Photo by Patty Morgan
We are spending the next month or so counting down the top 20 moments of the 2015-2016 year in Pennsylvania track and field and cross country. A few days ago, we took a look Greg Lauray, the Notre Dame high jumper that went from basketball player to track state champ in a matter of months. Today, we'll look at the dominance displayed by the Downingtown West boys at the PIAA Cross Country State Championships in the fall.
After a big win at the District 1 Championship, the Whippets one-upped themselves with a monster effort at states.
Photo by Patty Morgan
Up front, it was the brothers and transfers, Jaxson and Josh Hoey. Jaxson nearly won a wild race to the line with individual champion Jake Brophy, while Josh held on to those two for as long as he could to claim third place. Henry Sappey put together a phenomenal race to take sixth overall. The top three of Downingtown West all broke 16 on one of the state's toughest courses. Those three accounted for an incredible nine points!
The duo of Jake O'Neill and Ben Ryherd took 40th and 54th respectively to round out the scoring five. Drew Alansky was 99th and Shaun Bullock was 190th. There was little surprise when the final results were posted at Hershey. The boys in blue were state champs, scoring just 57 points for the victory.
Read Phil Grove's feature on the state champs HERE.
West didn't stop at Hershey. The Whippets won NXN Northeast a few weeks later behind a seventh place effort by Josh Hoey. It was another blowout in New York, as West won by 43 points. The top seven reflected on their magical season for us with this special Q&A before Nike Cross Nationals in Portland.
2016 will be a much different season for Downingtown West. Jaxson Hoey is graduated and will be at Penn State in the fall. Sappey, too, is gone. Josh Hoey has transferred to Bishop Shanahan. The door is open for another team, but we won't soon forget the Whippets' magical 2015.