The latest Dyestat ratings are out and the Tatnall School girl’s cross-country team is ranked second in the South East Conference of the United States. The Tatnall girl’s cross-country team has already added another conference championship, New Castle County Championship and Delaware State Championship to their 2007 resume. Many of you reading this might shrug your shoulders and let out a resounding sigh with little or no emotion with a glazed over thought of “so what?”

Stay with me here for a moment while I paint you a picture of a remarkable running program that has pumped out 10 Delaware State Championships and placed 2nd or 3rd - 8 other times. In addition, the Tatnall girls managed to set 3 state relay records during the 2006 track and filed season and all within 3 weeks of each other. Also in 2006, the girls cross-country team competed at the Nike Team Nationals and finished 12th in the nation. Not bad since Nike only invites the top 20 teams in the nation to compete.

Do I still have your attention? Would it make a difference if I told you that this program all stems from a high school of only 260 students?  Would it make a difference if I told you that 7 nationally ranked runners have all ready graduated from this program and gone on to run at the college level as scholarship athletes?

New Castle County Champions

Are you impressed yet? You want more? How about this, Tatnall has had 10 different individual state champions who have amassed 55 separate individual and relay state titles in track and cross country including two All-American runners, Katie Kershner and Juliet Bottorff, and 2 All-American Relay teams.

Yet year after year the Tatnall School struggles to field full teams for their boys and girls running squads yet they still manage to compete at the regional and national level. So, how is this small school from Delaware been able to accomplish all this? 

The heart of the Tatnall running program is a belief that with hard work and discipline anything is possible. Head Coach Patrick Castagno has been preaching the philosophy of his “program” since it’s inception in 2001 when he began coaching in the spring of that same year.  Coach Castagno will be the first one to admit that he has no secrets when it comes to his coaching “program”. He expects only hard work and dedication and the rest will take care of itself.

Coach Patrick Castagno giving his team last minute instructions before the States.

At the conclusion of the 2006-2007 running season with 3 state titles and a 12th place finish at the Nike Team Nationals questions loomed around the team’s leadership ability and maturity level after loosing 3 senior captains and all-state stand outs to graduation. Jenna McCarten is now running for the University of Georgia and Annie Castagno and Joanie Castagno are both running at Clemson University. It’s quick to note here that all 3 girls are scholarship runners.

In order for the 2007 Tatnall girls’ team to have a repeat performance of their spectacular 2006 nationally ranked XC season, the team needed some promising underclassmen to fill some pretty big shoes.

Those questions were soon laid to rest by the time the first practice began in Mid-August of 2007. Senior Katie Kershner and Junior Juliet Bottorff were leading the charge to prove that the 2006 season could be repeated. Junior Katie Oldham, Sophomore Kallie Fehr and Sophomore Molly Parsons were out to prove that they belonged by staging an off-season onslaught that would rival any top level college program. Transfer Carly Simmons, A Sophomore from Padua Academy, added even more depth to an already deep team.  The final peg was put in place when Florida Junior transfer Katie Buenaga landed at the Tatnall School in August. Pushing for the #7 spot was Freshman Lauren Blackwell and Freshman Haley Pierce.

From the first meet of the 2007 Cross-Country season the Tatnall girls ran with everything to prove and nothing to lose. They wanted respect and they were out to establish themselves as one of the top teams in the country. Tatnall began their climb in the South East Regional rankings early in the season by placing 6th at the 2007 Maymont Invitational, a regional event held in Richmond, Virginia.  Just 2 weeks later the Tatnall girls placed 8th at the Eastern States held at the Manhattan Invitational at the famous Van Cortland Park in the heart of the Bronx, New York. The race was touted as the “toughest girl’s cross-country group ever assembled for one race on the east coast”.

Delaware State Champions

Locally the Tatnall girls remained undefeated. They ran threw their Conference Championship winning with 19 points and placing all 7 runners in the top 10. Next up was the New Castle County Championships, the largest meet in the state, and Tatnall again never let up winning by 37 points and taking 6 of the top 15 spots. The Delaware State Championship meet was an even more impressive victory for the team as they took 5 of the top 7 spots and 6 of the top 12 winning with 18 points. At the conclusion of the season they remained in sole position of the second place ranking in the South East Region with only one, possibly 2 races left.

On Saturday November 25, 2007 the Tatnall girls were right where they wanted to be. They were at the Nike South East Regional Cross-Country Championships in Hoover, Alabama. One race was left to determine if they were good enough to go to the National Championships in Portland, Oregon. Tatnall needed to place first or second to earn an automatic bid. Anything less in their eyes was unacceptable.

