This meet always produces some clues about the coming season, and this year was no exception, as a frosh burst onto the scene to win the varsity girls race, a senior set a course record, and a defending state championship team showed they may be even stronger.
(Liz Kearins, CB West, (#247) surprised everyone in the final mile, including Bensalem senior Ashley Kelly, posting a strong 19:30 for the win.)
And that's a good place to begin. Hatboro-Horsham's girls are coming off a AAA state championship in cross country, losing their number one runner. Not to worry, just plug in two super freshman, Kerry Swayne and Brittany Sullivan, add 800 ace Caitlyn Klaas, a junior, and spice it up a bit with seniors Anna Baker and Meghan Ryan, and then take five of the first 11 spots for 37 points. Oh, the spread on the top five was just 1:04, and their sixth and seventh girls, a senior and a sophomore both finished in the top 19. This team should be nationally ranked,and probably will be after this performance. Their #1 in this race. Swayne, in 19:37.
Swayne was third, to senior Ashley Kelly of Bensalem, 2nd in 19:35, and another frosh, Liz Kearins of Central Bucks West, who dominated the final mile in oppressive conditions to win in 19:30.
(Steve Hallinan took the lead after a blistering 9:50 two-mile in the heat and humidity, to set a course record 15:39.)
And as hard as it may be to believe, the guys race was just as entertaining, with O'Hara senior Steve Hallinan coming into his final campaign in even better shape than last year, setting a course record of 15:39. Those who chose to match his opening 9:50 at the two-mile could only watch as he cruised to the win. "I felt like I could have gone faster that last mile," Hallinan explained after his record-setting race. Sophomore teammate Greg Thomas grabbed the mantle of next up-and-coming O'Hara leader, getting 2nd in 16:02, while chasing down Hatboro-Horsham senior Mike Kenny over the final 20 meters.
And this is just the first meet.