Two teams from the Nest traveled to state championship events with many other teams from Maryland. The golf and cross country teams traveled to state competitions where either the whole team or majority of the team competed.
Hereford High School hosts the MPSSAA State Championship every year for cross country. This course, known as Bull Run is the “most difficult course” in Maryland according to baltimoresun.com.
The girls cross country team came in 8th place out of 14 teams, with junior Eden Hussing placing 33rd (21:41.09), freshmen Brooklyn Eagan placing 35th (21:46.34), freshman Madilyn Coyle placing 40th (22:08.59), junior Natalie Barndt placing 42nd (22:34.20), senior Valentina Angulo placed 50th (22:55.93), senior Ava Carberry placed 57th (23:23.49), and freshman Mallory McCartney placed 61st (23:39.31). There were 108 runners in the MPSSAA 2A State Championship for the girls race.
Barndt feels that she “performed extremely well at states” as she was able to knock “ a minute off” her “previous record at the course.” Her favorite thing was “getting excited and hyper before the race.”. Angulo added that she loves “the people” and the “team camaraderie” during the season.
Coming in 12th place out of 19 schools the boys cross country team also competed at states. There were 148 runners in the MPSSAA 2A State Championship for the boys race. Senior James Ortt placed 38th (17:52.12), senior Austin Parry placed 52nd (18:18.30), junior Justin Collins placed 60th (18:33.46), senior Blake Carberry placed 75th (18:53.01), sophomore Reese Conklin placed 95th (19:37.06), and sophomore Trent O’Laughlin placed 132nd (20:57.24).
Ortt believes he “performed fairly well at states”considering he was “dehydrated” causing him to experience “some problems while running.” Overall he thinks he “still competed” and “finished well.” He expressed that the “team did very good at states” because they were able to “put up good times from the girls and guys teams.” Ortt’s favorite thing “about states was seeing runners from all different counties again” and being able to “make one last good attempt at such a difficult course.”
Before states happened Blake Carberry predicted he would run “under 19 minutes” and it turns out he did, as he ran an 18:53.01. His favorite overall part of cross county this season was the “bus rides” because they were “fun.” He also enjoyed the “people” on the team too.
Golf had athletes also travel to the MPSSAA State Championship. Oct. 23-25 at University of Maryland Golf Course was when the tournament took place. The State semifinal round for 1A/2A took place on Tuesday Oct. 24, then qualifiers from the semifinals competed in the finals the next day, Wednesday Oct 25., according to mpssaa.org. South Carroll High School won the team championship with a combined two day score of 633.
Senior, Cooper Honig made it to the state semi finals and qualified for the finals on day 2. He ended shooting with a combined score of 168. With an 85 on day 1, and an 83 on day 2.
Honig had a “good” experience at states, as he “qualified for the second day.” This was his “first time” at the state championship. He felt as though he “played mediocre” and that he “could’ve played better” but still had a “good experience to go both days.” Being at the course “with the team” and “spending time with everybody” was Honig’s favorite part of the state’s experience. He thinks he did “pretty well” as an overall look at the fall season.
Sophomore Ashley Picha had a “pretty good” and “fun” experience to “enjoy for” her “first time” at states. She was “upset that” she “didn’t make it to the second day” but “still happy with what [she] shot.”The “team dinners” were her favorite thing about being at states in October. This has been Picha’s second season on the team and “overall [she] did better than last year” and she is “happy with how much” she “has improved.”
