Celebrating State Championships

Harpeth Hall sprints to team and individual state cross country titles

by Jessica Bliss

Though it’s not exactly right around the corner, the Harpeth Hall cross country team made a few extra trips to Hendersonville this season. They competed in a couple of meets and held a handful of practices there. Coach Jenny Jervis wanted to make sure her runners were familiar with the climbs, dips, and turns at Sanders Ferry Park — the course that would host the state meet.

It paid off. On Nov. 5, seven Harpeth Hall athletes gathered at the starting line for the 2021 DII-AA state cross country championship. The crisp fall air and sunshine made it a gorgeous day for running, and the team took advantage. Led by the pace-setting performance of Harpeth Hall junior Bella Guillamondegui, Harpeth Hall sprinted to the championship claiming the DII-AA state title. Bella posted a time of 18:22.80 in the 5,000-meter race to win the individual state championship, and all seven of the Harpeth Hall runners finished in the top 30 to secure the team win. “The girls were excited, unified, and committed to their goal,” Harpeth Hall cross country coach Jenny Jervis said. “During the race, they knew exactly what they needed to do and they gave everything that they had. It was so fun to see their hard work pay off in an impressive way.” Along with Bella’s first-place finish, freshman Annamaria Bacchetta (8th), senior Kate Wojciechowski (17th), freshman Lily Bowen (21st), sophomore Elizabeth John (22nd), freshman Clara Scott Harden (28th), and freshman Lucy Farringer (30th) rounded out Harpeth Hall’s successful day. The winning effort earned Harpeth Hall its first team cross country state title since 2014 and its 13th in school history. The 13 titles are a state record for the most won by any school, boys or girls, in the sport. “It’s amazing and humbling,” said Coach Jervis, a Harpeth Hall world language teacher and department chair who has served as cross country’s head coach for nine years. “When I started coaching, I probably would have said that I enjoyed running. After working with our Harpeth Hall athletes these many years, I can say that I truly love the sport. Cross country runners are patient, disciplined, and tenacious. They understand the long game and are willing to put in the hard work necessary to accomplish difficult tasks. I feel incredibly lucky to work with these young women.” The cross country win built on the energy of an already exciting week in athletics at Harpeth Hall. Just seven days earlier, the soccer team claimed the DII-AA state title. Harpeth Hall now has a total of 59 team championship state titles. That success is underscored not by the trophies, but by the team spirit Harpeth Hall athletes feel toward each other — win or lose. “They're a very supportive group of young women,” Coach Jervis said. “They celebrate each other's successes and achievements and rally behind one another when someone hits a snag. They care deeply about one another and they encourage each other to be better, stronger, and to do things the right way.”

Harpeth Hall soccer nets its second state title in school history

by Jessica Bliss

In the biggest game of the season, it took just two minutes for Harpeth Hall to get the ball in the back of the net. And once ahead, the Bears never looked back. With a 2-0 win over Baylor on Oct. 29, the Harpeth Hall soccer team claimed the 2021 TSSAA Division II-AA state championship. “We just brought it home,” Head Coach Meggie Lucas said. “Our defense was stellar, denying a very talented Baylor team. Our midfield never stopped, and our offense capitalized when it counted.”

The title marked the second in school history and the second for Lucas, who also led the team in 2013 when Harpeth Hall clinched its first Division II-AA state title by handing Father Ryan its only loss of the year. Coach Lucas stepped down to pursue a postgraduate degree one season later, and — after a few years — returned in 2020 to again take Harpeth Hall to the top of its game. This year, team defense dominated. Senior goalkeeper Mallory Thomas, who has committed to continue her soccer career at Miami University in Ohio next year, allowed only six goals with 96 saves in 13 games heading into the state semifinals. Senior Ashley Tirrill was another defensive standout at center fullback, adding to a team full of talent. “Really the chemistry was amazing,” Coach Lucas said. Harpeth Hall entered the state semifinals undefeated and the dark horse in the playoffs. In a close matchup against Girls Preparatory School, GPS scored on a header to tie the game 2-2 in the 65th minute. Two minutes later, Harpeth Hall freshman Quinn Erim scored the go-ahead goal that secured the 3-2 win and the trip to the title game. Quinn harnessed that energy and carried it to the finals against Baylor. She put the Bears on the scoreboard first with a goal two and a half minutes into the game with a one-touch power shot from outside the box that put Harpeth Hall ahead 1-0. She added another in the 70th minute to give the Bears a two-goal lead and set them up for the title. “I knew in August this championship was within our reach,” Coach Lucas said, "but there were a lot of pieces that would need to fall into place. Part of that was keeping up the morale and work ethic for four months.

“We have had seniors both last year and this year who took it on their shoulders to truly build a community around our team. I could list a thousand ways that they made sure that everyone felt a part of the team. We have the most amazing girls, and coaching them is an honor.”