PIAA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
AT HERSHEY PARKVIEW COURSE
CLASS 1A GIRLS
When: Saturday, 9:30 a.m.
Last year’s champs: Virginia Kraus, Moravian Academy (individual); Elk County Catholic (team)
Top returning finisher: Hope Haring, Eden Christian Academy (5th)
District 2 runners: Elk Lake (Azlyn Gazzillo, Chelsea Grosvenor, Madison Kerr, Erica McGlynn, Kylee Pond, Caitlyn Wagner, Kendyl Weisgold); Holy Cross (Gemma Bistran, Grace Donohue, Giada Gaidula, Ava Kochmer, Keira Lalli, Lily Turnbull, Miriam Valentine, Julie Walsh); Kate Korty, Forest City; Sakinah Bhatti, Holy Redeemer; Emily Black, Lakeland; Mary Kate Kupsky, Anna Zaroda, MMI Prep; Addison Stephens, Montrose; Corrine Flynn, Audrey Anderson, Mountain View; Kiera Burke, Susquehanna; Grace Rushmer, Wyoming Seminary
Around the state: Kraus, last year’s champion, transferred to Saucon Valley and is running in the Class 2A race. … Anna Sophia Viccari of West Middlesex, who placed eighth last year at states, was second this year at the District 10 Championships. Karis McElhaney from Jamestown, 13th last year at states, won the District 10 race in 19:24. … Madeline Murphy of York Catholic, 14th last year at states, was runnerup in District 3 to Lancaster Catholic freshman Leah Droter. … Elaina Rainwater from Phil-Mont Christian Academy won the District 1 title in 18:33.9. She finished 19th last year at states. … Gianna Mosca from Our Lady of Sacred Heart placed third in the District 7 meet in 19:23.7. She was 15th last year at states. Carlynton’s Bridget McNamara won the District 7 title in 19:11.7 and Fort Cherry’s Emily Frankovich was second in 19:12.3. … Lakeland’s Black finished 16th last year in 20:34. … At the PIAA Foundation Invitational on the Parkview Course in September, McNamara finished first, Mosca second and McElhaney third. … District 7 champ Our Lady of Sacred Heart and runnerup Winchester Thurston along with District 9 champ Brockway and runnerup Cranberry are among the favorites for the team title.
CLASS 2A GIRLS
When: Saturday, 10:15 a.m.
Last year’s champs: Baylee Espinosa, Lewisburg (individual); Danville (team)
Top returning finisher: Espinosa
District 2 runners: Dallas (Erika Doran, Alexa Gauntlette, Madison Hedglin, Mayah Kolinovsky, Ava Pugliese, Juliana Tosi, Anna Vincelli, Sarah Williams); Valley View (Makenna Adams, Hailey Boshman, Guilia Costa, Alexa Godino, Sadie Loftus, Emily Loomis, Riley Mackrell, Grace Miller); Matlida Serrano, Nanticoke; Olivia Corcoran, Betsy DiGiovanni, Alana Palmaioli, Lake-Lehman; Annika Von Ahnen, Mid Valley; Sarah O’Donnell, North Pocono; Madelyn Graves, Tunkhannock; June Brown, Kelcie Fillebrown, Olivia Lojewski, Wallenpaupack
Around the state: It will be a clash of defending state champions between Espinosa, who won last year’s 2A title in 18:48, and Saucon Valley’s Virginia Kraus, who won the 1A title last year at Moravian Academy. Espinosa won the District 4 title this year in 18:17.2. Kraus took the District 11 title in 18:01.4. … Emily Fisher from Somerset Area, who finished third last year at states, was second at the District 5 Championships in 18:40. Bedford’s Chloe May won the District 5 title in 18:27. She was 16th last year at states. … St. Marys Area senior Gabby Pistner, who finished fifth last year at states, became the first runner to win four District 9 titles since the PIAA went to three classifications in 2012. … Anne-Catherine Brown of Cathedral Prep won the District 10 title in 18:32. Brown placed sixth last year at states. … Uniontown’s Grace Trimmer finished second at the District 7 Championships in 18:15.2. Cecelia Montagnese from Quaker Valley won the District 7 title in 17:56.2. Trimmer placed seventh last year at states. … Dallas’ Williams (17th), Wallenpaupack’s Fillebrown (23rd) and Valley View’s Loftus (24th) each won a state medal last year. … District 4 champion Danville and District 10 champion Cathedral Prep, who finished 1-2 last year, are expected to battle for the team title again. District 9 champ St. Marys Area and District 7 teams Hampton and North Catholic could also challenge.
CLASS 3A GIRLS
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
Last year’s champs: Logan St. John Kletter, Mount Lebanon (individual); North Allegheny (team)
Top returning finisher: Lillian DiCola, Hatboro-Horsham (6th)
District 2 runners: Abington Heights (Kiera Crowell, Calli Gilboy, Marley Gilboy, Morgan Kresge, Kenadi Lotz, Riley McCooligan, Reese Morgan, Anna Pucilowski); Kaelyn Barker, Katie Kozich, Ella Novelli, Crestwood; Milana Daiute, Hazleton Area; Isabella Dessoye, Pittston Area
Around the state: DiCola won the District 1 title in 17:22.9. … Robin Kucler from North Allegheny, who was 11th last year at states, placed third at the District 7 Championships in 18:02.2. Woodland Hills’ Annabel Johnson won the District 7 title in 17:57.1 and Alyson Stepp of Moon was second in 18:00.1. … Devon Jackson from State College won the District 6 toitle in 18:24.2. Jackson was 13th last year at states. … District 7 champ North Allegheny is seeking its seventh straight state title. … Crestwood moved up from Class 2A to Class 3A this year. Kozich earned a state medal last year in Class 2A, finishing 22nd. … District 2 champ Abington Heights was second in the state last year and should be in the mix again along with District 1 champion Owen J. Roberts and District 3 champ Manheim Twp.
