Pictured Above - Gabe Simkiss finishing at the PIAA State Championships - Photo by Phil Grove
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The Pennsylvania season might be over, but the big cross country championships are just getting started. Post-season competitions extend until December.
In the remaining time, we'll continue highlighting some of our "Future Stars." These are athletes, typically underclassmen, who have the potential to be stars of tomorrow.
With plenty of standout performances at the PIAA State Championships last weekend, many underclassmen broke through the ranks to earn themselves medals. Here are two of the many who caught our attention.
Gabe Simkiss
Regina Luminis Academy • Class of 2027
Regina Lumini Academy sophomore Gabe Simkiss earned his first PIAA state medal in a breakout season.
Simkiss placed third in the 1A boys' race, running 16:28.0 on the challenging Hershey Parkview course. This is a massive improvement over his freshman-year performance; he placed 33rd in 17:32.0.
However, the state meet isn't the only race Simkiss has found success in this season. He won the District 1 Championships, clocking an impressive 16:02.7 personal best. Simkiss also finished third in the Boys Champion race at the Carlisle Invitational in 16:38.9.
Should Simkiss continue this progression, he could solidify his name as one of PA's top 1A runners and beyond.
Lauren Kosek
Wellsboro • Class of 2027
Lauren Kosek is beginning to garner attention among PA's ranks.
Kosek secured a sixth-place medal, her first state-level honor, in the 2A girls' race at the PIAA State Championships. She ran 19:12.0, the second-fastest time for a sophomore in the 2A race. For context, Emily Fisher (Somerset Area) was the fastest sophomore, finishing second in 18:37.0.
Kosek has had an impressive season, acquiring a solid list of accolades. One of the standouts was her District 4 runner-up finish, where she ran a personal best mark of 18:21.2.
Other noteworthy performances include her fourth-place finish in 19:40.0 at the PIAA Foundation meet and her 17:49.1 three-mile personal best at the McQuaid Invitational.
Continue to keep an eye out for Lauren Kosek.
