Baldwin’s Hale chasing cross country championship

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 | 7:18 PM

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Macy Hale is a diminutive, and determined, cross country runner at Baldwin.

The 5-foot-6, 120-pound junior is the No. 1 runner on the Highlanders' girls team.

“Macy's small and quiet, and lets her competitive nature take over,” coach Rich Wright said. “Macy has a great work ethic. She has worked very hard, running with the boys and never missing practice. She has a very good chance of reaching the state finals. But regardless, she has become one of Baldwin's best distance runners.”

Hale turned in her personal-best effort early in the 2017 season in one of the biggest meets of the year with a 19:39 time at the Red, White and Blue Invitational.

She has been preparing this week for the WPIAL cross country finals to be held Thursday at Cooper's Lake Campground in Slippery Rock.

“I'm aiming to do my best and place well enough to qualify for states,” Hale said. “My season so far has been pretty successful. I've placed well in all of our section meets, and have consecutively been running times in the 20's. I'd like to keep improving my times next year.”

Distance running is a virtual year-round activity Hale.

She is a three-year letter winner in cross country, and will be a third-year letter winner in track and field in the spring. She also participates in indoor track.

“I played basketball my freshman year,” Hale said, “but I started to do indoor track my sophomore year because I want to focus on running. I genuinely enjoy running; it's relaxing and takes your mind off things.”

Hale competes in the 800- and 1,600-meter events on the track team, as well as the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays. Last spring, she was a WPIAL Class AAA finalist in the 800, and the 3,200 relay.

“Macy came into her own during track last season,” said Wright, who serves as Baldwin's co-head coach along with Bonita “Bunny” Schmidt. “That WPIAL finalist work has carried over to this cross country season; she is one of the top runners in Class AAA.

“Coach Schmidt and I are very fortunate to have such a great group of outstanding athletes.”

Hale, 16, has a 4.357 GPA and ranks fifth in her class. She is vice president of the National Art Honor Society, and is a member of the Key Club and Math League.

“My favorite subject is math because the problems can be fun, like solving puzzles, and it comes easy to me,” she said.

Hale has finished first in three races this season — two at White Oak and one at Chartiers Valley — and also placed second in Class AAA at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association meet held at Cal (Pa.).

She ended up 23rd (out of 250 runners) in her division at the Red, White and Blue invitational.

More recently, Hale secured sixth place with a 20:09 time at the Mingo Classic at Mingo Creek Park.

Baldwin's girls team finished fifth in the varsity race at the recent Mingo Classic.

Along with Hale, Baldwin's point-producers consisted of sophomore Makenzie Shandor (21:20), junior Devon Schroeder (22:07), plus freshmen Abbey Joyce (22:32) and Margo Chalmers (22:41).

Two other competitors on the team were senior Emily Yosi and freshman Gina Bolla.

Upper St. Clair took the top spot in the final team standings with 45 points, followed by Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (92), West Allegheny (122), Chartiers Valley (131) and Baldwin (144).

Baldwin's boys team was led at the Mingo Classic by senior Jack Mezeivtch, who earned 10th place in the varsity race in 17:29.

Mezeivtch set the pace for sophomores Jared Koenig (18:43) and Caden Harsh (19:23), junior Ethan Hoey (19:44) and senior Kevin Sheehan (19:56).

Seniors Joey Bolla and Mike Starzynski also participated for the Highlanders, who ended up eighth in the team standings.

Chartiers Valley edged Upper St. Clair, 41-42, to win the boys race. They were joined by Bethel Park (84), Canon-McMillan (152) and Ringgold (175) in the top five.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Baldwin