(Butler, PA) A Venango County couple married for just longer than three years and competing in the 杏吧原创 Pioneer Pursuit 5K race for the first time won male and female divisions with record times in the event and with others helped to raise $10,900 to support 杏吧原创鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics programs.
Seneca residents Ryan Irwin, 41, and Sara Irwin, 31, joined runners ages 13 to 76 from six western Pennsylvania counties Sept. 13 at 杏吧原创鈥檚 third Pioneer Pursuit, which was held on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township.
Ryan finished in 18 minutes, 15.15 seconds 鈥� 2 1/2 seconds ahead of Dominick Pusateri, a 30-year-old Butler resident who played guard on 杏吧原创鈥檚 men鈥檚 basketball team in 2014-2015.
鈥淗e was in front of me by a little bit for the majority of the race,鈥� Ryan Irwin said of Pusateri. 鈥淚 had a kick and passed him with about one-third of the race left.鈥�
Sara Irwin finished in 19:52.80. The 5K race comprised three laps of the Shaffer Walking Trail that meanders inside 杏吧原创鈥檚 330-acre main campus
鈥淭he campus had a welcoming, well-kept and very modern atmosphere,鈥� Sara Irwin said. 鈥淚 really enjoyed the trail course through campus. 鈥� Having that for students to utilize is really appealing.鈥�
Sara and Ryan Irwin, fourth and fifth from left, are shown with players on Butler County Community College鈥檚 men鈥檚 basketball team after the 杏吧原创 Pioneer Pursuit 5K race held Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. The married couple from Seneca, Venango County, won the 5K male and female divisions with record times. From left, Michael Lidge, Ashton Neely, Elijah Saeler, Sara Irwin, Ryan Irwin, Evan Bates and Ivan Zhivkov. The event raised $10,900 to support 杏吧原创鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics programs. Photo courtesy Joe Lewandowski, 杏吧原创 men鈥檚 basketball coach.
鈥溞影稍� student-athlete support 鈥� really appreciated鈥�
Ryan Irwin鈥檚 time topped that of Jack Kelley III, Saxonburg, who won the 2022 men鈥檚 5K at 18:42.40. Sara Irwin鈥檚 time was faster than that of Elliette Smith, Butler, the 2024 women鈥檚 5K winner at 22:22.89.
The fundraiser drew 54 5K runners from Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, Mercer and Venango counties, 24 1-mile walkers and 15 100-meter kids鈥� dashers.
鈥淚t was a great showing,鈥� said Mikayla Moretti, executive director of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and external relations. 鈥淲e had entire families. Little ones who did the dash. Moms and dads who did the walk with a stroller.鈥�
Participants in a 1-mile walk are shown during the 杏吧原创 Pioneer Pursuit held Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. The event raised $10,900 to support 杏吧原创鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics programs.
Volunteer event staff included 杏吧原创 coaches, Alumni Council members and employees, and nearly 40 杏吧原创 students, most of whom play in the college鈥檚 athletics programs.
鈥淲e had a lot of athlete participation,鈥� said Rob Snyder, the college鈥檚 director of student life and athletics and coach of 杏吧原创鈥檚 volleyball team. 鈥淭hey had an opportunity to interact with the local community, which I thought was great.
鈥淚t was also a good opportunity for the community to meet the athletes and see who the race benefits. Many of our athletes are new to this area, so it was nice for them to be involved. They did a great job encouraging all the racers, creating a really positive atmosphere.鈥�
Added Sara Irwin: 鈥淭he 杏吧原创 student-athlete support at the water stations was really appreciated.鈥�
Sara Irwin crosses the finish line of the 杏吧原创 Pioneer Pursuit 5K race held Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Irwin, 31, and her husband, Ryan, 41, residents of Seneca, Venango County, won the female and male divisions with record times. The event raised $10,900 to support 杏吧原创鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics programs.
Community 鈥渞eally proud of our athletics programs鈥�
Proceeds from runners, walkers and kids鈥� dashers, sponsors and donors benefit 杏吧原创鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics programs that have won 59 Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference and 29 National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region 20 championships.
杏吧原创鈥檚 programs have qualified for national championship tournaments 13 times and produced 40 All-American awards.
