PIAA girls cross country: North Catholic finishes 5th in 2A; Butler’s Zari Golojuh 67th in 3A debut
The 2024 cross country season can be largely considered a success for North Catholic’s girls team.
Featuring a roster that’s had as many as five freshman on the varsity team — and Saturday had four of them finish among their top five finishers — the Trojanettes finished fifth in the PIAA Class 2A Girls Cross Country Championships with 219 points.
“I think it was a really good year because going into it not many of us expected to (be at states),” freshman Anna Morris said over the phone.
Cathedral Prep (118 points), Lewisburg (151) and Danville (163) claimed the three podium spots.
No Trojanette finished with an individual state medal, but their top five runners finished between 29th and 62nd in the team scoring standings — individual standings differed — an impressively tight pack separated by a total of 43 seconds.
Two freshmen led the way — Maggie Killian and Morris finished virtually tied with times of 20 minutes, 47 seconds, coming in 46th and 47th, respectively, among all runners.
Juniors Tessa Driehorst (78th, 21:17) and Sydney Dunn (80th, 21:20) and another rookie, Caroline Sell (102nd, 21:30), rounded out NC’s top five. The fact that all five are underclassmen, and only one senior was on Saturday’s seven-girl roster, bodes well for the team’s future.
“All in all, a pretty good season,” head coach Tim Souders said. “Going into the season, I thought we had state championship-caliber team, we were just a little bit inconsistent all season, but that’s probably due to being such a young team.”
It wasn’t just North Catholic that brought a young crew to Hershey. Butler’s Zari Golojuh is also a rookie on the varsity circuit and acclimated herself well in her first state championship.
Golojuh crossed the finish line in 20:15 to finish 67th in the Class 3A race.
“I think today was the most controlled race I’ve run,” she said. “You just stay within your own zone.
“I definitely did not think I would be here (when the season started).”
Golojuh has a one-week break until she begins preparing with her teammates for the indoor track and field season.
Moniteau freshman Brinn Kirschner finished 27th in the Class 1A race with a time of 20:59.
