Emmaus’ McCartney steps up to No. 1

Halfway across the state, Hailey Reinhard flashed a proud smile as she heard the news Tuesday that her former Emmaus cross country teammate followed in her footsteps.

Sophomore Madelyn McCartney sped to the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference title in 19-minutes, 8-seconds at DeSales University, one year after she placed second at the meet behind Reinhard, a two-time champ who is now on the cross country team at Bucknell University.

“They worked really close together last year,” Emmaus coach Kami Reinhard said, “and it’s almost like [Hailey] passed the baton to her this season. Mady’s definitely taken it and run with it.”

While a new EPC girls champ was crowned, Nazareth senior Gio Mastromonaco repeated as the boys winner with a monstrous effort on the same course he broke his leg on a season ago. Mastromonaco timed 16:10 to outduel rival Paul Abeln of Parkland. Abeln placed second in 16:22.

Parkland’s boys and the Emmaus girls claimed conference team titles.

The Trojans totaled 32 points; the Green Hornets won with 33. Easton’s boys (63 points) and girls (60) both registered runner-up efforts.

In the preseason, McCartney projected as one of the top returnees on the girls’ side. But through the season, she emerged as the one to beat at the conference championships and at the upcoming District 11 Class 3A meet.

McCartney did not disappoint in her first of perhaps three postseason races.

She led the field from start to finish, outdistancing second-place Kaya Meler of Pocono Mountain West by 26 seconds and third-place Avaline Fihlman of Freedom by 53 seconds.

“I tried my best to block out any outside expectations and focus on everything we talked about and all that we trained for,” McCartney said. “I definitely knew what to expect this year. Hailey was awesome at helping me out, especially with pacing. I was able to follow her last year and learn a lot.”

Three of McCartney’s teammates secured top-eight spots as the Green

Hornets won their fourth straight EPC team title. (There was no championship meet in 2020.)

Junior Payton Campbell finished fifth in 20:28; senior Brooke Miller was sixth in 20:32; and junior Addison Johnson was eighth (20:36).

Mastromonaco was proud of his return to form after he suffered a broken bone in his leg in the final 200 meters at last year’s district Class 3A race. He was second behind Abeln at districts.