Pictured above: Class A champion Kate Korty from Forest City. (Tony Callaio Photo)
By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
MESHOPPEN – Montrose coach Dean Brewer created a lofty goal for his team going into its Class A girls title defense in the District 2 Cross Country Championships Oct. 16 at the Wyoming County Fairgrounds.
The Lady Meteors fell just short of that goal, but that was close enough to separate them from the rest of the pack.
With five girls earning medals, Montrose captured its fourth straight title.
“Our goal was five in the top 10,” Brewer said. “That’s what we were shooting for, but we’re happy, just getting out today and moving on to the next race.”
The Lady Meteors wound up with 4 in the top 8 and 5 in the top 13 of a race where the first 15 finishers earned District 2 medals.
That added up to a 28-62 advantage over Lakeland at the top of the nine-team field.
Lakeland claimed the other district berth in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Cross Country Championships Nov. 5 at the Hershey Parkview Course. The Class A girls race gets the state championship day started at 11 a.m.
Montrose, Lakeland and the best 10 other individuals, including champion Kate Korty from Forest City, will represent District 2.
Mary Pichette led the Lady Meteors to continuing their district success with a third-place finish. Stephanie Summerville was fifth, Paige Brewer sixth, Avery Kerr eighth and Daegan Giannone 13th.
Korty’s race also came very close to her plan for the day.
“The plan was to take the lead from the start and not look back,” Korty said. “ … I felt strong all the way through.
“There were a couple times when I had to slow down to catch my breath, then I’d just start going again.”
By then the sophomore had plenty of breathing room on the way to a 46.6-second victory, completing the 3.1-mile course in 19:55.
Emily Black was second, leading Lakeland to its state berth. Morgan Lutz was the other Lakeland medalist in 10th place.
Mountain View had three state qualifiers, two of them medalists.
Elk Lake had two runners earn medals while qualifying for the state meet and five other schools advanced one each.
Carissa Flynn was fourth, Corinne Flynn 11th and Genevieve Larkin 16th for Mountain View, which placed third in the team standings.
Elk Lake placed fourth with Mackenzie Strhol and Sydney Upright grabbing the last two medals in 14th and 15th.
Mary Kate Kupsky from MMI Prep, Rebecca Polgar from Wyoming Seminary and Julie Walsh from Holy Cross medaled and qualified by finishing seventh, ninth and 12th.
Blue Ridge’s Madeline Naylor claimed the last spot in Hershey with her 18th-place finish.
MORE COVERAGE
District championship overview: BULLETIN: Freshmen shine in D-2 – NEPA Sports Nation.
Detailed Class A girls results: District 2 Cross Country Class A 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.
