Girls Program of the Year - Cuthbertson
MileSplit US recently named Kirk Walsh and Dustin Allen National Girls Co-Coaches of the Year earlier this week. It is a bitter-sweet moment for Coach Walsh, however, as this was his final year at the helm of the girls distance program. But what a year it was. From California to Pennsylvania. From New York to Oregon. And across our own great state, the Cavaliers simply dominated.
They won the NCHSAA 4A XC State Championship totaling a mere 32 points, giving themselves a 49-point victory. Stella Kermes took home the individual win, and their top four finished in the top nine.
They went on to win the Nike Southeast Regional title, qualifying them to Nike Nationals in Portland, Oregon, where they went on to place 8th.
Indoor season was even more special. Charlotte Bell set a state record in the 1K and NC No. 3 all-time in the 1,600m & Mile. Bell, Kermes, and Alyssa Preisano were NC Indoor 1-2-3 on the season in the 1,600m. The same trio went 1-2-4 at the indoor state meet.
Justine Preisano took home the win in the 1K, with Kermes and Bell going 2-3 on her tail. A. Preisano went on to finish 4th in the 3,200m to finish the day.
They scored 79 points to get the win.
At New Balance Indoor Nationals, the Cavaliers ran a national record 8:48.02 in the 4x800m to win the national title.
The weather warmed as outdoor season rolled around, and they kept it going. Bell ran 4:39.59c to claim NC No. 3 all-time in the 1,600m & Mile. Kermes is NC No. 5 all-time right behind her.
They won the NCHSAA 4A Outdoor State Title with 75 points. Bell, Kermes, and J. Preisano went 1-3-4 in the 800m, and Bell and Kermes went 1-2 in the 1,600m. A. Preisano, battling injury, finished 8th in the 1,600m
They ran another state record in the 4x800m, a 8:48.16 run to take 2nd at New Balance Outdoor Nationals. It is also US No. 6 all-time. They ran another US No. 6 all-time in the 4xMile, a 20:05.91 national championship run at New Balance. They ended their time as a team with a US No. 10 all-time 11:33.18 national championship in the DMR.
Sadly, Alyssa Preisano graduated this spring and is headed to Wake Forest in the fall. But will that result in more individual performances at the national level from the big three returners Bell, Kermes, and J. Preisano? Or will Cuthbertson find a new breakout star this summer to fill that hole.