By Alex Frazier
North Penn lost its bid to defend its district title as the Knights fell to West Chester Henderson, 67-191.Council Rock North came in third and Hatboro-Horsham rounded out the five-team qualifiers in fifth with 226 points.
“I was so excited when I heard we made it,” said Hatter sophomore Sam Hibbs. “We ran a lot better as a team than we did last week at leagues. Some of our kids stepped up in the middle. I had a lot better race than I did last week when I was a little sick.”
For Hibbs, who finished 15th with a time of 16:23, it will be his first trip to Hershey.
“I just tried to stay up with the top 20 and try and work my way up,” he said. “I wanted to make sure if some people didn’t have a good race, I could still get to states by myself.”
Hibbs is a rather busy athlete. After cross country, he plays goalie on the ice hockey team and swims for Hatboro. In the spring he runs track.
“Whenever I have time, I throw in anything else I have to do, like homework,” he said.
Next week’s course at Hershey will be a new experience for Hibbs.
“I’m already getting a little nervous,” he said. “I haven’t run that course yet.”
Maybe their team didn’t win a title, but North Penn’s Brad Miles and Sam Bernitt continue being the cream of the local crop as the two Knights finished their usual 1-2.
Last week Miles blistered the field, but this week the competition was stiffer and he didn’t have to run alone. He was in a pack of three at the mile mark
“I knew there were a lot more strong individuals than last week,” he said. “I just wanted to hang with them today. I was thinking about taking off at the mile, but I decided to stay back and let the other guys do the work for the next mile.”
Miles made his break right after the two-mile marker.
“I felt incredible and just wanted to take off,” he said.
At the finish, Miles was 11 seconds ahead of Bernitt.
“I felt better than last week,” said Miles. “My legs felt great,” although he added that the course was slower because of muddy conditions.
“It slowed us down a little, but a place is a place; we don’t have to worry about times,” said Miles.
Bernitt had been passed by Perk Valley’s Vince Perroze and Will Kellar of West Chester Henderson around the second mile.
But he re-passed them and tried to hold on.
“I was waiting for them to give a last kick, but I kicked early enough and held it long enough,” he said.
Miles is hoping to move up from his seventh place at states last year. All indications are that he will since the stiffest competition is usually from District One. He expects there will also be some good runners from the Pittsburgh area.
“My fitness is stronger than it’s ever been right now,” he said. “It’s all how my legs feel. Hopefully it will be a great weekend.”
Likewise Bernitt wants to move up from 10th place.
“Hopefully I’ll repeat districts and have another race like I did today, maybe take two behind Brad,” he said. “It’s a really tough course up there. Hills are usually one thing I’m good at.”
Central Bucks East’s Alex Izewski will also be making his first trip to states. The Patriot junior finished 17th in a time of 16:25
His team won’t be accompanying him, but he will have the company of Katie Kinkead and Jenny Guidera who qualified for the girl’s team.
Izewski said his first mile was a little slow and knew he had to pick it up after going around the stadium.
“At the two-mile I was right with (Tom) Mallon and (Nick) Scarpello from C.B. South and West, so I tried to stay with them,” he said. “I was happy for qualifying but I wanted to PR.”
Next week his goal is to medal (top 25).
“We’ll see,” he said. “I know the course is hard. I ran it my freshman year for an invite. I know what to expect. This is more a sprinters course. A little bit of challenge is better.”
Top Five teams
1. West Chester Henderson 67
2. North penn 191
3. Council Rock North 198
4. Unionville 210
5. Hatboro-Horsham 226
Individual SOL state qualifiers
Sam Garfield (CRSouth, 21st), Hunter Smith (CR South. 39th), Tom Mallon (CB South, 7th), Austin Gregor (CB South,28th), Alex Izewski (CEast, 17th), Alex Cicchitti (WT) 33rd), Nick Scarpello (CB West, 6th), Dreww Magaha (UMo) 16th)
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