For Chapel Hill High School’s athletes, the 2020 fall sports season was unlike any other: competitions were postponed months, and regulations were enacted to ensure the safety of players and coaches against covid-19. Still, the Tigers managed to bring home another state title, adding to the school’s collection of hardware.
Cross Country
At the cross country state championship in Kernersville on January 23, the Chapel Hill High’s men’s cross country team secured its second consecutive 3A state championship and its 12th state title overall, edging out second-place Weddington High School. Big 8 conference runner of the year Emil Arangala took fifth place in the 5k race with a time of 16:03.87, while senior Ben Hawley placed ninth in 16:22.09. Senior Keegan Clossick was honored with the NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Award.
The women’s cross country team finished fourth overall in the state championship, led by Big 8 conference runner of the year Abby Weber, who finished in fifth place with a time of 18:33.45.
“I am beyond proud of both of our squads and will miss this year’s senior class dearly,” cross country coach Joan Mabe said. “I am grateful we were able to have a season and feel so lucky to do what I love every day even with a mask on and 6 feet apart.”
Volleyball
The Chapel Hill High School varsity volleyball team finished its season with an overall record of 14-3, defeating Southern Alamance High School and New Hanover High School en route to the quarterfinal match of the state playoffs, where the Tigers fell to eventual champion D. H. Conley High School 3-1 on January 16. Senior Ellen Zwikker was second in the state in hit efficiency and was honored as the player of the match in the team’s loss to D. H. Conley.
Coach Ross Fields, who noted the season was “bizarre” due to the postponements and cancellations caused by covid-19, said the team’s most notable win during the regular season came against East Chapel Hill.
“I enjoyed the opportunity to see the happiness that our players showed when they were playing. I also enjoyed seeing the pride they have in their representation of their school and community,” Fields said.
Field Hockey
The varsity field hockey team finished its season with a record of 2-9. Coach Jill Peterfeso noted that, due to limited participation caused by the pandemic, the Tigers faced a grueling schedule, playing some of the state’s top teams–including East Chapel Hill High School and Cardinal Gibbons High School–“over and over.”
Peterfeso praised her athletes’ resilience during the season. “What is awesome is that we played a whole season during a pandemic without any COVID cases or community spread,” she said. “The girls never complained about wearing their masks. They committed to their sport and their team.”
The team was captained by Gracie Murphy, Claire Willoughby and Molly Zolotor.
