GIRLS DELCO CHAMPS PREVIEW (Rose Tree 10-08-2005)
submitted by Coach Bill Coren(Strath Haven)
HISTORY MAY HAPPEN THIS SATURDAY!!!
Senior Katie Kelly of O\'hara may become the only girl in the 30+ years of the meet to win 3 DELCO XC Individual Titles. She won as a freshman and a junior and was 2nd as a sophomore. It appears there are 7 other girls who have a legitimate shot at this cherished individual championship. Among the
contenders are two phenomenal freshmen--Shannon Lally of Radnor and Devon Kane of Notre Dame--sophomore Beth Kelly (Katie\'s sister)--juniors Natalie Finnerty of Marple, Liz Milewski of Radnor and Colleen Boland of Prendie--and another senior, Lisa Vienneau of Strath Haven.
Beth Kelly finished ahead of Katie at Steel City, but Katie is strong at Rose
Tree! Finnerty has run the fastest time of all this year at Rose Tree. Boland has been steadily improving! Lally, Kane, and Milewski (2nd last year) have all run low times at the Rose Tree course. Vienneau (a 5:00 miler) is starting to
believe she\'s a XC runner having beaten Lally and Milewski for the first time
last week in a tri-meet.
As a COACH I like to see VETERAN (especially SENIOR) girls win the big
races!!! Therefore, I\'m rooting for the two SENIORS (K.Kelly and Vienneau). Although it would be great for our Strath Haven team if Vienneau came in first---I AM A HISTORY TEACHER and I wouldn\'t mind seeing Katie Kelly MAKE HISTORY by winning DELCOS for a 3rd time!!!!!
As for the TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP---O\'HARA is clearly the favorite!! Coach
John McShay has demonstrated his personal toughness by fighting through some difficult health issues. He has also put together an outstanding TEAM(winning Bulldog and finishing 2nd to potential PIAA STATE CHAMP Chambersburg). O\'HARA was the champ in 2004 DELCOS and returns all 6 of their top runners (K.Kelly #1, B.Kelly #6, Grant #10, Irwin #19, Unger #21, McShay #24). It will take a MAJOR UPSET for another team to steal O\'HARA\'s title!!!
Four teams look to be fighting for the 2nd place trophy! Coach Tom Flanagan\'s RADNOR girls return Milewski #2, Holm #8, and newcomers Lally and Farley--They will need a big race from one of their other girls to score low as their 5th runner. STRATH HAVEN who was 2nd last year returns Vienneau #11, Johnson #15, Dickson #28, and a much improved Alice Vienneau (Lisa\'s sister). Kristen Kildea who was 3rd last year will
be returning for this meet after a 4 week lay-off from a stress fracture of the
ankle. Coach Coren will be holding her back a little and therefore he will
need maximum efforts from his other girls!
PRENDERGAST, ably led by Coach Anthony Carr, has depth and looks to be rounding into shape (Anthony has already rounded into shape from visits to the Boathouse). PRENDIE returns #12 Boland, #16 Benner, #20 Gannon, #23 DePompeo and Senior Kelli Fierras. Phil Riley\'s team at CARROLL is still young and his girls always improve throughout the years. Amanda Cosful #17 leads a group of Yankowich and the Rettew sisters giving them a chance this year and in the future!!
IT SHOULD BE A GREAT MEET!!! COME ON OUT---VARSITY GIRLS at 3:30 BOYS 4:00!!!!! (Other races start at 2:00)