CLASS 1A BOYS
When: Saturday, 11:45 a.m.
Last year’s champs: Jaxon Schoedel, Mohawk (individual); Annville-Cleona (team)
Top returning finisher: Schoedel
District 2 runners: Elk Lake (Cody Adams, Kendel Jones, Parker Upright, Brent Drost, Brendan Hewitt, Isaiah Jones, Whalen Kinney, Trevor Upright); Lakeland (Daniel Black, Finn Davey, Henry Decker, David Dragwa, Jack Hemak, Dylan Kopa, Kyle Lorenzetti, James Telep); Max Ksenich, Blue Ridge; Johnathan Conlogue, Forest City; Thomas Gavin, Holy Cross; Joshua Cackowski, Holy Redeemer; Avery Ronchi, Lackawanna Trail; Lorenzo Christian, Montrose; Michael Beach, Sean Larkin, Mountain View; Jack Davies, Mikey Schimelfenig, Riverside
Around the state: Schoedel won the District 7 title in 15:33. … Creed Dewin from Northeast Bradford, who was seventh last year at states, won the District 4 title in 16:06. The Northwest duo of Michael Fritz (16:29.1) and Oliver Heintzelman (16:53.6) finished second and third, respectively, in the district race. Fritz earned a state medal last year with a 14th-place finish. … Veritas Academy’s Henry Friedrichs won the District 3 title in 15:39.8. Friedrichs was 13th last year at states. … Kolin Long of Minersville won the District 11 title in 17:11.8. Long just missed a state medal last year, finishing 26th. … Elk Lake’s Jones (5th) and Adams (8th) were state medalists last year. … Annville-Cleona in in Class 2A this year, so the team race is wide open. District 7 teams Riverview and Winchester Thurston, District 4 champ Northeast Bradford, as well as District 2 champ Elk Lake, are among the contender.
CLASS 2A BOYS
When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Last year’s champs: Ryan Pajak, Ringgold (individual); Hampton (team)
Top returning finisher: Jonathan Hess, Lewisburg (5th)
District 2 runners: Mid Valley (Jacob Borrelli, Josh Burns, Nathan Mosher, Reeve Owem, Yug Patel, William Powell, Matthew Repecki, Alexander Schuler); Crestwood (Ethan Divert, Rowan Dietrich, Nate Higgins, Jacob Lettieri, Bradley Myers, Jonah Partington, Mason Staude, Joey Van Dusen); Aiden Jennings, Dallas; Tommy Clark, Dunmore; Finn Cronin, Stephen Martin, Spencer Smith, Parker Smith, Lake-Lehman; Nicholas Michel, Vincent O’Malley, Scranton Prep; Colby Shiffer, Ethan Williams, Valley View
Around the state: Hess won the District 4 title in 15:27.6. … Michael Braun from Freeport, who was ninth last year at states, won the District 7 title in 15:18.9. Hampton’s Christopher Belch was second in 15:40.8. Belch placed 11th last year at states. … Stephen Todd from Bishop Shanahan won the District 1 title in 15:54.8. Todd last year finished 13th at states. … M.J. Pottinger from Grove City, 14th at states last year, won the District 10 title in 15:25.0. … Oliver Funck of Annville-Cleona finished 21st in Class 1A last year for a state medal. … Annville-Cleona, the Class 1A team champion last year, is competing in Class 2A this year. It is among the contenders along with District 10 champ Grove City, District 4 champion Lewisburg and District 7 champion Quaker Valley.
CLASS 3A BOYS
When: Saturday, 1:15 p.m.
Last year’s champs: Drew Griffith, Butler Area (individual); Council Rock North (team)
Top returning finisher: Nicholas Mazzeo, Lower Merion (2nd)
District 2 runners: Wallenpaupack (Aiden Janowicz, Casey McQueen, Chase Predmore, Daniel Salinas, Christopher Smith, Christopher Tofaro, Owen Wolff, JP Yeo); Timothy Fogley, Abington Heights; Michael Donlon, Delaware Valley; Owen Pollock, Franklin Ritz, Hazleton Area; Seamus Wallace, West Scranton
Around the state: Mazzeo won the District 1 title in 14:56.9. … Rowan Carr of Penncrest, who finished eighth last year at states, was third in the District 1 meet in 15:04.4. Matt Gosling from Council Rock North was second in the district in 15:02.1. … Hershey’s Vinay Raman, 11th last year at states, won the District 3 title in 15:20.0. … Kamden Kramer from McDowell won the District 10 title in 15:43. Kramer placed 23rd last year at states. … Isaac Oppermann of State College finished second at the District 6 Championships in 15:27.5 to Carter Smith from Mifflin County (15:24.6). Oppermann was 24th last year at states. … District 1 champ Council Rock North, District 12 champ La Salle College and District 6 champion State College are among the contenders for the team title.
— SCOTT WALSH
