By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
MESHOPPEN – The three fastest girls in the District 2 Cross Country Championships all ran in the same race.
That made for some challenging times Oct. 26 before Wyoming Area’s Madelyn Keating emerged as Class 2A champion, claiming her first district gold medal in cross country.
“The difference between this week and last week and previous meets, this race was more of a turf war,” Keating said.
The Wyoming Area finished the 3.1-mile course in 18:50.4 to win the three-way battle among state medalists. Riverside’s Lacey Danilovitz was four seconds back. Madison Hedglin from Dallas, who had won the race last year as a freshman, was third in 19:00.4.
“To avoid the rocks, the holes and the mud, it was just fighting for the best position because all three of us at this point are in the same fitness level,” Keating said.
All three finished more than 41 seconds before anyone else in the 90-runner field.
Keating missed the entire 2021 regular season while going through rehab from reconstructive knee surgery. She made her season debut at the district meet and took sixth to make it back to the state meet for the second time.
Significant progress has continued in the past year, including multiple district and state medals in track and field in the sping.
“One year ago, I got sixth place in this race,” Keating said, “on the same exact course against the same exact people, I was able to change that result in my favor.
“I’m just thankful for that opportunity to have a smooth recovery and a smooth comeback.”
Keating, a medalist with a 14th-place finish in 2020, is back at the Hershey Parkview Course for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Championships Nov. 5. The Class 2A race starts at 11:45 a.m.
District 2 sends its top two teams and 10 other individuals to the state meet.
Crestwood and Dallas are the team representatives after the Lady Comets edged the unbeaten Wyoming Valley Conference champions, 70-76, for the district title.
Ella Novelli was fourth while Maggie Kozich and Ellie Kozich placed 13th and 14th to lead Crestwood in the race where the top 20 received medals.
Dallas also had three medalists. Hedglin was joined by Sarah Williams in 10th place and Olivia Thomas in 16th.
Riverside, despite not having enough entries for a full team, and Lake-Lehman each qualified two individuals.
Danilovitz is joined by Kiley Williams, who finished ninth.
Lake-Lehman had Hannah Sayre finish fifth and Alana Palmaioli 11th.
Keating qualified, along with North Pocono’s Emily Franklin (sixth), Holy Redeemer’s Emily Lehman (seventh), Honesdale’s Brenna Dahlgren (eighth), Valley View’s Riley Mackrell (12th) and Mid Valley’s Annika Von Ahnen (15th).
The remaining medalists, in 17th through 20th places, were: Honesdale’s Megan Kretschmer, Lake-Lehman’s Olivia Corcoran and Wallenpaupack’s Morgan Anderson and Darcy Brennan.
MORE COVERAGE
District championship overview: BULLETIN: Freshmen shine in D-2 – NEPA Sports Nation.
Detailed Class 2A girls results: District 2 Cross Country Class 2A girls results – NEPA Sports Nation.
Boys Photo Gallery: District 2 Boys Cross Country Photo Gallery – NEPA Sports Nation.
Girls Photo Gallery: District 2 Girls Cross Country Photo Gallery – NEPA Sports Nation.
