By Tim Mastro

WYOMING — Nearly 200 runners and walkers took to the streets surrounding Wyoming Park for the 43rd annual Buffalo Stampede Saturday morning.

Hosted by the Downstate Delaware Striders and Riders, the event known as the “best little race in America” benefits the DDSR Memorial Scholarship for high school students in Kent County. Of the 194 participants, 118 were in the 118 5K run, 56 did the 10K event and 20 participated in a 5K walk.

Julian Jones of Dover, a recent graduate of Caesar Rodney High, was the top overall finisher in the 5K with a time of 17:24.2. Bree Talley, a rising junior at Caesar Rodney, was first in the women’s 5K with a time of 21:22.7.

The men’s 10K winner was Anthony Swierzbinski of Wilmington, finishing in 35:11.8, while Jeanine Heath of Bear was first among women in the 10K with a time of 53:36.5.

The 5K race walk winners were John Fredericks from Brick New Jersey for the men in a time of 37:52.4 and Joann Didiego of Middletown in the women’s division with a time of 43:56.9.

The DDSR awarded handcrafted buffalo plaques to the first-, second- and third-place runners in five-year age groups, beginning with 9 years old and younger up to 80 years old and older. Awards also went to the top five male and female finishes in the 5K walk event. A post-race party was then held at the birthplace of the race — Brown’s Tavern.

Other age group winners included: Thomas Moore (5K male masters), Evan Easton (5K male 10-14), Ian Cain (5K male 15-19), Hunter Parsell (5K male 20-24), Jonathan Whiteland (5K male 25-29), Jeremy Sweigart (5K male 30-34), James Gilreath (5K male 35-39), Kyle Dixon (5K male 40-44), Tom Felice (5K male 45-49), Eddie Arnold (5K male 50-54), Duane Christy (5K male 55-59), Gary Spatz (5K male 60-64), Thomas Zawislak (5K male 65-69), Tom Keating (5K male 70-74), Michael Didiego (5K male 75-79), Dennis Guard (5K male 80 and older), Amy Black (5K female masters), Zella Miller (5K female 10-14), Katherine Outten (5K female 15-19), Jade Gillespie (5K female 20-24), Dara Lindsey (5K female 25-29), Erin Dorset (5K female 30-34), Stacey Webb (5K female 35-39), Heather Elzey (5K female 40-44), Earlene Bouchat (5K female 45-49), Karin Synoksi (5K female 50-54), Martina Thiel-Poblotzki (5K female 55-59), Sarah Gifford (5K female 60-64), Valerie Reihl (5K female 65-69), Sharon Widener (5K female 70-74), Ted Mermigos (10K male masters), Selda Munson (10K female masters), Eli Parfitt (10K male 10-14), Landon Lewicki (10K male 15-19), Dominic Smith (10K male 20-24), Tanguy Vandenberghe (10K male 25-29), Niccolas Albert (10K male 30-34), Nathaniel Graber (10K male 35-39), Chris Hall (10K male 40-44), Gregory Smith (10K male 45-49), Mark Allison (10K male 50-54), Andrew Shearer (10K male 55-59), William Brown (10K male 65-69), Frank Whittington (10K male 70-74), Larry Price (10K male 75-79), Alexandra Luzier (10K female 25-29), Kimi Moore (10K female 30-34), Brandy Dolt (10K female 35-39), Lori Brown (10K female 40-44), Grace Parfitt (10K female 45-49), Elizabeth Snyder (10K female 50-54), Beth Johnson (10K female 55-59), Donna Ornosky (10K female 60-64) and Jean Close (10K female 65-69).