Delco Girls Championships: Title No. 9 just fine with Strath Haven

UPPER DARBY >> If you ask Strath Haven girls track coach Bill Coren about his team’s success, you get one answer.

If you ask some of his athletes, their response might be a little different.

Regardless of the difference of opinions, the fact remains that when it is time for the Delaware County Girls Track and Field Championships, the Panthers are at their best.

For the ninth consecutive year, Strath Haven is county champion. Haven piled up 154 points to outdistance Penn Wood (80), host Upper Darby (79) and Garnet Valley (64) in the race to be the best team in the meet Saturday.

Penn Wood placed second in the team standings for the third year in a row.

“We have a saying: ‘We are Strath Haven; act like it,’” Coren said. “Tonight we really acted like it.”

The Panthers added six first-place finishes Saturday to the one they claimed when the meet began Thursday. They also came up with a pair of runner-up placings and were shut out in only two of the 13 championship events contested on the second day of competition.

“Sometimes he says it’s 95 percent coaching and five percent talent,” Haven senior Taylor Barkdoll said with a smile.
Barkdoll had reason to smile. She helped the 4 x 800-meter relay team that included Ava Crawford, Abby Loiselle and freshman anchor Maddie

Forbes win the first event contested Saturday, then came back toward the end of the meet to capture gold in the 3,200-meter run. Barkdoll held off Loiselle in the 3,200.

“I was sixth last year,” she said. “I did a lot more training this year and doubled my mileage. I had a different attitude and made up my mind to work harder.”

Junior Grace Forbes turned in an impressive double for the Panthers, capturing the 1,600-meter run in 4:54.81, then surviving an exciting duel in the stretch with Radnor sophomore Keara Seasholtz to win the 800 in 2:13.54.

“That was a tough double,” Coren said.

Forbes, who lowered her personal-best time in the 1,600 by seven seconds, didn’t seem to mind being asked to do what she had done.

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