The District 11 Cross Country Championships held on October 25 at DeSales University showcased exceptional talent, with Shenandoah Valley’s Robert Espinal taking the gold in the Class A boys’ race. Espinal finished a remarkable 47 seconds ahead of his competitors, clocking in at 17:13. This victory marks a significant turnaround for Espinal, who placed second in the same race last year.
In the battle for second place, Shane Meyers of Nativity finished strong with a time of 18:00. Espinal’s teammates contributed to a successful outing as well, with Alex Flores finishing 14th in 19:24 and Gabriel Saba following closely in 16th at 19:40. Both qualified for the upcoming state meet scheduled for November 1 in Hershey.
The Marian team secured a spot at the state competition by finishing as the runner-up behind Nativity in the Class A team standings. Wade Eroh was the fastest runner for Marian, taking fourth place with a time of 18:17. Other notable contributors from the team included Achilles Fitzpatrick (12th), Jacob Berlanda (13th), James Gelatko (20th), and Darren Paulino (35th).
The qualifications for the state meet were determined by the top two teams and the top ten individual finishers not part of those teams. Other local qualifiers in the Class A boys’ category included Alex Best from Weatherly, who finished ninth in 18:56, and Cameron Smith from Mahanoy Area, who secured 15th place with a time of 19:17.
In the Class A girls’ race, Marley Zimmerman from Minersville claimed victory, completing the course in 21:06. Mahanoy Area’s Felicia Bro finished in second place with a time of 21:43. Several other local girls also qualified for the PIAA Class A meet, including Teagan Biros (Marian), who placed sixth with a time of 22:56, and Anna Keer (ninth, 23:19).
Additionally, Alexia Kehler from Weatherly finished 10th in 23:30, while Valeria Hernandez (Shenandoah Valley) and Victoria Hernandez finished 11th and 15th, respectively, with times of 23:41 and 24:28.
In the Class AA boys’ division, Aidan Elston from Tamaqua extended his season with a ninth-place finish in 17:30. North Schuylkill’s Genevieve Dando also made her mark, finishing 10th with a time of 20:35, while Tamaqua’s Shaylee Gormley secured 15th place in 21:15, earning a spot at the state meet as well.
The District 11 championships highlighted the dedication and skill of the athletes, setting the stage for an exciting state competition in Hershey.