Northern Allegheny’s reign over the PIAA girls was stopped by Haverford on Saturday.

Olivia Cieslak and Haverford captured the Class 3A team title over runner-up and District 1 team Owen J. Roberts and six-time defending champion North Allegheny to highlight the girls competition at the PIAA Cross Country Championships at the Parkview XC Course in Hershey. .

Individually, Hatboro-Horsham’s Lillian DiCola won the 3A title, besting Carlisle’s Ana Bondy in 18:31 and Dallastown freshman Leah Navarro, who finished 2nd and 3rd in 18:33. Rounding out the top 5 were Downingtown West freshman Julia Kelly (18:35) and Fords’ Cieslak (18:42).

Junior Virginia Kraus (11) of Saucon Valley captured the Class 2A champion with a time of 18:18, the highest time among girls runners on Saturday.

Carlisle’s Mid-Penn champion Bondy moved up the rankings in his junior year after finishing 14th at states the year before. He finished fourth at the Region 3 championships two weeks ago but was at his best in the final.

Moreover, the illness had caused Bondy to think that he might not even line up on Saturday.

“I’m in a bit of shock. I got really sick yesterday; I caught a cold and couldn’t breathe while running. “I wasn’t sure I could run today,” Bondy said.

“While I was at the line I started having a mini panic attack. I was really nervous. I was so scared because I was sick, I couldn’t do my best regional race. But I’m really happy to be racing.”

Bondy’s ability to attack the downhills of the rugged all-terrain Parkview Course allowed him to make up ground by overtaking nearly the entire field, gaining about a mile from mile 20.

“At the top of the hill, on the downhills and on the flats (where I make my mark),” Bondy said. “I was probably 20th in the first mile and we came down this big hill and I was falling back a little bit, but I caught everyone on the downhill.”

DiCola, a senior, is following in his family’s footsteps by becoming the PIAA cross country champion after his brother Brian won the 2022 boys’ 3A title with a course record.

DiCola’s graduation means Carlisle’s Bondy will be the top running back in 2024-25, and Carlisle’s junior embraces what’s to come by leaving Hershey on Saturday.

“This will leave me wanting more,” he said. “Next year I can pick myself up on a day when I’m sick and I’m not sure if I want to do this. “This is what came out of it, being more confident in myself.”

TEAM GOALS

Haverford held off Northern Allegheny for its seventh straight PIAA girls title, holding off an Owen J. Roberts team that had edged them in the Region 1 Championship at Lehigh University a week earlier.

Cieslak finished second among runners in the team event, while fellow senior Camryn McGeehan finished 8th (16th overall).

“I am very excited. That’s what we’re working for,” Cieslak said. “We’ve all been dreaming of this and I’m so proud of everyone who lined up. We wanted to show what we have. “We knew we could make it happen and we put our name out there again.”

Five of the Fords’ six scorers are seniors; including Micha Haskins, Anastasia Harmon and Pru Frein.

“We work together, raise each other up, and be there for each other. “I like having a team where we work together and compete together.”

Cieslak is a middle-distance star in track and field, the 800-meter champion and 1,600-meter runner-up at the PIAAs last spring. He had something to prove after missing the PIAA cross country race last year due to an ankle injury he suffered the day before the race.

“A lot of people say I’m a ‘track girl.’ I wanted to come here and show that it’s not just me. I know I can cross,” Cieslak said. “I wanted to run both in college, so I wanted to go out and show that I could be a ‘cross country girl’ and not just a ‘track girl.’

“Last year I couldn’t participate in the race because I sprained my ankle the day before. On that last hill I was thinking: ‘You didn’t race last year, but this year show what you can do.’ “After this negativity, when I went out on the field today and saw what I could do, I was very happy to even run, let alone show the performance I wanted for the team.”

Haverford (110), Owen J. Roberts (119) and North Allegheny (125) were followed by State College (162) and Conestoga (169) in the top 5. State College was led by junior Devon Jackson and senior Devyani Wadhia.

From District 3, Manheim County was seventh, Chambersburg was 15th and Cumberland Valley was 17th. Chambersburg’s winner was sophomore Brook Boone (20:17); CV had junior Kennedy Lauer (20:45).

Class 2A

Kraus (11) from Saucon Valley became the champion with a time of 18:18, followed by Emily Fisher from Somerset Area (18:37) and Cecilia Montagnese from Quaker Valley (18:49).

Cathedral Prep from Region 10 was the team champion (118), followed by Region 4 duo Lewisburg (151) and Danville (163).

Class 1A

Warrior Run junior Claire Dufrene became the individual champion in 19:04. Cranberries won the 1A team championship.

Results

Complete results

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