Many of the local runners and walkers who reaped their share of the glory in the 2004 Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic Run and Walk, will be trying for a repeat performance on Saturday morning.

In the 20K Open Division, no less than 20 area residents finished among the top 70 entrants, a noteworthy effort considering the quality of the field.

Bellaire’s Jed Perko, a standout runner at Alderson-Broaddus College, and Buckeye Local product Dustin Meeker, who ran for Wheeling Jesuit University, finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Perko was timed in 1:14:08, while Meeker crossed the finish line in 1:15:09, both excellent times for the local duo.

Joe Wade, a 22-year-old from Follansbee, gained the 16th position in the time of 1:18:54, while rounding out the top 20 was Wellsburg’s Mark Simala (1:19:47).

Among the other leading finishers from the Ohio Valley were: 21. Paul Romanek, Wheeling (1:19:53); 24. Ryan Wilson, Cambridge (1:20:33); 26. Mike Black, Cambridge (1:21:07); 28. Ed Tullios, Moundsville (1:22:00); 29. Wheeling Central Catholic High School athlete Tyler Morando (1:22:09); 39. Michael Jebbia, Wheeling (1:24:40); 45. Scott Fry, Wheeling (1:25:18); 47. Marc Seamon, Wheeling (1:25:50); 49. Sean Beresford, Wintersville (1:25:55); 50. Drew Turner, St. Clairsville (1:26:08); 51. Sean Nolan, Bridgeport (1:26:08); 52. Zach Brown, St. Clairsville (1:26:25); 54. Lance Tarr, Wheeling (1:26:30); 55. John Mitchell, Bellaire (1:26:52); 56. Tom Rownd, Wheeling (1:26:53), and 69. Scott Clegg, Sistersville (1:28:10).

Nolan was the youngest of this group, at age 15, with the oldest being 2004 Ogden 20K Classic Hall of Famer Tarr, who was 49 at the time.

The 19-year-old Wilson was the men’s 19-and under age group winner, while Wade was No. 1 in the 20-24 division.

Walt Seamon, of Wheeling, won the men’s 60-64 title with a clocking of 1:31:54.

Local age group winners on the female side included: Wheeling’s Katie Przybysz, first in the 19-and under division at 1:43:44; Patti DeGasperis, Wheeling, winner of the 55-59 age group in 1:49:50; 2005 Hall of Fame inductee Marti Stephen of Wheeling, who led the way in the 60-64 division with a time of 1:56:29; and Ella Jane Custer, then age 74, who won the 65-and up title with a time of 2:32.55.

A Wellsville woman, Barb Kornbau, was the Open Women’s Division 20K Walk Champion with a time of 1:56:02.

She improved her performance over 2004 by exactly 10 minutes.

The women’s runner-up in the long distance walk was Wheeling’s Deanna Funari, with a time of 2:15:49.

Seven area men were age group winners in the 20K Walk. On this list were 11-year-old Nicholas Fledderus, Valley Grove, 19-and under; Steve Sayre, Wheeling, 25-29; Steve Dolan, Wheeling, 35-39; Dave Hoskins, Wheeling, 40-44; Gregory Reinauer, Wheeling, 50-54; Floyd McFadden, Bethany, 60-64, and Rollie Woods, Bridgeport, 65-and up.

All but three of the women’s 20K age group walk divisions went to local competitors. The age group winners are Annie Hargleroad, Wheeling, 19-and under; Maria Rohrig, Wheeling, 20-24; Carie Gump, Wheeling, 25-29; Heidi Ferns, St. Clairsville, 30-34; Lee Ann Koehler, Wheeling, 35-39; Maria Hawthorn, St. Clairsville, 40-44; Debbie Kuzma, Martins Ferry, 45-49; and Karen Britt, Wheeling, 50-54.

R.J. Nolte of Barton and Alderson-Broaddus runner Katrina Jones, from Martins Ferry, were the overall male and female winners in last year’s 5K Run.

Nolte, former St. Clairsville High and West Liberty State College athlete, turned in a 17:17 clocking, four seconds better than Daniel Dillon, the runner-up who hails from New London, Conn.

The 23-yar-old Nolte also can brag about the fact that he won a race in a field that included America’s one-time King of Roads, Bill Rodgers. The 56-year-old Rodgers, who came to Wheeling for a liesurely run while on the mend from a broken fibula, was sixth overall in 18:03.

Jones’s winning time of 19:43 was 20th overall in the race.

The second local 5K male was Wheelingite Shaun Gainer, a 20-year-old who was timed in 17:30.

Among the area runners winning their respective age groups were Andrew Lewis of Shadyside (20-24); T.J. Doan of Barnesville (25-29); Roger Zimmerman of Jewett (45-49) and Gordon Downie of Wheeling (65-and up).

On the female side, the local winners included Wheeling’s Rachel Lewis (20-24); Shadyside’s Jodie Weber (25-29); Wheeling’s Stacey Wiethe (30-34); Sherri Nett of Glen Dale (40-44); Diana Vargo of Wheeling (45-49).

Mouse Yoker of Barton, second overall, was the male 5K Walk winner with a time of 29:31. The winner was Randy Davis, 42-year-old female from Greensburg, Pa., who broke the tape in 28 minutes, 18 seconds.

Gabe Rine of Wheeling, age 12, was the 19-and under winner among the males with a time of 38:03. The other local male age group titlists were Bill Rhodes of Bridgeport (30-34); Mike Tyburski, Wheeling (35-39); Dwayne Cummings, Wheeling (40-44); Don Zalenski, St. Clairsville (55-59), and Gene Kieffer, also from St. Clairsville (65-and up).

Wheeling residents dominated the female 5K age groups, having winners in Megan Gallaway, age 12 (19-and under); Lacey Davis, (20-25); Andrea Tellagorry (25-29); Tammy Devore (30-34); Ellen Valentine (40-44); Brenda Colvin (45-49); Rosemary Guerrioro (60-64), and Mary Ann Bartsch (65-and up).

Bridgeport’s Winifred Clark took first place in the women’s 55-59 walk in 38:46.

The local contingent will be strengthened even further on Saturday as former Wheeling Park and Wheeling Jesuit University Ricky Moore has entered the race for the first time since 2001. He has been unable to run in the event due to competing in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II championship events.

In his last Ogden 20K Classic appearance, Moore took ninth place overall with the sharp time of 1:06:50.