The Butler Road Race cross country MVP awardees, front from left, Mars' Nathan Mrdjenovich and Natalie Petrini, Knoch's Mandi Moxie and Brandon Grumski, back from left, Seneca Valley's Brett Foster and Angela Mignanelli, Butler's Patrick Fullerton and Holly Keefer, Moniteau's Jacob Taciuch and Emily Rider, Freeport's Colin Meehan and Becca Dudek, Karns City's Bryce Ellenberger and Freeport's Hayley Davis, and Slippery Rock's Andrew Maxwell and Tabitha Donaldson in front of the Butler County Courthouse.

The 39th annual Butler Road Race doesn't take place until June 28.

Its effects continue to be felt at other points on the calendar.

The BRR and Butler Eagle co-sponsor the cross country boys and girls MVP awards, presented to each of the eight Butler County high schools. Those winners were announced recently.

“Our committee has nothing to do with who those selections are,” BRR director Mike Franko said. “We leave that up to the coaches of the respective schools to decide.

“Some coaches go by a straight point system — their most successful runner gets the award.”

Butler cross country coach Rick Davanzati allows his runners to vote on the Golden Tornado recipients.

“I supply them with all of the information from the season, all of the statistics, but they decide,” Davanzati said.

Patrick Fullerton and Holly Keefer are Butler's MVPs this season.

Other MVPs include Nathan Mrdjenovich and Natalie Petrini of Mars, Mandi Moxie and Brandon Grumski of Knoch, Brett Foster and Angela Mignanelli of Seneca Valley, Jacob Taciuch and Emily Rider of Moniteau, Colin Meehan and Becca Dudek of Freeport, Bryce Ellenberger and Emily Schumacher of Karns City, Freeport's Hayley Davis, and Slippery Rock's Andrew Maxwell and Tabitha Donaldson.

“Cross country runners are at it from the second week of August, then they start getting ready for the track season,” Davanzati said. “Still, it's important to give the body a break and scale back some.”

Some of these runners may wind up being BRR scholarship award winners in a few months as well.

“We've given 635 kids scholarship money totaling $338,000 over the past 20 years,” Franko said. “Often times, the MVPs wind up getting that money.”

Criteria for being awarded BRR scholarship money is having a 3.0 grade point average or above at the time of graduation, compete in cross country for at least two seasons — including one's senior year — and be nominated by the school's cross country coach.

Scholarship applications must be turned in by March 15.

All of the MVP winners received a commemorative plaque, courtesy of the BRR and Butler Eagle.