The Whitehall cross country teams recently took part in the District 11 meet at DeSales.

Mikayla Warren led the girls taking 40th with a time of 22:41.59. Junior Lana Hurwitz of Parkland won the race with a time of 19:09.49. Emmaus took second and third as Hailey Reinhard had a time of 19:17.66 and Madelyn McCartney, a freshman, had a time of 19:27.69.

Christian Foehrkolb was the highest WHS boys finisher taking 44th in 19:02.69. Paul Abelin of Parkland, a junior, was first overall with a time of 16:49.98. Nazareth’s Giovanni Mastromonaco was second in 16:57.27 and Parkland’s Liam McGuigan was third in 17:01.31.

For the Zephs this season, the girls were 4-12 and the boys finished 6-10.

“Even though it was a losing record for both teams it didn’t indicate how hard the kids worked to get stronger and faster as the season progressed,” said head coach Mike Lelko. “Besides getting their miles in, the runners spent time during the summer in the weight room twice a week for strength and conditioning with St. Luke’s coach Zack LaDuke.

“I felt that being in the weight room paid off and I didn’t see the amount of injuries as in previous years. There weren’t a lot of visits to our athletic trainers this season.”

Next year, Lelko sees the teams perhaps going in different directions. The boys will be reloading on their side while the girls lose just two seniors.

“It will be a rebuilding year in 2023 for the boys team with six of the top seven varsity runners graduating,” Lelko said. “The girls varsity team was a young group this season with two sophomores and two freshmen in the top seven.”

Seniors Christian Foehrkolb, Austin Hedrick, Vinson Eggleston, Blake Gill, Ethan Kies and Bradley Erie are part of that group who graduates for the boys. Mikayla Warren and Christen Makhoul graduate from the varsity girls squad.