Cross country finishes regular season; Runners break personal records

     On Sep. 27, the cross country team went to a Harford Invite at the Churchville Rec Center.

     The girls came in second overall, with senior captain Finley Lavin leading for the team in tenth place with a time of 21:11. Next was sophomore Eden Hussung in 13th place with a 22:01. In third for the team was junior Ava Carberry in 15th coming in at 22:16.

     The boys placed fifth overall, junior captain James Ortt leading in third with a time of 16:53. Next was junior Austin Parry in seventh with a 17:41. Third was junior Blake Carberry, who came in at 19:18. 

     This was Parry’s favorite course because “it is flat.”

     This was also junior Valentina Angulo’s favorite course because “[she] ran JV and was able to win the race.” She was coming out of a tendonitis injury. “I had to do a lot of preparation like warm and massage my leg and then I took a couple of supplements to help my endurance,” she explains.

     The Hawks boys and girls cross country teams won their first and final home meet on Oct. 4.

     First for the girls’ team and second overall was Lavin coming in at 23:57. Behind Lavin was freshman Kendall Chandler, who got a 24:20. Next, coming in fourth was Carberry with a time of 24:54.

     First for the boys’ team and second overall was Ortt, finishing at 20:03. Following him was Parry with a time of 20:18. In third for the team and sixth overall was Carberry with a 21:08.

     Eight teams returned to the Churchville Rec Center for UCBAC Chesapeake Championships on Oct. 11.

     Coming in second as a team, the girls had Lavin leading in 12th with a time of 20:57. Right behind her with times of 21:05.5 and 21:05.9  were Chandler and Hussung, respectively.

     The boys came in seventh, Ortt placing sixth overall finishing at 16:34. Close in second for the team and 13th overall was Parry with a time of 17:19. Third and 39th overall was senior captain Ben Iampieri with a time of 18:57.

     The runners’ next meet was at the 10th annual Gunpowder Falls Invitational on Oct. 15.

     First for the girls was Chandler with a time of 21:53, followed by Hussung, getting 21:55. Third for the girls was Lavin finishing at 22:01.

     Ortt led for the boys with a time of 17:40. Second for the boys was sophomore, Justin Collins, with a 20:50. Close in third for the team was sophomore Caleb Kerr with a time of 20:58.

     Then, on Oct. 18, the team heads to Harford Tech for a tri-meet.

     In first for the girls and third overall was Hussung finishing at 22:00. Behind her was Carberry with a time of 22:08. Following her was Angulo with a 22:29.

     In first for the boys was Parry getting 18:54 and placing sixth. Next was Iampieri with a time of 19:36, coming in ninth. Third for the boys was Collins, in 14th with a 20:28.

     UCBAC Championships occurred on Oct. 26. The runners returned to Brantwood Regional Park for their last meet before regionals.

     The girls, placing second overall, were led by Chandler, coming in at 21:04. Next was Hussung with a time of 21:30 and Lavin directly behind with a 21:30, too.

     The boys placed eleventh overall. Parry led with a time of 17:29. Second was Collins coming in at 19:28, followed by Iampieri at 19:48.

     Parry does not have any particular method for running other than hoping his competition gets tired faster than him. Angulo, on the other hand, does. “I like to take it easy on the first mile to see if I could keep my pace, and then after I decided I could do [a certain time] easily, I pick it up,” she says.