First-time champions, repeat titlists and a history-making winner were among those creating headlines Saturday in the PIAA girls XC finals at the Parkview course in Hershey.
This year's Class AA field was loaded with talent, both individuals and teams. Two of the favorites also came to Hershey as defending champions: Saucon Valley's Virginia Kraus and perennial District 10 power Cathedral Prep.
On the strength of her first title in Class AA a year ago, Kraus added the distinction of being just the third runner ever to win three consecutive PIAA titles to start high school, having previously won two in a Moravian Academy uniform. An established and successful front runner, Kraus wasted no time in grabbing the lead in this year's AA championship race, splitting 5:18 for the quick opening mile and a 4-second edge on Baylee Espinosa of team contender Lewisburg Area.
The gap between the Dartmouth commit and her closest pursuers grew throughout the 5K, with her winning time of 17:48 being 31 seconds ahead of Reese Miller of Gwynedd Mercy Academy. Lauren Kosek of Wellsboro Area picked up a spot in the second half of the race, grabbing third in 18:45.
It wasn't long before Cathedral Prep seniors Anne-Catherine Brown and Fina Bannister hit the finish line back to back for the second consecutive Saturday, starting the scoring for Therese Brown's squad by placing 8th and 9th overall, respectively. The next three Ramblers to finish were separated by just 17 seconds, with Prep's top five in the top 37 overall and first 22 places in team scoring for a final score of just 74 points.
Gwynedd Mercy Academy was a distant second with 123 points, while Lewisburg Area (148) and Central Cambria (162) were next in the standings.
In Class AAA, the team and individual champions both were new to PIAA championship glory after registering impressive performances in their district meets.
On the team side, Brian Fleckenstein's Norwin squad had proven themselves time and time again in the 2025 season, winning by wide margins at big meets in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Led by senior and Pitt recruit Annie Czajkowski, the Knights immediately went to the top of the standings with their 1 senior-6 junior lineup.
Norwin was in the top spot at every checkpoint in the AAA final, ultimately finishing with just 54 points. The Knights' team placings were 6, 7, 12, 13 and 16 to run away from all challengers, with Downingtown West (147) and State College (166) next in the order.
For Madelyn McCartney of Emmaus, the road to victory opened up very late in the race, moving from third to first during the final climb and then run for the finish. The senior crossed the line in 18:17, the second fastest time of the day and the first state XC championship for a Green Hornet runner.
Berkeley Marcelis of Wissahickon held steady near the front over the full 5K distance, grabbing second in 18:27 ahead of senior Ana Bondy's 18:30 in third for Carlisle. Only three runners in the top 10 are juniors or seniors.
Arguably the biggest surprise and the most likely result both occurred in the first race of the day, Class A girls.
Shady Side Academy entered the meet as the only Class A squad in PA MileSplit's Power Rankings, holding down the No. 10 spot amongst a bevy of AAA squads and two AA teams. The Bulldogs didn't waste any time after the gun sounded, bolting away from the field and building a 49-point lead over District 9 champion Central Clarion and WPIAL rival Winchester Thurston after the opening mile and 35-point gap on the field at the halfway point.
The pack, notably Our Lady of Sacred Heart and Winchester Thurston, started to close on the WPIAL champions. A change at the top never happened, however, as Jeff Perlis' squad topped the field with 122 points, six better than OLSH and 13 ahead of Winchester Thurston.
The surprise was reserved for Mercer Area's Maggie Jewell, who was in the Class A final for the third consecutive year in hopes of her first state medal. Impressive in dominating the District 10 race on the flat layout in Titusville, the senior handled all of the ups and downs of Parkview and had enough left at the end to pass defending champion Claire Dufrene of Warrior Run and hit the line in 19:28. Freshman Josephine Lenart of soon-to-be team champs Shady Side Academy was a solid second in 19:41, while Forest Hills sophomore Bella Ascherl was third in 19:47.