CENTER VALLEY – For her first two seasons, Reagan Pender liked to sit with the pack and make a late move. But over her past two years, she’s learned that she can get an early lead and maintain it.

That’s what she did at Tuesday’s Colonial League Cross Country Championships at DeSales University. The Northern Lehigh junior took the lead in the first mile, and won the girls race by a 25-second margin over Moravian Academy’s Grace Medei.

“That’s something new I’ve been trying this year, going out fast and staying in front,” said Pender, who ran the race in 19:57.69. “In the past I was scared to go out fast. Now I know I can, so might as well go for it.

Pender was one of six local medal winners at the meet as Palmerton’s Jacob Martinez took third in the boys race, and Northwestern’s girls team had four top 10 finishers to win the girls team title by a wide margin.

Pender, who was fifth at last year’s Colonial League race and third in the Class 2A district race as a sophomore, has been training hard this offseason.

“Freshman year, my work ethic was terrible,” she said. “I was ready to quit. I was done with it. Then track season, something just snapped. That summer of freshman year, I ran every single day. Then this year, I was more disciplined. I had a set number of days, a set number of mileage.”

Pender finished first in all but one regular season meet in 2018. Only Medei edged her in a race on her home course. But Pender beat the Moravian sophomore when they ran at Palmerton, a more hilly course.

She enjoyed the hills at DeSales, and looks forward to next Wednesday’s district race at Bethlehem Municipal.

Martinez improved on his fourth-place finish at last year’s Colonial League meet. The senior, who won last year’s District 11 Class A title, is still not completely recovered from a back injury that kept him out for a few weeks early in the season.

He ran a 17:21.55 at the league meet.

“Today was a little disappointing,” he said. “We’re trying to work back from a mid-season injury. It was a good stepping stone in the right direction, but we still have work to do.

“Our main focus is getting to states and doing well out there. We still have time to make sure we’re in the right place.”

Martinez moves up to Class 2A this season, where he looks forward to facing faster competition than last season.

“Next week, I just want to be in the mix,” he said. “I’m really excited for that competition. I love it.”

Southern Lehigh freshman Alexander Kane won the boys race, finishing in 16:54.93 with John Koons of Notre Dame (Green Pond) not far behind at 16:57.88.

TIGER GIRLS TAKE TITLE ... Northwestern’s Alyssa Zack (fourth place) and Kailyn Jones (fifth place) led a team that placed its top five runners all within the top 13 places. The Tigers won this year’s team title with 39 points. Notre Dame (Green Pond) was second with 85. The rest of the Tiger top five include Sarah Supplee (eighth), Molly McGorry (ninth) and Madeline Consuelos (13th).

SPARTANS ROLL TO BOYS TITLE ... Southern Lehigh placed its top five runners in the top 13 places to take the boys team title with 43 points. Bangor was second at 122.

BOYS

Team Standings

1. Southern Lehigh 43, 2. Bangor 122, 3. Saucon Valley 140, 4. Northwestern 145, 5. Moravian Academy 162, 6. Palisades 162, 7. Wilson 180, 8. Salisbury 200, 9. Notre Dame (Green Pond) 232, 10. Pen Argyl 233, 11. Northern Lehigh 249, 12. Palmerton 270, 13. Catasauqua 310.

Individual Top 5

1. Kane Alexander (SL) 16:54.93, 2. John Koons (NDGP) 16:57.88, 3. Jacob Martinez (Palm) 17:21.55, 4. Matthew Chaikowsky (SV) 17:24.20, 5. Shane Artis (Sal) 17:32.22.

Other local finishers in top 50

16. RJ Zack (NW) 18:31.93, 19. Preston Kemery (NL) 18:44.08, 24. Cole Chukoskie (NW) 19:15.27, 28. Joseph Pleban (NW) 19:25.50, 32. Jared Thomas (NL) 19:33.27, 36. Matthew Boushell (NW) 19:40.82, 40. Trent Geist (Palm) 19:50.50, 46. Joseph Chukoskie (NW) 20:01.46.

GIRLS

Team Standings

1. Northwestern 39, 2. Notre Dame (Green Pond) 85, 3. Southern Lehigh 109, 4. Palisades 111, 5. Wilson 139, 6. Saucon Valley 183, 7. Bangor 185, 8. Catasauqua 195, 9. Northern Lehigh 198, 10. Moravian Academy 199, 11. Palmerton 346, 12. Salisbury 351.

Individual Top 5

1. Reagan Pender (NL) 19:57.69, 2. Grace Medei (NDGP) 20:23.38, 3. Jillian Pote (W) 20:43.31, 4. Alyssa Zach (NW) 20:44.78, 5. Kailyn Jones (NW) 20:45.42.

Other local finishers in top 50

8. Sarah Supplee (NW) 20:48.96, 9. Molly McGorry (NW) 21:05.02, 13. Madeline Consuelos (NW) 21:53.10, 14. Allison Costa (NW) 21:56.77, 23. Roselyn Bernhard (NW) 22:59.95, 28. Kristen Brown (NW) 23:27.66, 33. Katie Guelcher (NL) 23:46.86, 41. Ali Lorah (NL) 24:18.56, 46. Madison Santana (NW) 24:47.32.