Dallas High School cross-country runners Madison Hedglin (left) and Sarah Williams pose after both won medals at Saturday’s PIAA Cross Country championships in Hershey. Hedglin finished fourth overall in the Class 2A girls race, while Williams finished 19th.
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Dallas seniors Madison Hedglin and Sarah Williams have combined for five individual state medals during their high school cross country careers.
Saturday, they shared that achievement together for the first time.
Hedglin finished a career-best fourth in the Class 2A girls race at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Championships.
Williams placed 19th, landing in the top 25 needed for a state medal for the second straight year.
“It was a really satisfying day for both of them,” Dallas coach Amy Rome said in a telephone interview.
The state medal was the third for Hedglin, a three-time District 2 champion who was sixth two years ago but dropped out of last year’s race because of an illness.
“Madi coming out as a freshman and winning districts and medaling at states, it’s a long journey for a young female runner to have all that pressure on little shoulders,” Rome said. “ … She handled it really well all along the way and had a reall6y nice career.”
Hedglin finished the Hershey Parkview Course in 19:03. Williams posted a time of 19:47.
Seventh at the halfway mark, Hedglin moved up to fifth, but still 10 seconds out of fourth place, through two miles.
“Her usual steady self,” Rome said. “She never started out too fast, but always started out well and just kept moving up. Fourth place in that field was a great result.
“That was the fastest time she’s ever run; a very successful day for her.”
Williams had a rough start to the season with an extended illness.
“She’s had a much more trying year,” Rome said. “If you look at her results through September, they were nowhere near what she was running previous years.”
Rome praised Williams for her attitude and leadership during the trying times. When Williams became ill again this week, she did not let it stop her medal pursuit.
“She really powered through everything,” Rome said. “She ran a tough race, hung in there. She always does.
“She’s never backed down from anything in her four years. She always puts herself in it.”
Teammate Erika Doran joined them in the top 100 as Dallas placed 14th out of 22 in the team competition.
Michael Fritz from Northwest, which is a District 4 team for postseason purposes, was the only Wyoming Valley Conference boy to medal. Fritz was eighth in Class A.
Class A boys was also the race in which District 2 made its strongest showing.
Lackawanna League member Elk Lake placed Kody Adams, Kendel Jones and Parker Upright fourth, fifth and 15th and the Warriors were third in the team standings. Three other District 2 boys earned medals.
Mason Staude from Crestwood was the next-closest WVC runner to earning a medal. He was 29th in Class 2A boys.
PIAA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
(3.1-mile Hershey Parkview Course)
CLASS A GIRLS
WVC Entries
Mary Kate Kupsky, MMI Prep, 36th, 21:21
Grace Rushmer, Wyoming Seminary, 51st, 21:43
Anna Zaroda, MMI Prep, 132nd, 23:12
Sakinah Bhatti, Holy Redeemer, 180th, 24:152
Team race: Cranberry over Our Lady of Sacred Heart, 93-107. District 2 teams: Elk Lake, 8th of 20, 234; Holy Cross, 17th of 20, 449. Individual winner: Claire Dufrene, Warrior Run, 19:04. Top District 2 finisher: Kendyl Weisgold, Elk Lake, 11th, 20:20. Other District 2 medalist: Emily Black, Lakeland, 16th, 20:28. Total finishers: 247.
CLASS 2A GIRLS
WVC Team Finish
Dallas, 14th of 22, 331 points
WVC Individual Finishers
Madison Hedglin, Dallas, 4th, 19:03
Sarah Williams, Dallas, 19th, 19:47
Erika Doran, Dallas, 92nd, 21:26
Madelyn Graves, Tunkhannock, 122nd, 21:48
Betsy Digiovanni, Lake-Lehman, 133rd, 21:57
Alana Palmaioii, Lake-Lehman, 169th, 22:35
Matilda Serrano, Nanticoke, 196th, 23:17
Olivia Corcoran, Lake-Lehman, 210th, 23:46
Mayah Kolinovsky, Dallas, 223rd, 24:22
Ava Pugliese, Dallas, 228th, 24:39
Juliana Tosi, Dallas, 238th, 25:19
Alexa Gauntlett, Dallas, 239th, 25:19
Team race: Erie Cathedral Prep over Lewisburg, 118-151. Other District 2 team: Valley View, 15th, 351 points. Individual winner: Virginia Kraus, Saucon Valley, 18:18. Top District 2 finisher: Hedglin. Other District 2 medalists: Williams. Total finishers: 250.
CLASS 3A GIRLS
WVC Individuals Finishers
Milana Daiute, Hazleton Area, 46th, 20:00
Katie Kozich, Crestwood, 51st, 20:05
Ella Novelli, Crestwood, 85th, 20:24
Kaelyn Barkett, Crestwood, 122nd, 20:55
Bella Dessoye, Pittston Area, 129th, 20:58
Team race: North Allegheny over State College, 60-118. District 2 Team: Abington Heights, 11th of 20, 261. Individual winner: Lillian Dicola, Hatboro-Horsham, 18:31. Top District 2 finisher: Anna Pucilowski, Abington Heights, 26th, 19:21. Total finishers: 236.
CLASS A BOYS
WVC Entries
Michael Fritz, Northwest, 8th, 16:35
Oliver Heintzelman, Northwest, 40th, 17:43
Joshua Cackowski, Holy Redeemer, 119th, 19:00
Team race: Winchester Thurman over Riverview, 89-105. District 2 teams: Elk Lake, 3rd of 21, 131 points; Lakeland, 10th of 21, 258 points. Individual winner: Jason Schoedel, Monawk, 15:51. Top District 2 finisher: Kody Adams, Elk Lake, 4th, 16:31. Other District 2 medalists: Kendel Jones, Elk Lake, 5th, 16:32; Lorenzo Christian, Montrose, 11th, 17:02; Parker Upright, Elk Lake, 15th, 17:07; Mikey Schimelfenig, Riverside, 20th, 17:16. Henry Decker, Lakeland, 24th, 17:18. WVC Medalist: Fritz. Total finishers: 260.
CLASS 2A BOYS
WVC Team Finish
Crestwood, 18th of 21, 378 points
WVC Individual Finishers
Mason Staude, Crestwood, 29th, 17:02
Spencer Smith, Lake-Lehman, 110th, 18:05
Stephen Martin, Lake-Lehman, 122nd, 18:14
Nate Higgins, Crestwood, 128th, 18:17
Parker Smith, Lake-Lehman, 154th, 18:32
Jacob Lettieri, Crestwood, 155th, 18:32
Aidan Jennings, Dallas, 187th, 18:57
Jonah Partington, Crestwood, 203rd, 19:24
Rowan Dietrich, Crestwood, 208th, 19:33
Bradley Myers, Crestwood, 213th, 19:45
Ethan Deivert, Crestwood, 220th, 19:57
Team race: Grove City over Lewisburg, 85-126. Other District 2 Team: Mid Valley, 15th of 21, 333 points. Individual winner: Jonathan Hess, Lewisburg, 15:57. Total finishers: 249.
CLASS 3A BOYS
WVC Individual Finishers
Franklin Ritz, Hazleton Area, 116th, 17:27
Owen Pollock, Hazleton Area, 184th, 17:57
Team race: State College over La Salle College High, 53-117. District 2 team: Wallenpaupack, 20th of 22, 567 points. Individual winner: Carter Smith, Mifflin County, 15:41. Top District 2 finisher: Aidan Janowicz, Wallenpaupack, 39th, 16:40. Total finishers: 250.