FALL 2018 SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
GIRLS’ CROSS
COUNTRY
Team Finishes the Season Strong
I
t was a muddy, rainy, slippery, and windy day in
Hershey when the Foxes’ girls’ cross country team
competed at the PIAA Class AAA championships for
the third consecutive year. This year, they placed fifth.
“The competition and talent this year were unbelievable,”
said senior Sarena Seeger, who placed fifth individually, was
designated as first-team all-state, and was the Foxes’ top
runner all season.
Grace Sisson, a junior who
achieved second-team all-
state status, placed ninth,
which was pretty impressive
considering she ran most of
the race without a shoe.
“A girl stepped on my heel
right after the first mile, so I
just kicked it off,” she said.
“It wasn’t too terrible running
without it, other than it was
really muddy and rocky, and
going across the gravel and
down the slippery slope was
a little difficult. It felt a little
weird, but I made it through,
and I’m incredibly happy with
my finish.”
The other members of the medal-winning team were seniors
Anna Folkerts and Annika Urban, junior Brooke Krally, and
freshmen Gabby Klein and Riley McIntyre. Another freshman,
Rachel Grimsley, made the trip as an alternate.
The trip to Hershey came after the girls placed third at
WPIALs and finished the season undefeated in their section.
Last year, the team won its first-ever PIAA championship.
Two of the girls who have been instrumental in the team’s
strength over the last four years are Sarena and Annika, who
will be graduating in 2019. They both qualified for states all
four years of high school.
“We are going to miss them because they are great girls, great
runners, and our program has grown, largely because of
them,” said Coach Tom Moul. “But Grace and Brooke will be
back, and we’ll see who else steps up next year.”
BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY
Runner Happy with His Big Finish
L
ast year at the PIAA Class AAA Boys’ Cross Country Championships, Christian
Fitch finished 30 th . Frustrated and far from satisfied with those results, he
worked even harder over the past year, began lifting weights, and motivated
himself by setting lofty goals.
This year, on a swamp-like, rocky course that was more like a Slip ‘N Slide ® in places,
Christian earned the about-face he wanted – the junior placed fifth (qualifying him for first
team all-state status), with a time that was six seconds better than where he ended up in 2017.
“Last year was a perfect day, but I still ran better this year during awful conditions,” said the
junior. “Until now, I’ve always felt that I’ve underperformed at big races and faltered at states.
I was just so happy that I finally had my best performance at the biggest race of the year. To
be able to finish the year with a succession of strong races really made me happy.”
This was the third year that Christian advanced to the state’s most difficult race. Prior to
qualifying this year, he ran some impressive races, including winning the Gateway Invitational
and the WPIAL Class AAA Section 4 individual title, and he placed third as an individual
qualifier at WPIALs.
22
FOX CHAPEL AREA