HERSHEY — Chambersburg senior Abby Yourkavitch wrapped up her outstanding cross country career with a sixth-place finish in Class 3A at the PIAA Championships on the Hershey Parkview course Saturday.
Yourkavitch ran a time of 18:42, while the winner, Elizabeth Mannion of Cardinal O’Hara, had an 18:18 finish.
It was the fourth time Yourkavitch medaled at the PIAA meet, with finishes of 13th, 14th, 10th and sixth. She is the only the second Chambersburg runner to achieve that feat, along with Sarah Morrison.
“Abby ran well,” Trojan coach Chris Monheim said. “She definitely likes to get out ahead, and she was in first after the first mile. She fell back a little on the hills, then she closed well at the end. There was a lot of separation between her and the next finisher.
“That was her best time on that course. She was hoping for a top-five finish, and she was not far from it.”
Yourkavitch will compete later in November in the Nike Regional qualifier in New York City.
Chambersburg finished 12th in the team race with 177 points, beating Cardinal O’Hara on a tiebreaker. The Trojans’ next finisher was freshman Kiera Whitehead, who took 42nd in 19:53.
Monheim said, “She had a great race. She’s really come on in the second half of the season, especially in the postseason. Taking 42nd in the 3A race is a big deal. She went out hard early and hung on.”
Also for Chambersburg, Sydney Parson (132nd, 20:52), Kaylee Mowery (165th, 21:18), Anna DeGrange (168th, 21:20), Maddie Kinton (175th, 21:32) and Kyleena Purvis (207th, 23:47) competed in the race.
In Class 2A, Greencastle-Antrim sophomore Taryn Parks — the defending champion — placed third in 18:50, behind winner Marlee Starliper of Northern York (17:50) and Maddie McLain of Eastern York (18:42).
In Class A, Southern Fulton sent its entire team and the top finisher was Elizabeth Flaherty in 184th place in 23:59.
Categories: Chambersburg, Cross Country, Greencastle, Southern Fulton, Uncategorized