Warriors runners make impact at States, girls claim bronze

When heading into any championship battle it is usually an advantage to know your competition. On Saturday, when the West Chester Henderson boy’s and girl’s cross-country squads took to the hills of the Parkview course, which borders Hersheypark, they were joined by some of their closest friends from District One as they pursued the PIAA State team championship.

In the ladies class AAA race, Pennsbury, who won the title for the second year in a row, dominated the field of more than 120 teams and 370 runners, and at one point they had five runners in the top 20 positions. But the Warriors would have their say in the outcome.

Led by junior Stephanie Aldrich, who posted a time of 18:58, which was quick enough to claim the state ninth place medal, and senior Amanda Eisman with a 51st time of 19:47, Henderson battled fellow Ches-Mont leaguers Unionville and Downingtown East and held onto second place overall at the two–mile mark.

“It just shows how strong our league is,” said Eisman. "This has been such a great experience and we are so tight as a team, we really work together out there, to be at states is such a big honor, I am very proud of our girls."

The Warriors wound up being eclipsed only by Pennsbury (42 points) and Unionville (129 points) finishing third in the state with a total of 148 points, ahead of Downingtown East (153) and district seven’s North Hills High School. 

As the gun sounded in the boys race the Warriors had their work cut out for them, fighting through nearly 400 sets of legs in an uphill sprint to the first hard right turn just 400 meters into the race.

The course in Chocolatetown, USA, is anything but sweet, as the combination of hairpin turns, narrow bridges and hills that would make a mountain goat whimper, did not allow for the Henderson team strategy of working through traffic together to come to fruition.

Led by sophomores Tony Russell (16:37) and Sam Haugh (16:50) Henderson was third at the one-mile mark, before being surpassed by fellow district mates North Penn and Archbishop Ryan, who actually finished in a tie, but due to the sixth place finisher tiebreaker, the Knights emerged from the fray as the state champions.

Traffic and narrow straights prevented the Warriors from being able to make their trademark late race charge and Henderson wound up with a PIAA state fifth place finish.   

       Girl’s class AAA finishing order  

 1 Pennsbury (1)            42      

2 Unionville (1)          129      

3 Wc Henderson (1)        148      

4 Downington East (1)     153      

5 North Hills (7)         160     

6 North Penn (1)          184      

7 Dallas (2)              212      

8 Mount Lebanon (7)       237     

9 State College Area (6   240    

10 Palmyra (3)             267 

1. Pennsbury

(1)    2  Ann Herman, Sr             18:42    6:02   

5  Sara Sargent, Jr           18:55    6:06   

8  Erica Gray, So             19:09    6:10  

10  Erin O'Connell, Fr         19:19    6:14  

17  Elizabeth Wedekind, Jr     19:43    6:21 

133  Jackie Kahill, Jr          21:56    7:04 

142  Hannah Papazian, Jr        22:10    7:09

Total Time = 1:35:46     Total Places = 42 2.

Unionville (1)   

3  Courtney Smith, So         18:44    6:02  

23  Anne Birkenmaier, Jr       19:49    6:23  

28  Emily Fisher, So           19:55    6:25  

31  Olivia Young, Fr           20:04    6:28  

44  Sam Collins, So            20:17    6:32  

53  Gretchen Mills, Fr         20:31    6:37 

103  Melissa Talley, Jr         21:27    6:55

Total Time = 1:38:47     Total Places = 129 3.

Wc Henderson (1)   

6  Stephanie Aldrich, Jr      18:58    6:07  

21  Amanda Eisman, Sr          19:47    6:23  

26  Sierra Middleton, So       19:52    6:24  

45  Michelle Tracy, Sr         20:18    6:33  

50  Janie Augustyn, Sr         20:29    6:36  

68  Maddie Bixler, Fr          20:51    6:44  

90  Anna Radford, So           21:12    6:50

Total Time = 1:39:22     Total Places = 148  

Boy’s class AAA finishing  order  

1* North Penn (1)          132    

2* Cardinal O'Hara (12)    132      

3 North Allegheny (7)     144      

4 Mount Lebanon (7)       153      

5 Wc Henderson (1)        195     

6 Council Rock North (1   229     

7 La Salle College (12)   236      

8 Great Valley (1)        248      

9 Kiski Area (7)          265     

10 Holy Ghost Prep (1)     278  

 1*. North Penn (1)  

11  Jack Macauley, Jr          16:26    5:18  

18  Dan Davis, Sr              16:39    5:22  

21  Chris Trimble, Sr          16:41    5:23  

40  Ryan Grace, So             17:11    5:32  

42  Matt Molloy, So            17:12    5:33  

65  Hunter Hill, Jr            17:36    5:40 

117  Tyler Johnston, So         18:17    5:54

Total Time = 1:24:07     Total Places = 132 

2*. Cardinal O'Hara (12)   

2  Dan Savage, Jr             16:13    5:14   

7  Mike Biolatta, Jr          16:22    5:17  

19  Ernie Pitone, Jr           16:39    5:22  

25  Chris Pastore, Jr          16:51    5:26  

79  Kevin James, Fr            17:44    5:43  

85  Christian Ostrowski, Sr    17:49    5:45 

128  Jake Sachetti, Sr          18:31    5:58

Total Time = 1:23:48     Total Places = 132 

5. Wc Henderson (1)  

16  Tony Russell, So           16:37    5:21  

23  Sam Haugh, So              16:50    5:26  

46  Bobby Rimkis, Jr           17:15    5:34  

49  Mike Salach, Sr            17:19    5:35  

61  Charlie Grab, Sr           17:32    5:39  

98  Aj Chaborek, Jr            18:03    5:49 

101  Seamus Collins, So         18:06    5:50

Total Time = 1:25:31     Total Places = 195