Hempfield's Ella Wolfe cruises to 4th-place finish in PIAA Class 3A girls cross country finals

HERSHEY — Hempfield’s Ella Wolfe crossed the finish line at the Parkview Course in Hershey and needed some help as she exited. It didn’t take her long to resume moving on her own, though, and then head in a direction that thousands of runners dream about when the season begins, but only a select few end up at.

That direction was to the podium at the 2023 PIAA Cross Country Championships, where a medal was waiting to reward her fourth-place finish in the girls Class 3A race. Clocking a time of 18:31, Wolfe earned the highest state placement by a runner from the Lancaster-Lebanon League, capping off a memorable season for the University of Arizona-bound triathlete.

Wolfe’s smile said it all as she held her medal, but the magnitude of her accomplishment still hadn’t hit her.

“It’s just a medal, it doesn’t define me, but it means a lot,” a humble Wolfe said. “Just the hard work that went into this, it is super-rewarding. I honestly didn’t know how the race was going to go today. Having fun was my biggest goal today. If I am not enjoying it, why am I doing it? So I was having fun recognizing all the hard work that got me here.”

Wolfe went out fast the first mile before hitting the hills, where she kept a positive mindset and finished strong.

“My coach told me not to plan my race off what other people do,” Wolfe said. “Race how you want to execute it, and that was my goal. I tried to have a strong finishing mile. I don’t like that last hill, but it is there. You have to embrace it.”

Manheim Township junior Elena Barrall needed to be held up by the Streaks’ Adam Kingston as she walked out of the chute, but her efforts earned her 19th with a 19:11.

Barrall also went out fast and tried to maintain her position — which early on was in the top 10. She stuck with a group of girls after the first mile, passed people on the hills, and then gave it her all in the end.

“My stomach hurt after because I kind of put it all out there,” Barrall said. “I’ve had a bad experience here the past few years, so I am beyond happy and, so grateful. I could not have done this without my amazing coaches and my team.”

That team finished an impressive third overall in the 3A standings. Led by Barrall, Ava Shirk (54th,20:03), Lexi Kauffman (60th, 20:10), Marina Papadimitriou (101st, 20:43), Riley McGahren (134th, 21:10), Kaila Atteberry (149th, 21:19) and Macyn Fogleman (215th, 23:30) the Blue Streaks put forth a strong effort to score 153 points. WPIAL powerhouse North Allegheny won its sixth consecutive title with 80 points, with Abington Heights second at 127 points.

“Their whole season has been fabulous,” Manheim Township coach Kevin Stover said. “When you finish top three in the state you’ve done something, that is a journey. We have a really good running state. It is one of the best in the country. To finish third at the highest level is just remarkable. This is our second-best finish in the history of the program, so that is something to say about this program.”

Class 3A

McCaskey had three runners in the top 100 in Gabby Thiry (44th, 19:56), Isabella Shertzer (50th, 20:02), and Ruby Garner-Valle (51st, 20:02). Shertzer, a two-time L-L champ, was all smiles after her race, as she failed to complete the race the past two years. Warwick’s Ella Hartel (69th, 20:19) and Ephrata’s Ella Pfautz (85th, 20:29) were the other L-L runners to finish in the top 100. Cocalico’s Paige Reeser just missed with her (105th, 20:49).

Class 2A

Octorara junior Mya Trotty sprinted down the final stretch and finished as the top L-L finisher, in 31st, with her 20:20.

“I have been working very hard this season, to make my way up,” Trotty said. “It feels good even though I didn’t medal, it was a great opportunity.”

Mackenzie Stellmach (38th, 20:27) led Annville-Cleona to a 14th-place team finish with 363 points.

Other L-L runners finishing in the top 100 were:

Pequea Valley’s Aubrey Ressler (44th, 22:33) and Caleigh Vincent (49th, 20:37), Donegal’s Kathryn Fernald (62nd, 20:51), A-C’s Emily Maag (74th, 21:06), Manheim Central’s Julie Lindberg (89th, 21:23) and Reagan Ibach (91st, 21:23) and Octorara’s Meghan McGinnis (97th, 21:29).

 Class 1A

Lancaster Catholic’s Eden Lin ran a season best time, finishing as the top local here in 65th with her 21:53.