qualify for the annual PIAA Championships.

Only a sophomore, Mausser makes six state qualifiers coach Drew Frew has forged during his 13-year tenure as Muskies’ mentor. After maneuvering through the muck of Buhl Park’s course to place 17th at D-10 in a time of 18:40, Mausser joined Jamestown alumni Ethan Adams, Curtis Harnett, Amy Henegan, Sarah Fry and Melissa McClure to reach the statewide stage.

“I feel great. It feels amazing,” Mausser admitted. “States was my goal ... It’s amazing, it’s great, I love it. I never saw myself going to states in cross country.”

“We knew that Derrick had the potential to have a good race (Saturday), and he ran a good, smart race,” Frew praised. “He has a great work-ethic and is a high-quality young man.”

An A-B student (considering matriculating at Slippery Rock University) who also plays basketball and competes in track and field, Mausser was introduced to “my best sport, my favorite sport” — long-distance running — by Adams.

“He was a senior when I was in eighth grade and he went to states, and he’s been helping me ever since,” Mausser related.

“Ethan’s always been a great fan of Jamestown and our athletics, and cross country was always very special to Ethan,” Frew related. “He took some time (Friday) night, even though he’s away at college (Rochester Institute of Technology), he made a trip home ... he did make the effort, and it was nice for Derrick, and I know Derrick appreciated that. And it’s good to kind’ve pass that along from runner to runner.”

Adams’ advice?

“He just told me to stay with the pack and have fun,” the seemingly subdued Mausser explained.

“It’s a special event when it happens, and I can’t be happier for Derrick, that he’s going to get that honor,” Frew said. “The honor he has already achieved — just participating in the state meet, is something — but we’ll talk about goals, set goals. But just getting out of this district and being down there, I think, is going to be very satisfying for him. I honestly think he was probably more overwhelmed by this competition (District 10) than he might even be next week (at Hershey).”