By Caroline Murphy / Sports Reporter
Whether through crossing the finish line or scoring a goal, it is clear that the Harpeth Hall cross country and soccer teams are hard-working. Each having had yet another successful season, both teams competed well at their respective State Championships, earning runner-up finishes.
CELEBRATING WINS: (from left to right) Junior Lucy Farringer, Senior Elizabeth John, Freshman Maggie Baker, and Sophomore Lula Lowrance holding cross country state runner-up award. Photo Credit: Sophomore, Suki Junge.
The DII-AA state cross country meet was held on Nov. 2 at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville, TN. It was more competitive than in previous years.
In 2022, only three girls finished the 5k championship race in under nineteen minutes, whereas this year the entire top ten ran under nineteen minutes. The top two girls finished the race in under eighteen minutes.
The Harpeth Hall cross country team competed against seventeen other schools in the race. Though exciting, the runner-up finish wasn’t incredibly surprising, as the team knew its standing before going into the race.
“[Knowing the team rank] is really helpful. To know exactly what you’re going to do when you step into line and to know exactly how you’re going to execute it.” said senior Elizabeth John.
Juniors Lily Bowen and Annamaria Bacchetta led the team, placing third and sixth in the Girls Division II – AA category. Bowen finished with a time of 18:03.11, and Bacchetta finished with a time of 18:18.33.
These results led the cross country team to be crowned state runner-up, placing behind The Webb School.
The 2023 Harpeth Hall soccer team. Photo Credit: Lyla Schick, Junior.
Harpeth Hall’s soccer team was similarly successful in the DII-AA state tournament. They won their semifinal game, beating long-time rival Ensworth. From there, the team advanced to the state final against Baylor, which took place on Oct. 28 in Chattanooga, TN.
Leading up to the game, the soccer team focused on their defensive drills during practice, preparing for a hard-fought match both offensively and defensively.
In the final game, senior goalkeeper Jenny Lott made nine saves, and senior Taylor McCall executed key defensive plays. Senior Mary Dillon also made an impact with “dynamic attacks,” according to Harpeth Hall soccer coach Meggie Lucas.
Despite these efforts, the Harpeth Hall soccer team was unable to reproduce their 2021 state championship win against Baylor. This year, Harpeth Hall lost to Baylor with a score of 3-0, earning the title of state runner-up.
“They were definitely the hardest team we’ve played. They just connected really well.” said junior Lyla Schick.
Overall, both the cross country and soccer teams had hard fought seasons and are looking forward to strategizing for next year.