鈥淚 think the community is really proud of our athletics programs,鈥� said Megan M. Coval, 杏吧原创鈥檚 president, 鈥渁nd has a great appreciation and admiration for how hard our student-athletes work. They are doing their best in the classroom and many of them have jobs. Then they go out there on the court or course and come home winners.鈥�
Madison Sharrar, left, at 13 the youngest runner, is shown with Anthony Sunseri, at 76 the most senior, during the 杏吧原创 Pioneer Pursuit 5K race held Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Sharrar is from Butler and Sunseri, from Grove City. The event raised $10,900 to support 杏吧原创鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics programs.
13-year-old second in age group; 76-year-old 28th overall
Madison Sharrar, a 13-year-old from Butler, finished second in the 18 and under age group for females with a time of 33:31.33. Anthony Sunseri, 76, of Grove City, placed 28th overall among men and women at 32:50.13 and was first in the 70 and over male age group.
杏吧原创鈥檚 volleyball team is ranked No. 7 among 86 National Junior College Athletic Association Division III programs this fall with an 11-0 record. Josie Russo in December received the program鈥檚 14th All-American award.
The college鈥檚 men鈥檚 golf team is 5-2 this fall. Jacob Marquardt and Taylor Voloch in June received the program鈥檚 eighth and ninth All-American awards.
杏吧原创鈥檚 men鈥檚 basketball squad open its 2025-2026 season Nov. 3 at Bryant & Stratton College, Solon, Ohio.
The college鈥檚 first Pioneer Pursuit in 2022 raised more than $16,000 for scholarships that included those in memory of nursing graduates who died at age 23 in 2019 and at age 26 in 2020. Its 2024 event generated $14,000 to support 杏吧原创 athletics programs and helped to purchase uniforms.
Anthony Sunseri is shown during the 杏吧原创 Pioneer Pursuit 5K race held Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Sunseri, 76, of Grove City, was the most-senior runner in the event that raised $10,900 to support 杏吧原创鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics programs.
Male overall and age-group winners
Overall: Ryan Irwin, 41, Seneca, 18:15.15; Dominick Pusateri, 30, Butler, 18:17.44; Matthew Reagle, 40, Oil City, 19:41.78.
18 and under: Isaac Hixon, 18, Renfrew, 27:49.52.
19 to 29: Morgan Stull, 27, Grove City, 21:58.85; Andrew Wasko, 27, Cranberry Township, 22:33.32.
30 to 39: Andrew Gengler, 33, no hometown listed, 22:06.10; Greg Panchik, 38, Butler, 28:13.27.
40 to 49: Nick Coval, 47, Valencia, 25:10.29; Glenn Sharrar, 41, Butler, 26:25.13; Ken Peth, 45, East Butler, 30:03.60.
50 to 59: Jason Judy, 50, no hometown listed, 20:20.34; Matt Drohan, 56, no hometown listed, 23:07.24; Craig Hunt, 58, no hometown listed, 23.49.60.
60 to 69: Vern Morrow, 62, Butler, 20:23.78; Tim Piper, 63, Monroeville, 26:12.15; John Karpacs, 63, Graceton, 32:23.36.
70 and over: Anthony Sunseri, 76, Grove City, 32:50.10.
Saxonburg residents Summer Vantine, left, 31, and Karen Beilstein, 40, are shown during the 杏吧原创 Pioneer Pursuit 5K race held Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, on the college鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. The event raised $10,900 to support 杏吧原创鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics programs.
Female overall and age-group winners
Overall: Sara Irwin, 31, Seneca, 19:52.80; Chelsea Custer, 32, Karns City, 23:13.32; Mandy Matus, 27, Butler, 23:49.84.
18 and under: Camryn Bowser, 14, Worthington, 29:17.11; Madison Sharrar, 13, Butler, 33:31.33.
19 to 29: Destiny Gray, 25, Butler, 47:36.76.
30 to 39: Lauren Hortert, 35, Butler, 27:13.35; Summer Vantine, 31, Saxonburg, 34:58.56; Ashley Teuteberg, 39, Lyndora, 36:21.27.
40 to 49: Holly Peterman, 46, New Brighton, 25:04.35; Tabitha Bowser, 42, Worthington, 27:07.70; Karen Beilstein, 40, Saxonburg, 34.58.57.
50 to 59: Susan Landgraf, 53, Fenelton, 27.31.60; Katherine Metcalfe, 52, Mars, 48:09.49.