HERSHEY — Cross country is often thought of as an individual sport, but for the Central Cambria girls, it’s all about the team.
The Lady Red Devils captured their third straight PIAA championship on Saturday at the Parkview Course.
“I’d say this was the toughest championship to win because when we had Carly (Seymour), it was our first year on the scene,” Central Cambria coach Randy Wilson said. “Last year, we came into the meet behind Lewisburg and this year we were seeded pretty high all year and had the target on our backs.
“The thing that most impressed me is the fact that they really used today to be great. We didn’t run great at our conference meet or at districts, but they put all that behind them and almost everyone ran their best race of the season today.”
Junior Ashley Stump has been part of all three winning runs for the Red Devils.
“I never thought that coming into this as a freshman that we would get three,” Stump said. “One was amazing, the second time was even better, but this is just unbelievable and I’m so proud of everyone.
“To win this we all have to give our all and we all have to rely on each other. If one person isn’t feeling good, they know they have to push through it because we are doing this as a team and we want to win it.”
Central Cambria, which won by just four points last year, finished with
72 points, well ahead of second-place Union City from District 10, which had 153. Northwestern Lehigh (154 points), Lewisburg (174) and St. Basil Academy (220) rounded out the top five.
“I’m really excited,” said senior Kelsey Seymour, who finished seventh overall. “It’s our third time and every time it happens, it doesn’t get old, it just gets more exciting. I’m really happy everyone ran really well.”
Freshman Alyssa Brandis was the top Central Cambria finisher, fourth in a time of 19:37.
“I was really nervous,” Brandis said.
“The start was the toughest part because I didn’t get out fast enough.”
Two other Central Cambria freshmen, Olivia Lipnic and Kelsey Hagans, also had early race jitters.
“It was very nervewracking at the start and pretty overwhelming,” Lipnic said.
Added Hagans: “It was very scary at first and I was really nervous.”
Even a veteran at running in the state meet such as Red Devils junior Kendall Seymour had concerns.
“I didn’t feel like I got a very good start, but it was a matter of pulling through and picking off different girls and I kept trying to focus on the tangents not the pain,” said Kendall Seymour, who was 25th overall.
Senior Morgan Eckenrod summed it up for the Red Devils.
“It wasn’t my best race, but I went out as hard as I could because I knew we had a shot to win and I didn’t want to let my teammates down,” she said.
Laurel Valley senior Hannah Miller was making her fourth appearance in the state championships and ended up 16th on Saturday in a time of 19:59.
“It definitely wasn’t my best run, but it was better than I did at districts,” Miller said.
Forest Hills junior Leah Anne Wirfel came into the race as one of the top contenders in the state, but had a disappointing day, 24th in a time of 20:20.
“I knew it was going to be tough, I just kind of got overwhelmed,” Wirfel said. “I felt good all season and coming into today and as soon as I started, I just didn’t feel right.”
The Rangers were 16th in the team competition.
Bishop McCort junior Chad King topped the local contingent of boys finishers among the 289 runners, finishing 25th in 17:18.
“The course is very difficult,” said King, who was making his second appearance at the state meet. “I tried to work the hills and catch some people on the downhills.”
The United boys were 18th overall while the Bedford boys were 25th.
Notes: Northwestern Lehigh senior Lindsay Kerr was the top female finisher in a time of 18:56 while senior Stephen Woods of Kutztown led the male finishers in a winning time of 16:37.
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