GFS Cross-Country Teams Both Win League Champs

The Germantown Friends School boys’ and girls’ cross country teams defended their Friends Schools League titles, marking the 4th straight year each team has been crowned League champs. In the boys’ meet in the wind and rain at Belmont Plateau, the GFS sophomore class asserted themselves by grabbing the first three places: Max Kaulbach (1st, 17:11), Jake McKenzie (2nd, 17:26), and Isaac Ortiz.

(3rd, 17:45). Senior captain Jonas Crimm (5th, 17:54) and Jasper Sneff-Nanni (11th, 18:37), both of Mt. Airy, rounded out the top five for the Tigers. Sophomore Brad Thompson of Chestnut Hill finished 12th in a personal best time of 18:38.

The Tigers then traveled to Mercersburg Academy to compete in the PA Independent Schools State Championship on October 29, and captured the Division III title. Kaulbach and McKenzie received All-State honors.

The GFS Girls Cross Country team took their fourth consecutive Friends School League title narrowly edging the Shipley School 45 – 52. For the second year in a row the Tigers also had the overall winner in senior Emily Martin of Chestnut Hill with a time of 21:58. The team of 3 seniors, 3 juniors, 3 sophomores and 2 freshmen showed impressive depth as they placed 10 girls in the top 24 places.

The conditions on the GFS home course at Belmont Plateau were cold (49 degrees) with a persistent rain blowing in from the north. After record amounts of rain over the past few weeks the course was muddy and sloppy, making down-hills unpredictable and ascents slow. After Martin’s finish (her fifth win of the season) came scrappy Dani Feldman for GFS, who placed fourth with a personal best time of 22:16. Next through the chute for GFS was freshman standout Camilla Warren of Chestnut Hill for a 12th place finish and PR time of 23:37.

At the State Independent Schools Meet at Mercersburg, senior captain Emily Martin capped a stellar career at GFS with an 11th place finish with a time of 21:14. Emily ran a smart, tough race battling girls from Agnes Irwin and Germantown Academy over the entire 5K course, and never losing contact with the “top 10” pack. GFS junior Dani Feldman finished 14th, displaying a strong finishing kick in the last quarter mile to best girls from Penn Charter and Mercersburg Academy, and assure her place on the podium. Both Martin and Feldman garnered All State honors.