Cross Country

Central’s Lanee Berkhimer, Altoona’s Ashlyn Noce earn top 10 finishes in PIAA cross country championships

HERSHEY -- Central senior Lanee Berkhimer led six medalists from the Altoona Mirror's core coverage area with a fourth-place finish in the Class 2A girls race at the PIAA cross country championships at Hershey Park on Saturday.

"I knew I had to go out with the first group and that if I could stay strong I could finish higher up," Berkhimer said. "I was kind of hoping for a better time and a better overall end feeling of the race, but overall it's a tougher course and you're up against crazy competition and you're constantly fighting your way through the course and fighting for a spot, so I'm pretty happy with it."

Berkhimer finished in 19:09 and was 17th at the first checkmark before moving to 11th, eighth and then finally fourth at the next few checkmarks.

"Whenever you are at a race like that, I feel like everyone starts really fast," Berkhimer said. "I kind of just knew I had to stay with the front group and hopefully pick girls off throughout the race."

Berkhimer earned a medal at the PIAA meet each year of her varsity career and improved on a 17th-place finish from last year.

"I am very privileged to go out there and run what I did overall," Berkhimer said. "You always look back on it and think it could have been a little bit better. It could have been worse. But I'm very thankful that God gave me the ability to place that high up and be thankful for how the season went and thankful for what is going to come next."

Altoona's Ashlyn Noce actually had the area's best time, besting Berkhimer's time by seven seconds as she placed eighth in the Class 3A girls race in 19:02.

"We are incredibly excited and proud that Ashlyn is the first Lady Lion to earn all-state honors since 1996 (Carrie McKeon, 16th states were at Bucknell) and the first to crack in the top 10 since 1988 (at Ft. Indiantown Gap Tracee Mills second, Guyer, sixth, Harrity 21st on the 1988 Altoona state championship team)," Altoona coach Tabitha Quinn said. "Ashlyn capped her season by achieving her most significant goals, a testament to her consistent training and strategic racing. After narrowly missing all-state last season by just two places, she was determined to improve her ranking. As the season progressed, she set a humble yet ambitious goal for this year -- to finish in the top 10. She established her position from the start, focusing intensely on staying in the top 10 until the final 400-meter kick."

Central Cambria's Ethan Haycisak was the highest finishing male runner from the Mirror's area, earning a 15th-place medal in the 2A boys race with a time of 16:59. The only other boy from the Mirror's core coverage area to medal was Bishop Carroll Catholic's Noah Knobloch, who placed 25th in 17:33 as a freshman.

Back on the girls side, Central Cambria's Paige Alexander joined Berkhimer with a 2A medal after she finished 20th in 20:04, and Williamsburg's Ava Dixon earned a medal in the Class 1A girls race with a 17th place finish in 20:29.

In Class 2A boys, Central Cambria finished sixth as a team with 195 points behind champion Hughesville, which finished with 135. Quaker Valley's Jonah Montagnese won the individual title.

Cathedral Prep won the Class 2A girls team title with 74 points ahead of Central Cambria, which finished fourth with 162 points, and Virginia Kraus of Saucon Valley was the individual champion.

North Penn won the Class 3A boys championship, 115-123, over State College, and Cedar Crest's Travis Furmanski took home the individual PIAA title. Defending champion Carter Smith of Mifflin County finished fourth.

Norwin won the Class 3A girls team title, and Emmaus' Madelyn McCartney won the individual championship.

Elk Lake won the Class 1A boys team title, and Northwest's Michael Fritz was the individual champion. On the girls side, Shade Side Academy won team gold, Mercer's Maggie Jewell won the individual championship and Forest Hills' Bella Ascherl was third in 19:47.

RESULTS (TOP 3 AND LOCAL FINISHERS)

CLASS 3A BOYS: 1, Furmanski, Cedar Crest, 15:34; 2, Mazzeo, Lower Merion, 15:39; 3, T. Opperman, State College, 15:45; 82, R. Manfred, Hollidaysburg, 17:12; 91, Sunderland, Hollidaysburg, 17:15.

CLASS 3A GIRLS: 1, McCartney, Emmaus, 18:17; 2, Marcelis, Wissahickon, 18:27; 3, Bondy, Carlisle, 18:30; 8, Noce, Altoona, 19:02; 125, E. Etters, Altoona, 21:01; 140, Smith, Hollidaysburg, 21:12.

CLASS 2A BOYS: 1, Montagnese, Quaker Valley, 16:00; 2, Shaner, Hughesville, 16:10; 3, Steineman, North Catholic, 16:34; 15, Haycisak, CC, 16:59; 46, Takacs, CC, 17:35; 48, Doyle, CC, 17:36; 129, Westrick, CC, 18:29; 139, Bearer, CC, 18:36; 154, McConnell, CC, 18:45; 170, Yokitis, CC, 19:06; 192, Corle, Northern Bedford, 19:27; 212, Hart, Northern Bedford, 19:49.

CLASS 2A GIRLS: 1, Kraus, Saucon Valley, 17:48; 2, Miller, Gwynedd Mercy, 18:19; 3, Kosek, Wellsboro, 18:45; 4, Berkhimer, Central, 19:09; 20, Alexander, CC, 20:04; 21, May, Bedford, 20:05; 45, D. Snyder, CC, 20:53; 46, Long, CC, 20:53; 55, Sheehan, CC, 21:05; 124, George, CC, 22:13; 171, Kirsch, CC, 22:56; 193, A. Snyder, CC, 23:28.

CLASS 1A BOYS: 1, Fritz, Northwest, 15:59; 2, Jones, Elk Lake, 16:05; 3, Sharara, Sewickley Academy, 16:08; 25, Knobloch, Bishop Carroll, 17:33; 88, Hollenbach, Bellwood-Antis, 18:37; 114, Westover, Portage, 18:59; 168, Fatzinger, Bellwood-Antis, 19:49; 182, Corl, Williamsburg, 20:03.

CLASS 1A GIRLS: 1, Jewell, Mercer, 19:28; 2, Lenhart, Shady Side Academy, 19:41; 3, Ascherl, Forest Hills, 19:47; 17, Dixon, Williamsburg, 20:29; 60, White, Portage, 21:59; 70, Hoover, Cambria Heights, 22:12; 74, Pennington, Bellwood-Antis, 22:16; 89, Hines, Bishop Carroll, 22:31; 142, J. Kraft, Bellwood-Antis, 23:18.