As a team, the men placed third out of the four programs competing, while the women finished second behind meet winner, Immaculata.
"Today marks the day that I truly felt like a coach." remarked Head Coach
Brian Jennings.
"Every single runner on the Cairn XC team ran with heart. Everything that I've been teaching them since the start of the season was applied today. I saw them conquer hills; apply proper form and breathing patterns, and they worked together as a team. It made me proud to be their coach, not only on the course, but off the course as well. They were graciously cheering and encouraging the other teams that they were competing against, and their willingness to volunteer with the other races throughout the day made me very honored and blessed to be not only their coach, but their brother in Christ. A huge congratulations to Cairn's Senior Runners who were recognized today: Isabella Palladino, Madeline Chase, and Tim Colgan."
The women were led by freshman standout
AyliGrace Munro (Bar Harbor, ME / Mount Desert Island HS) who collected her first individual collegiate victory, topping the field of 19 runners with a time of 25:20.
Junior
Jordan Harvey (Chichester, PA / The Christian Academy) finished next for the Highlanders in eighth place with a time of 30:41, while senior
Isabella Palladino (Langhorne, PA / Homeschooled) finished right behind in ninth place with a mark of 30:59. Junior
Amanda Schlabach (Greenwood, DE / Greenwood Mennonite) placed 14th with a time of 33:37, and classmate
Amber Farrell (Philadelphia, PA / Franklin Towne Charter) rounded out the day for Cairn with a mark of 39:13, good enough for 16th place. All of Cairn's female participants achieved PR's in the event.
The men were paced by sophomore
Nicholas Palladino (Langhorne, PA / Homeschooled) for the first time this season, crossing in ninth place out of the 34-runner field with a PR time of 31:22. Freshman
Titus Dingle (Catonsville, MD / Chapelgate Christian Academy) followed closely behind in 10th place with a mark of 31:25, while junior
Isaiah Castellucci (Gloucester, MA / Landmark HS) earned a PR with a 16th-place time of 34:26. Senior
Tim Colgan (Port Jervis, NY / Homeschooled) placed 21st with a time of 36:14, while junior
Joseph Keeports (York, PA / Central York HS) earned a 23rd place time of 36:22. Freshman
George Sioukiouroglou (Koropi, Greece / Third Lyceum of Koropi) rounded out the day for Cairn in 34th place with a time of 57:37.
The women's and men's cross country teams will be back on the course on Saturday, October 15 when they travel into the city to compete in the Jack Saint Clair Memorial Meet, with the women coming out of the gates at 12:15 p.m. followed by the men at 1 p.m.