Juliet Bottorff finished the 5K race 3rd with a time of 18:40.3 with Molly Parsons and Kallie Fehr finishing 13th  and 14th  respectively with the same time of 19:36.9. Katie Buenaga was 24th 19:51.8, Katie Kershner 25th 19:53.7, Katie Oldham 27th 19:55.2 and Lauren Blackwell 37th 20:24.1 beating number 1 seed Mountain Brook, Alabama giving the Tatnall girls the overall second place finish they needed to return to the NTN Championships. Congratulations Tatnall from all of us at OSX Fitness.

Olympian 3K & 5K american record holder Shalane Flannigan (left) presents trophy to Tatnall. Picture by Dan Blackwell

OSX Fitness is also going to Portland, Oregon to follow this story of the small school from Delaware. We will have updates all week on our Myspace page with blogs and pictures. We will also be covering the race with interviews before and after the race with runners coaches and parents. Make sure you keep checking out Myspace page at www.myspace.com/osxfitness .

Send well wishes and comments to us so we can post them right here on this page. Send your comments to osxfitness@osxfitness.com and we will post them as fast as we can.

Some Fan Mail and Well Wishes for the Tatnall Girls XC Team

CONGRATS TO THE TATNALL GIRLS TEAM, ALL OF THE COACHES, ...... AND THE PARENTS WHO HELPED MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN IN MORE WAYS THAN MOST WOULD KNOW. CHRIS CASTAGNO FORMER TATNALL GIRLS PARENT
To Patrick Castagno, XC Coaches and XC team: On behalf of The Tatnall School Alumni Association, we would like to congratulate you for the incredible Cross Country season  your team experienced--not only this year, but in past years, as well.  The successes you achieved are far too many to list here, but we certainly have to mention the winning of the State Championships in present and past years for both boys and girls, culminated by an invitation to the Nike National Meet for the girls two years in a row. It is no surprise to us that you and your team have been so successful.   You have done nothing but outstanding work, led by Patrick since his arrival to The Tatnall School.   These are achievements to which any coach and team might feel justifiably proud.  The fact that you were competing against the best in the area and in the country makes it all the more wonderful. We want you to know that the Tatnall Alumni are extremely proud of your accomplishments and representation of our School, and wish you well in Portland next weekend.   Know that we will be your biggest fan base that will be thinking about you and rooting for you from afar!   Congratulations again. Sincerely, Anita Marcial, Director                        Mark Hodgson, President                                                  Alumni Relations                                        Alumni Council The Tatnall School
Absolutely an amazing run - and a great article - - and the best thing is that PC's principles of running (setting goals and hard work and discipline) are fantastic life skills that all of the kids are able to carry with them after they graduate from Tatnall. Have a great time in Portland. John Ward Alumni Dad
Girls, your dream is almost complete. Only one race left. Just remember "Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character." T. Alan Armstrong The time is yours. Give it everything you have and then some - Remember - Run Hard - Run Strong - Run Hardcore - GO HORNETS! The Bald Man
Congratulations to everybody – what an amazing team!  The Manleys
It has been an absolute blast to be part of this program and school. From the first race at the Bottle & Cork through the Regional Championships you have all made us feel very welcome. It is one thing to run in the National Race, it is another to repeat! Congratulations to all the girls...enjoy your accomplishments and be proud of your teamwork. These experiences will help shape your future and create memories for a lifetime. Also, the coaches have been fantastic! Patrick, you have been, and continue to be, a true leader and role model for all the athletes. I know we do not have everyone's email so please feel free to forward. Regards, the Buenaga's.
Congratulations to a great son who works untirelessly for others; to a group of girls devoted to his philosophy and to the parents who make it all possible. Good luck at Nationals. We will be praying and cheering. Mom and Dad Al and Terri Castagno
Coach Castagno, I don’t know how you do it year after year, season after season, but you inspire kids, parents, friends and fans.  The success of the Tatnall Cross Country Team is due in large part to this inspiration.  You do everything to show your runners the bigger possibilities.  Congratulations on helping this group see what is in them.  To all of the runners in this program, Congratulations!  You have been open to major achievements and what it takes to get them.  Your openness has created a growth in much more than talent and program.  I have heard some amazing things about each and every one of you.  What you have done together is far greater than winning.  Your instinct and ability to step up to the challenge will stay with you for life if you let it.  To Patrick, Mark, Zach, Lauren and Bill– you have committed yourself completely to this team, program and kids-individually.  The work you do is remarkable and I can’t imagine this kind of time, dedication, effort and thoughtfulness found any other place as it is at Tatnall.  Congratulations to a very worthy group of runners and coaches!   Good Luck in Oregon.    Mary Jane Gallagher
Great Job! From the Clapp family-
On the eve of yet another momentous event for this talented team, the Stabler family wishes all the best of luck. We are very proud of all the girls!
GO TATNALL HORNETS !! From OSXFitness.com