(This story was updated to add new information.)
TITUSVILLE — Kam Skelton ignored Satchel Paige’s No. 1 maxim.
The Mercyhurst Prep cross country runner did look back near the end of Saturday’s District 10 Class 1A boys final.
It wasn’t a risk, though, as nobody was remotely gaining on the sophomore.
That was the case for most of a race Skelton won in breezy but otherwise ideal weather at Titusville’s Ed Myer Recreation Complex. His first-place time of 16 minutes, 9 seconds was comfortably faster than the one for Seneca silver medalist Anthony Galkowski (16:23) and Lakeview bronze medalist James Alexander (16:24).
Skelton placed one spot higher in the individual standings than his initial postseason appearance there. He was second to Rocky Grove graduate Ethan Knapp for last season’s district 1A final.
“I wasn’t going to lose this time,” Skelton said. “I’d like to thank my coach (Dave Stolar) for that because he pushed me so hard this offseason. I knew this (race) was going to be hard to win because there’s so many guys here who wanted that same thing.”