Rocks Cross Country Team

A few more honors for the 2021 Cross Country team. Congratulations everyone!

Today, Trinity High School alum, Tommy Gruschow, Trinity’s first District 3 XC Champion and only (for now) PIAA XC individual Champion, visited with the team before they left for their course preview in Hershey. Thanks Tommy, for taking the time to come out today and talk about your XC experience and give the team some great advice.

We stopped in Middletown to see Father Sahd who started at Trinity back when our Seniors were Freshmen. Father Sahd blessed the runners and their shoes and gave them some words of encouragement. Thank you, Father Sahd, for all you’ve done for this team since that perfectly umpired kick ball game at camp.

After lunch, we set up our tents, grabbed some championship merchandise, walked the course, and got a short workout in.

All that’s left now is the racing. Let’s go ‘Rocks!

Better late than never… It was a busy weekend for the Trinity cross country team. We started Friday afternoon with a Mid Penn Championship course preview at Big Spring and returned to Trinity for senior recognition night. Congratulations to Aidan, Jasper, Ella, Lindsey, Jack, Lucas, James, Connor, Isaac P. and Evan (not pictured). Thanks to everyone who helped us honor the class of 2022.

Saturday morning, we returned to Big Spring for the Mid Penn Championship races. The girls ran first, finished third in AA, and qualified for the District 3 Championship meet in two weeks. Lila finished 13th overall, 2nd in AA. Congratulations Lila, Julia, Isabella, Lindsey, Katie, and Molly. Good luck at Districts.

The boys team ran next and, for the second year in a row, finished first in single A. Jasper repeated as the single A champion. Our top five finishers were Jasper, Isaac B. (PR), Connor, James (PR), and Owen. The team finished eighth overall and would have met the AA and AAA qualification standard. Because they’re a single A team, they automatically qualified for Districts. Good luck!

Our JV boys finished up the 2021 cross country season in a rainy Tim Cook Memorial 5k. The team finished eighth and Aidan medaled as one of the top seniors. Our top five finishers were Aidan, John B., Isaac P., Cullen, and Joseph. Thank you for all your hard work this season.

THEY DID IT! Capital Division Champions. First title for the girls since 2010, first for the boys since 2013.

The Trinity Cross Country team traveled to Hershey today to run in the Ben and Tim 5k race. Besides a number of personal bests, we had two freshman place in their age groups. Lila finished 2nd in her age group while running a new personal best. Isaac also ran a new personal best while finishing 3rd in his age group.

The email also addressed summer workouts, registration and physicals, and Shippensburg XC camp.

Our third PIAA medalists of the day – senior Liza Levin, junior Ella Cloak, freshman Caroline Cunningham and freshman Frances Maury – 7th place 4x400m relay.

Our second PIAA medalist of the day – junior Danny Britten – 2nd place 110m hurdles.

Our first PIAA medalist of the day – freshman Adeline Woodward – 6th place pole vault.

We'll be posting updates from Shippensburg as they come in. Let's go 'Rocks!

The goal is always to run your best races at the end of the year. That’s exactly what the girls 4x400m relay team has been doing. A 4:07 (4:06.9963 just saying) earned the team a silver medal and a return trip to Seth Grove Stadium. With a senior and three “track freshmen”, this cast of characters has surprised just about everyone with what they’ve been able to accomplish so far.

Junior Ella Cloak gets to finish her first full track and field season running in the lead off position where she hopes to give the team an early lead as she has done many times this year. The ‘Rocks’ seed time puts Ella in one of her favorite lanes and we’re looking for her best time of the year.

Freshman Frances Maury takes the baton from Ella, to the break line, and then she does her best work. Last week Frances ran stride for stride with one of the District’s all-around best runners and you can expect to see her do it again on Friday. With what we’ve seen already, can we see a sub 60 Frances?

Senior Liza Levin returns to Shippensburg after being an alternate on the 2019 PIAA bronze medal winning 4x100m relay team. Liza’s leadership is one of the biggest reasons the team is competing this weekend. Liza will take the baton third and no one should be surprised when she runs the best 400m of her Shamrock career.

Freshman Caroline Cunningham will take the baton from Liza and bring the ‘Rocks home on Friday. The final leg, of the final heat, of the AA girls 4x400m will have the crowd fired up and Caroline will feed off that energy on her way to the finish. A new PR on Friday wouldn’t shock anyone.

Girls, thanks for all your hard work, and for BELIEVEing in yourselves and each other. Good luck tomorrow!

What would you do if you qualified for the District 3 110m hurdles as a freshman only to miss the meet due to an illness? What if COVID took away your sophomore season? What if your hurdles were in the wrong position during the 2021 District 3 110m hurdle semifinals and you had to run the race a second time? All of that happened to Danny Britten, but he didn’t let it slow him down. Danny ran a PR 15.63 in the District 3 110m hurdle finals on Saturday earning him a silver medal and a trip to Ship… just a couple years late. Danny’s times keep getting lower and he has great chance to make the finals and grab a PIAA medal on Friday. Danny, thanks for all your hard work and not letting any challenges get in your way. Good luck tomorrow!