NEWVILLE — The PIAA cross country championships came to Newville on Saturday, at Big Spring’s course, and 18 Franklin County athletes competed in the grueling races.

Chambersburg senior Natalie Quinn produced the highest individual finish, taking 17th place in Class 3A to collect a PIAA medal.

Natalie Quinn

The Shalom Christian boys team placed fifth in the team standings in boys Class 1A.

Quinn ran a time of 18:33 over the 5,000-meter course, which was a little off her 18:17.9 time in the District 3 race last Saturday.

“Natalie capped off a brilliant cross country career with her first state medal,” Chambersburg coach Chris Monheim said. “She put together a season that ranks right up there with some of the best individual seasons we’ve had — Mid Penn champ, District 3 bronze and state medal.”

Shalom Christian’s boys placed all five of its scoring runners inside the top 51 finishers. The Flames, who won District 3 last week, scored 230 points, while first-place Winchester-Thurston tallied 49.

The top five for Shalom included senior Shay Kane (37th place, 17:55), senior William Davis (44th, 18:08), freshman Josh Fitzpatrick (48th, 18:15), senior Logan Cordell (50th, 18:18) and junior Matthew Davis (51st, 18:18). Also running were freshman Owen Book (63rd, 18:36) and sophomore Lee Metcalf (76th, 18:58).

In Class 3A boys, Chambersburg’s two qualified runners were senior Boston Vincenti and sophomore Liam Coy. Vincenti placed 53rd in a time of 16:20, while Coy was 167th in 17:19.

Trojan coach Jim Boyer said, “Boston is barely back to running after enduring and recouping from a mid-season torso injury. I was really proud of the way Boston and Liam got out and fought for position early on. They had to do that to try to finish as high as they could. Liam got some states experience that will hopefully help make him more consistent, reliable and strong.

“The wind definitely picked up by our race, which was the last one of the day, and that factored into some slower times today (than at districts last week).”

In 3A girls, two other county athletes competed. Waynesboro sophomore Morgan Jones placed 36th in a time of 19:13, and Chambersburg sophomore Lily Spohn captured 89th place in 19:59.

Monheim said, “I was pleased with Lily’s race. This is quite an accomplishment for a sophomore, and the experience will serve her well over the next two years.”

Southern Fulton junior Julia Madison placed 103rd in the girls 2A race in a time of 21:08. In Class 1A, Shalom Christian qualifed two runners — freshman Kassidy Hubers was 30th, just missing a medal (top 25), with a time of 20:40, and junior Olivia Kearns took 146th in 22:43.

In boys Class 2A, Johnnie Martin of James Buchanan, a junior, ran a time of 17:48 to claim 129th place. Southern Fulton had two runners compete — sophomore Evan King (243rd, 20:16) and junior Charlie Weicht (246th, 20:41).