Whitehall High School cross country coach Mike Lelko told his Zephyrs that any real runner has to be able to say they ran the Van Cortlandt course in Bronx, New York at least once in their lifetime.

So, Gabe Lamm and Calvin Schneck took Lelko up on his offer to compete at the Footlocker Cross Country Championships on Nov. 30.

Lamm walked away with a fifth place medal in the Junior/Senior Boys Race of the Northeast Regionals. The Whitehall junior was the top Pennsylvania boy with a time of 17:13 over the 5,000 meter course.

Lamm said, "I was very surprised. I was figuring, there's got to be so many great runners. I was just hoping for top 10 to 15, but coming out of the hills, I knew I had a chance to win the race."

High school boy and girl runners from 11 northeast states, including Wahington D.C. and oversees military installations were represented at this meet.

Schneck, a sophomore, placed 35th in the Freshman/Sophomore Boys Race of the Northeast Regionals with a time of 18:12.

Lelko said that Schneck, who just completed his first cross country season, had a good first mile and a good last mile in the race, but that the hills got to him in the middle portion of Van Cortlandt.

Lelko also said that he was not surprised by Lamm's performance, as he has not let up since the state meet by continuing track workouts and lifting weights.

"It was pretty tight at the start, but I got a front spot, so I was happy about that. I started to make a move and pass people on the hills. The finish was just an all-out sprint. There were just so many people at the finish, cheering. I couldn't see how many [runners] were in front of me. At the end, when they gave me the card that said fifth, I was just like, wow," Lamm said.

Lamm is only the second Whitehall High School runner ever to win a medal at this meet, with Matt Kacyon being the other in 2010.

"It was tough, but I enjoyed it. It was a pretty neat course. The weather was cold, and I was glad about that. I really enjoyed it," said Lamm. "I enjoy this."