Neither Ryan Thompson nor Emilee Hertweck saw their senior season on the cross-country course end the way they would have liked.

Still, Butler County coaches named them 2011 All-County Cross-Country Team Boys and Girls runners of the year.

Thompson, a Slippery Rock senior, had his promising season derailed because of an illness toward the end of the year. Hertweck, a senior at Knoch, struggled through a nagging knee injury that sabotaged her chance to reach the PIAA Championships.

“It kind of felt unfair,” Thompson said. “I didn’t want my season to end on such a bad note, but what can you do? It just feels so good that the coaches in the county recognized me like this. It’s pretty awesome.”

Hertweck first had problems with her right knee when she was a freshman, but ran pain free until early this season.

Despite the discomfort and pain, she trudged on, placing 47th at the WPIAL Championship meet.

“I’m kind of surprised, especially after the way my senior season ended up,” Hertweck said of receiving the award. “I’m actually very happy.”

Thompson didn’t have a finish below fifth in any race this season until a nasty case of strep throat derailed his season at the most inopportune time.

The illness prevented Thompson from running his best in the District 10 meet where he finished 18th and just missed the cut to the state meet.

A similar scenario happened to Thompson the year before.

“It was like deja vu,” Thompson said. “Last year I got a sinus infection and it affected my lungs.”

Thompson, though, is healthy now as he prepares for basketball season this winter for the Rockets.

He hopes to run cross-country and track in college.

Like Thompson, Hertweck has had a strong career.

As a junior she was 17th at the WPIAL meet and holds the third-fastest time in Knoch history.

Her mother, Jinny, is a former Knoch cross-country runner.

Hertweck said she is proud of the fact she didn’t let the injury stop her this season.

“I’m not the only runner who has had to go through a lot,” Hertweck said. “I’ve battled through a lot of injuries. I’ve run in a lot of races and I think I’ve proven myself.”

Hertweck is rehabilitating her knee and is running pain free now. She hopes to run cross-country in college.

2011 All-CountyCross-Country TeamBoysRunner of the Year: Ryan Thompson (Slippery Rock)

Team of the Year: Mars

First team: Jason Anna (Slippery Rock), Madison Goodman (Seneca Valley), Ben Nickel (Seneca Valley), Jake Perri (Seneca Valley), Chris Georgiadis (Mars), Sean Gannon (Mars), Matt Slagle (Karns City)

Second team: Caleb Bickel (Slippery Rock), Preston Carlsson (Knoch), Scott Slaney (Mars), Kylan Hill (Seneca Valley), Chris Short (Butler), Alex Cetnar (Knoch), Garret Urban (Seneca Valley)

Honorable mention: Evan Miller (Moniteau), Colin Meehan (Freeport), Alex Flecker (Slippery Rock), Jacob Ferguson (Butler)

GirlsRunner of the Year: Emilee Hertweck (Knoch)

Team of the Year: Freeport

First team: Jessica Bennett (Slippery Rock), Kayla Zboran (Freeport), Katie Lutz (Seneca Valley), Holly Keefer (Butler), Maggie McChesney (Mars), Rebecca Dudek (Freeport), Taryn Latsko (Seneca Valley)

Second team: Shannon McChesney (Mars), Kristen McKinney (Seneca Valley), Lacee Scheerbaum (Karns City), Emily Seibert (Seneca Valley), Tena Pettit (Knoch), Tori Sawhney (Butler), Salina Smialek (Mars)

Honorable mention: Reilly Butler (Mars), Alexis Swiergol (Butler), Becky Paine (Seneca Valley), Heather Porter (Moniteau), Rachel Konieczny (Butler), Hayley Davis (Freeport)