Delaware Valley’s Grace Holderith finishes 12th overall with a time of 18:27 during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Holy Redeemer’s Gianna Altavilla finishes 14th overall with a time of 19:59 during the PIAA Class 1A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Scranton Prep’s Vella Byrne finishes 7th overall with a time of 18:43 during the PIAA Class 2A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Delaware Valley’s Grace Holderith runs to the finish line during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Holy Redeemer’s Gianna Altavilla runs to the finish line during the PIAA Class 1A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Scranton Prep’s Aileana Connor finieshes 17th overall with a time of 19:15 during the PIAA Class 2A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Abington Heights’ Giada Lovecchio runs to the finish line during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Abington Heights’ Julia Healey runs to the finish line during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Girls run during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Abington Heights’ McKenna Williams runs across the finish line during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Girls run during the PIAA Class 2A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Lake-Lehman’s Ava Jones finishes 22nd overall with a time of 19:21 during the PIAA Class 2A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Wellsboro’s Lauren Kosek finishes first overall with a time of 17:49 during the PIAA Class 2A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Peters Township’s Kathryn Froelich finishes first overall with a time of 17:33 during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Hazleton Area’s Ainslie Leib runs across the finish line during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Abington Heights’ Marley Gilboy runs to the finish line during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Crestwood’s Adrienne Sheblock finishes 32nd overall with a time of 19:55 during the PIAA Class 2A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Old Forge’s Cali Talarico runs to the finish during the PIAA Class 1A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Old Forge’s Elena Bialkowski runs to the finish line during the PIAA Class 1A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Lackawanna Trail’s Angelina Cours runs to the finish line during the PIAA Class 1A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Wyoming Seminary’s Celia Ludka runs to the finish during the PIAA Class 1A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Susquehanna’s Josey Kelly runs to the finish line during the PIAA Class 1A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’s Mira Mosca finishes first overall with a time of 19:05 during the PIAA Class 1A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Girls run during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Wallenpaupack’s June Brown runs in the pack during the PIAA Class 2A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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Delaware Valley’s Grace Holderith finishes 12th overall with a time of 18:27 during the PIAA Class 3A state championship in Newville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
NEWVILLE — Scranton Prep’s freshman duo of Vella Byrne and Aileana Connor and Holy Redeemer sophomore Gianna Altavilla had successful debuts at the PIAA Cross Country Championships.
Wallenpaupack senior June Brown came away with something in her final run at states.
Those four runners were among six from District 2 who earned individual state medals for finishing in the Top 25 on Saturday at Big Spring High School.
Byrne took seventh in Class 2A in 18 minutes, 43 seconds and teammate Connor was 17th in 19:15. Brown rallied in the final mile to place 20th in 19:21. Lake-Lehman junior Ava Jones also ran 19:21 to finish 22nd.
Altavilla was 14th in the Class 1A race in 19:58.
Delaware Valley junior Grace Holderith finished 12th in Class 3A in 18:27 to capture a state medal for the second consecutive year.
In the Class 2A team standings, Crestwood and Scranton Prep tied for 10th place with 279 points. The Lady Comets got the spot on the sixth runner tiebreaker. Senior Adrienne Shebelock was Crestwood’s top finisher in 32nd place in 19:55.
“We lost to them at districts, but tying with them at states just gives us so much hope for what’s to come next year,” Byrne said. “Hopefully, we get more people for the team next year. I just can’t wait to see what we can do.”
While Scranton Prep’s future certainly is promising, the present looked good Saturday. Byrne was 11th after one mile, moved up to seventh in the second mile and stayed there the rest of the way.
“The start, I got out really fast, I didn’t want to get boxed in,” Byrne said. “I really wanted to have a fast first mile so I could get a good time. I just went through the race and really pushed that first half-mile, pushed the hills. Every uphill came a downhill and I really opened my stride on the downhills. I just kept telling myself, ‘You got this. It will be over soon, keep pushing through the pain.’ I gave it all I got the last straightaway.”
Connor’s race was similar to her teammate’s. She was 23rd after the first mile and 17th after two miles, which is where she finished.
“I started off strong. I wanted to get out there and mark my place,” Connor said. “I really wanted to show who I was and get my name up there as a medalist. I pushed myself really hard, it’s definitely a tough course. I powered up the hills and told myself to never stop. I just kept going.”
Brown, a four-time state qualifier, was back in 31st place after two miles. But she charged forward and improved 11 spots in the final mile to finish her high school cross country career with a state medal.
“I kind of didn’t have the best start; I got boxed in with a lot of people and then I hit a big mental block at Mile 1,” Brown said. “I didn’t think I had it in me to keep going, I was really fighting with my head. But I had my coaches and people screaming at me, ‘You’re 27th!’ and I just kicked and gave it all I had. I passed the 26th (runner) and at the finish line I just sprinted. I felt my legs giving up, my body about to collapse. But I wanted a medal so bad.
“I’m only doing track and field in college, so this is my last cross country race. It’s very meaningful to me that my last race I was able to medal at the state meet. … I’m so proud of myself.”
Jones also mounted a rally in the final mile, improving six spots. In fact, she, Brown, Julianna Gourley of Oley Valley and Kate Ferris from Trinity came to the finish line four-wide and all clocked in at 19:21. Gourley was 19th, Brown 20th, Ferris 21st and Jones 22nd.
“I wasn’t thinking of my time. I just wanted to have fun and run a good race,” Jones said. “I came through the first mile really fast (6:01) and was shocked. But I was feeling pretty good and I kept pushing through the woods. I came out of the woods and the big hill was there. That was a little rough. After that, my coach was shouting I was in medal position and it was exciting to hear that. So I kept pushing and pushing to the finish line.
“It means a lot. I did not expect that at all. I’m so happy. I put in a lot of work over the summer, so I’m happy it all worked out.”
Altavilla punctuated her first year of running cross country with a state medal in Class 1A girls, the day’s first race. She was 18th after the first mile and 12th at the 4K mark before slipping back to 14th.
“It was a little intimidating with all these girls who are amazing runners, but I think I handled the nerves well,” Altavilla said. “I just tried to get out and find my own rhythm, not really worry about everyone around me. … I just went into today whatever happens is going to happen. It’s just an accomplishment being here, especially my first year coming out for cross country. I never would have imagined it. It’s an amazing feeling.”
While most of the runners got a look at the Big Spring course at the PIAA Foundation Invitational, Holderith didn’t run that event, so she came in not knowing what to expect in the Class 3A race.
“I’d never been here, so I really wasn’t sure what the plan was. I didn’t know if it was easy to get boxed in,” Holderith said. “I just had to trust the people in front of me. I latched on to a couple girls who I know are very strong racers. That was the move. I got boxed in, but I took that as a win because it allowed me to slow down and regroup and find my place. I stayed relaxed rather than exert myself that entire first mile.”
Holderith was 13th after the first mile and 14th after the second mile. She then battled through a side stitch during the final half-mile to finish 12th and earn back-to-back state medals.
“Being outside the top 10, it leaves you ‘Oh, I could have done more,’” Holderith said. “But I split last year’s place in half; I went from 24th to 12th. So I just have to embrace that. I feel so grateful. I knew today’s field was going to be strong. I went into the season with huge expectations for states. But as I saw how strong the field was, I told myself I’d be equally happy with a 10th-place state medal or a 25th-place state medal. As long as there was one to bring home.”