The Emmaus girls cross country team’s 2022 season ended with a strong showing at the PIAA Cross Country 3A Championship last Saturday in Hershey.

The Green Hornets finished ninth in the 20-team field with 214 points and a 21:16 average time.

“The girls team entered the postseason knowing there are athletes with faster times, and teams that are incredibly strong,” Emmaus coach Kami Reinhard said. “We are so proud of them for coming together and helping each other out, and for each of them to accept and embrace the help of their teammates.”

Leading the team was Hailey Reinhard in her final high school race. Reinhard finished in 20th place in the 233-girl field with a 19:43 time.

“I’m extremely happy with that,” said Hailey Reinhard. “My whole goal today was to have a good time and go out and try my best and that’s what I did.

“At the beginning of the season I necessarily wasn’t where I wanted to be. I’m super proud of the way I progressed throughout the season, got back up and kept pushing through.”

Reinhard knew she was among the top 20 runners during the race and made sure to stay in that area on a warm and humid early-November Saturday in Hershey.

“I heard people yelling you’re in 19th,” she said. “I tried to gauge and if a girl passed me I tried to stick with her and stay in that zone to medal.

“The last half mile was rough. The heat got to me and I got a side cramp there. But I pushed through it and tried my best.”

That’s how Reinhard has approached running throughout her successful high school career. She doesn’t let the highs get too high or the lows get too low.

“She really gets herself together for big races,” said Kami Reinhard, Hailey’s mother. “She didn’t feel well today but she got through it. She does not bring herself down. If things don’t go well she’ll say ‘OK I didn’t do well. I’m going to get myself back together and try again.’ We talk about that a lot in our house, but also in our team.

“When it went well at leagues, she wasn’t jumping up and down. She’s humble.”

Hailey Reinhard, who recently committed to run at Bucknell University, has been the Hornets’ top runner not only this year, but for two years previous. She’s won league and district titles during her career and has been a major contributor to the team’s success throughout her time on South Cedar Crest Boulevard.

“I’m so grateful for everything, the coaches, the team, my family,” Hailey Reinhard said. “It’s been a great four years at Emmaus.”

Freshman Madelyn McCartney was the second Emmaus runner in 20:43, good for 55th place. McCartney had a great season and surpassed expectations. Sophomore Addison Johnson finished in the 80th position, a 21:05 time, just .65 of one second ahead of the 81st place finisher.

Payton Cambell, another sophomore, was tied for 145th place, while junior Addison Shank claimed 176th place, senior Nicole Nosal claimed 197th and sophomore Isabella Scarlata finished in 214th in the 233-girl field.

Emmaus had hopes of a top-two finish as a team, but was still pleased to be among the top 10 in the state. More than that the Hornets enjoyed a memorable weekend to end a stellar season and some successful high school careers.

“It’s been really special. This team especially is extra close. This meet was probably the most fun we’ve ever had as a team. We were in a position, if they all were on today, we could have been top two in the state.

“I’m just so proud of them. I know this didn’t go the way they wanted, the fact that they had their goals together and they stuck together this week and all finished the race.”

The boys race featured three Hornet runners. Sophomore Conor Fisher took 125th place in 18:01, while Sam Dalton claimed 203rd place in his final high school race and Jared Petre took 218th in the 236-boy field.