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Hefnaway and DeBalsi compete in Regional Championship

Hefnaway+and+DeBalsi+compete+in+Regional+Championship
Photo by Sarah Bassett

On Nov. 30th, Erica Hefnaway ’15 and Hannah DeBalsi ‘16 competed in the New Balance Cross Country Regionals at Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, New York.  The girls, who were consistently Staples’ top-two runners throughout the cross-country season, competed against runners from New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia.

Coming off a season of victories at the FCIAC, state, and New England championships, Debalsi was always a strong contender in the regional championship and she finished third behind Tessa Barrett of Pennsylvania and Anoush Shehadeh of New York.

Though she would have preferred to finish first or second, “I tried my best and was happy with my race overall. I also wasn’t fully rested going into the race. Knowing that, I was pretty happy coming in third, especially since I’ll be more rested and ready to go faster at nationals,” DeBalsi said.

Even though she won’t advance to the national finals with Debalsi as only the top ten runners qualify, Hefnaway hopes her increased experience with the sport and the course will help her be a contender for the nationals final next year.

“I gained a huge love for distance running this year and I just really enjoy it,” Hefnaway said, who finished 43rd.

Though the Staples community can’t be there to cheer on Debalsi for nationals in San Diego, California, watch out for both these athletes as they transition into the indoor track and field season.

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Dylan Donahue, Sports Editor
Nothing will get in Dylan Donahue’s way once she makes a commitment. Whether she is working on ski patrol in vermont, participating as a C.I.T. at Camp Wa-kio, or writing a news piece for Inklings News, Dylan will always display determination. She is bubbly, yet inquisitive which makes her an exceptional addition to Inklings. Her personality makes it easy to open up to her which is how she excels during an interview.   The Donahue family, including her sister who is a sophomore here at Staples, is big on football. By big, that means season tickets to every home game, cheering on their favorite team, the Jets. Her favorite movie, The Blind Side even involves football. “I grew up with sports,” Dylan explains, “I have been watching Jet games on television and going to games since before I can remember. Sports are exciting and energetic. They allow the fans and athletes to share a connection during the game.” Dylan’s love and knowledge for sports influenced her decision of becoming a sports editor for Inklings.   As Dylan’s years at Staples have flown by, she has created some goals she wishes to meet by the end of senior year. She wants to make the most of her last year as a highschool student by making every moment count. “Although a major concern during senior year is getting applications done and getting into schools,” Dylan explains, “I am going to appreciate my last year at Staples by living in the moment.”

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