LH’s Baker finishes cross country career just shy of placing
HERSHEY — Laurel Highlands senior Bella Baker improved nearly one minute from last year’s time at the state meet to finish her high school cross country career on Saturday in Hershey at the Parkview course in the PIAA girls championships.
Baker finished 34th in 20:41, which was just shy of placing in the top 25 to earn a medal, but she was satisfied with her final race.
“I am not mad about the place, but I do wish I could have placed because that was my goal today,” Baker said. “I went out pretty quick in the first mile and kind of let a group get ahead of me, and just didn’t keep up with them, so I had to play catch-up the whole time.”
Baker, who will continue her cross country and track & field careers at Davis & Elkins College, was 15th at the half-mile mark in 2:36 and 19th at the one-mile split in 5:48. She was 34th in 9:52 at the halfway mark (2.5 kilometers) before dropping a spot at two miles. Baker regained 34th place at 16:18 with one kilometer to go. She maintained her spot through the finish line.
Baker was 103rd at last season’s state meet in a time of 21:33.
“My time and place were much better this time,” Baker said. “When I started running, I never envisioned that I would be here at the state meet.”
Baker, who runs mostly middle-distance races on the track, will compete in indoor track to prepare herself for the outdoor season in the spring.
“I may try and run the two mile this year to see how it goes,” Baker said.
Uniontown sophomore Charley Murtha dropped 28 seconds and 44 places from last year’s state meet. She was 50th in 20:59.
Murtha has been working all season to overtake Belle Vernon sophomore Brooklyn Steeber, and Murtha was able to accomplish that feat in the final race of the season, as Steeber was 70th in 21:19.
Steeber also improved on last year’s time and finish, as she was 86th in 21:24, but Murtha was able to pull through on Saturday.
“My goal was to have a better time and place this year at the state meet, and I achieved that goal,” Murtha said. “I was ranked 93rd for this race, so I was happy to exceed the expectations of the rankings.
“Every race that we are in together, I try to stay with Brooklyn, but I was able to pass her in this race, so after I passed her, I just kept trying to stick with the person in front of me, and hopefully try and catch up with them. She was my competition this whole season, so it was a good feeling to finish ahead of her today.”
Laurel Highlands junior Taylor Schwertfeger didn’t have her best time in placing 153rd (out of 249 competitors). Schwertfeger placed 132nd last season with a time of 21:56.
“It really wasn’t my day today, but I got here, so I’m happy about that,” Schwertfeger said. “I wish I would have run faster. The goal for next year is to come here and do better. Overall, I am pretty pleased with my season.”
Schwertfeger, who plays basketball at LH, will get ready for the hoops season before transitioning back into running mode for the outdoor track & field season in the spring.
“I try to run outside of basketball to stay in shape and not lose everything, but we do a run a lot in basketball,” Schwertfeger said.
Geibel Catholic senior Emma Larkin was 155th in the girls Class A race with a time of 23:32. Larkin was 84th last year with a time of 22:18, but she will turn her attention to basketball season, which is the sport she is most satisfied with.
Larkin will continue her basketball career at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C.