Five members of the Beaver Area High School cross country team made the trip to Hershey for the PIAA Championships October 3.

The group came in with steady energy and simple goals.

Sophomore Evan Orend explained that the team wanted to stay calm, race smart, and support each other from start to finish.

“It was cool to be there, and getting there was a big achievement, so I kept that mindset throughout our time there—even if we weren’t exactly doing the best,” explained Orend.

Orend was joined by fellow Bobcats senior Isaac Burtt, juniors Grace Churovia and Peyton Teapole, and sophomore Anthony Cienkowski.

Orend said the whole team tried to judge their performance not only by times and places, but also by how well they stuck to their plan.

“Our team did pretty well as we have talented teammates, but once again we could’ve done better,” explaining that everyone tried hard, but they all knew they had more in them.

He said the group wanted higher places and faster times, and even though they were proud to be at states, they felt they didn’t show their best on that day.

“The start was surprising; there were a lot of fast people, so we got kind of buried,” said Orend.

Orend said the race did not unfold exactly the way he pictured it, but that is part of competing at a state meet.

Despite their finishes, the team took away several positives. Their effort showed where the program is building and what the next steps need to be.

“The performance of the team showed me that we have a lot to give at track. It was a pretty good season; a lot of us liked how we did, but we want to give more at track,” explained Orend.

Orend also said the meet helped him shape his goals for the next year. Having the chance to run on a big stage gave him a clearer idea of what he wants to chase moving forward.

“Our team is really competitive; there are a lot of guys on top, but there were a lot of people at my level that I could run off of, so it was very strong in every level.”

Orend said there were several athletes and teams who impressed him with their control, speed, and teamwork.

“I think this year [the state competition] had a lot more depth; there were very good players but also players at my level which felt relieving.”

Orend said that he is grateful for the experience and proud of how the Bobcats represented the school.

He believes the trip to Hershey will push the team to work even harder once the next season begins.

As the team looks ahead, the lessons from the PIAA Championships will guide their training.