Hornets ‘simply love to run’

The 2023 season was another special one for the Emmaus girls cross country team.

Coach Kami Reinhard’s Green Hornets went a perfect 16-0 through the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference schedule to extend their multi-season conference unbeaten streak to an impressive 88 meets. They won EPC and District 11 Class 3A team titles, then placed 14th at the PIAA championships in Hershey.

Sophomore Madelyn McCartney captured individual crowns at the conference and district championships and earned a 25th-place medal at the state meet. Meanwhile, junior Payton Campbell (fourth), seniors Sophia Kovalski (14th) and Brooke Miller (15th), as well as junior Addison Johnson (17th) all placed among the top 20 at districts.

“This team was very special,” Reinhard said, “because they truly have good hearts, happy souls and simply love to run. What more can a coach ask for?”

Emmaus cross country certainly controlled the pace on the course, and also excelled off of it as Reinhard proudly pointed out.

“The heart of this team goes beyond the training and competitive part,” the coach said. “The majority of our top 10 girls were seen volunteering at each Emmaus XC opportunity throughout the season, including the Women’s Breast Cancer 5K run/walk. They helped hundreds of women celebrate life and/or their journey fighting cancer.

“Even though it was pouring rain before the event, the girls still showed up with a smile and didn’t complain. Instead, we were a team dancing together in the rain.”

Next year, Reinhard’s Green Hornets will welcome back four of their top seven state finishers, among them the No. 1 runner in the EPC.

Still, the successes of the 2023 season will be difficult to replicate.

“These girls are good and humble student-athletes,” Reinhard said, “who work really hard, and we are certain that they are going to do really great things in the world. ‘Bee hungry, bee humble,’ and they have certainly embraced our team motto.”