DOVER, NH —Mike Shevenell, Cross Country Head Coach at Portsmouth Christian Academy at Dover, approached this season with his girls’ team knowing that something special could happen. While the entire season has been a pleasure for him, that something special did happen in the form of a Granite State Conference Championship, the first title for the girls in school history.

While the Championship is the most recognized and rewarding part of the season so far, Coach Shevenell has enjoyed the dedication and spirit of the girls throughout the entire season. “The girls on the team have worked hard for many years,” stated Shevenell. “They have been faithful during the season and in the off-season. The improvement we have seen in our girls over these years has just been amazing. I’m so impressed by their work ethic and their enthusiasm.”   

The team accomplished the title on the basis of four finishers in the top ten, at 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 9th, with the fifth and sixth runners finishing in 20th and 23rd place respectively in the 11 team Division IV race. Senior Kylie McCoy was the overall winner on the 3.1 mile Newmarket course, followed by Melissa Hiatt in 3rd, Erin McGovern in 5th and Emma LaMontagne in 9th. Both Erin and Emma set personal records on the perfect race weather day, a sign that the team’s training schedule worked to perfection.

The win qualifies the girls for the Division III State Meet on Saturday, October 30 in Manchester. A good showing at that meet would then qualify the team for their first-ever NH Meet of Champions on November 6. The Meet of Champions brings all of the best high school teams from across the Granite State to one single race.

Portsmouth Christian Academy is located at 20 Seaborne Drive, Dover, NH. Directions to the school can be found on its website, www.pcaschool.org. For more information, please call 603.742.3617.
 

Portsmouth Christian Academy Cross Country fans had much to cheer about at the recent Granite State Conference Championship held at Newmarket on Oct. 19. The PCA at Dover Girls’ Cross Country Team took the title for the first time in the school’s history.  Shown in front (left to right) Melissa Hiatt, Courtney Harrington, Erin McGovern, and Emma LaMontagne. Shown in back (left to right) Brent Crystal, PCA Assistant Coach, Kylie McCoy, Rachel Cole, Eva Moulton, and Naomi Crystal, PCA Assistant Coach. Not present at time of photo, Mike Shevenell, PCA Cross Country Head Coach.