Briarcliff HS Girls Runners-up at Westchester County Cross Country Championships

The Briarcliff HS Girls’ Cross Country team finished a strong second place to the powerhouse Bronxville HS team at the Westchester County Championships on Saturday, October 25 as the two small schools led 180 of the county’s best runners. Running on the newly designed course through the wooded trails at Woodlands HS the Briarcliff girls had their schools best ever finish at the County Championships.

Briarcliff’s leader was Caroline Pennacchio (junior) who ran the 5K course in an amazing 19:29.6 for a fourth place finish. Finishing close behind Caroline were Briarcliff’s two sophomore sensations – Saroja Rao who finished thirteenth in 20:22.0 and Devon Bombassei who finished fourteenth in 20:27.0. All three of these runners earned All County honors based on their front running performances. Briarcliff closed out their scoring with senior Blake Elwood running 21:46.4 for 34th place and junior Molly Rickles running 22:03.5 in 42nd place. Also running for the Lady bears were senior Jamie Nadler and freshmen Emilie Mazzola and Madison Shuemaker.

This has been a spectacular season for the Briarcliff girls who had previously won at the Somers HS Big Red Invitational and their League Championship at Croton Point Park and had other strong performances at Warwick HS Wave Mania invitational and at Byram Hills Bobcat Run.

Running strong for the Briarcliff HS Boys’ team was senior Cole DiNome who ran 17:15.5 and a twelfth place finish that also earned All County honors.