October 19, 2006 Issue                                       

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©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

CHA runners pick up win
by TOM UTESCHER

Personal bests by the Blue Devils’ top pair of runners led host Chestnut Hill Academy to its first dual meet victory in the Inter-Ac League last Tuesday, when CHA topped the Germantown Academy Patriots, 22-37.

Winning the race by covering Chestnut Hill’s 3.0 mile course in 16 minutes and 52 seconds, junior Ned Cunningham knocked seven seconds off his previous best time. Second-place Mike Rhoads dropped his own PR by a full 14 seconds, crossing the line in 17:52.

Interestingly, the outcome of the event might well have been different if Rhoads had not decided to transfer from GA to CHA over the summer.

Germantown still has a Rhodes in the fold, though, in the person of Elliot Rhodes. Best known as an elite performer in track, the GA junior was the top finisher for the Patriots in Tuesday’s meet, coming in third in 18:12. Right on his shoulder was Max Stein, the senior captain for the Germantown team, who was fourth in 18:13.

The Blue Devils nailed down the meet victory by marching five of the next six finishers across the line. Seniors Mike Christianson (5th/18:33) and Pete Cardoso (6th/18:35) came in ahead of Patriots junior Craig Burnett (7th/18:38), and rounding out the top ten was a trio of CHA runners; sophomore Mike Fitzkee (8th/18:48), junior Pete Miller (9th/19:04), and freshman Ryan Ansel (10th/19:13).

Although Chestnut Hill had not won any of its earlier Inter-Ac dual meets, Cunningham had been the individual winner in the races against Episcopal Academy and Haverford School. In 2005, CHA’s lone dual meet victory in the league had also come against GA, but later the Patriots bounced back to place ahead of the Devils at the Inter-Ac Championships. The 2006 league champs will be held at CHA on Monday, October 23.

RESULTS

1. CH Ned Cunningham 16:52

2. CH Mike Rhoads 17:57

3. GA Elliot Rhodes 18:12

4. GA Max Stein 18:13

5. CH Mike Christianson 18:33

6. CH Pete Cardoso 18:35

7. GA Craig Burnett 18:38

8. CH Mike Fitzkee 18:48

9. CH Pete Miller 19:04

10. CH Ryan Ansel 19:13

11. GA Thomas An 19:14

12. GA Matt Schelke 19:20

13. CH Justin Purnell-Anglin 19:25

14. GA Hamish Patel 19:27

15. GA Andrew Sih 19:41

16. GA Frank Tornetta 19:46

17. CH Mike Manwaring 19:52

18. GA Colin LaMont 20:00

19. GA Patrick Hayes 20:50

20. CH Tyrik Miller 21:00