HERSHEY – Reagan Pender’s focus was clear when she left Hershey last season.

A state-qualifier for the first time, Pender’s 48th-place finish last fall left her wanting more.

“I want to be in the top-25 by next year, and maybe in the top-10 the year after that,” the Northern Lehigh standout said at the time.

Mission accomplished.

A breakout season for Pender concluded with a sixth-place finish in the Class A race at PIAA Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

“It’s so cool,” Pender said with a smile. “It’s cool to think this is where I am now.”

Marian’s Nicole Capparell joined Pender on the medal stand, placing 20th in the Class A event.

It was Capparell’s first state medal in her fourth trip.

“All four years I’ve been here, I was able to get like 50th,” Capparell said. “It was good to be here, but this means everything. I’m so excited I got to end it on such a good note.”

Loyalsock’s Isabell Sager won the race in 19:12.

Pender has been stellar throughout the season, but has hit her stride in recent weeks with big wins at the Colonial League and District 11 meets.

That momentum – and confidence – carried Pender to a strong start in her second appearance at states. After struggling early in the race a year ago, Pender came through checkpoints at the first and second mile in sixth place, a position she held until the finish, crossing the line in 20:21.

It was a good start, but one Pender wasn’t sure she could maintain.

“I felt really tired. It actually felt like I wouldn’t be able to keep it up,” said Pender. “And then somewhere around a mile-and-a-half, I just kind of felt better; everything kind of came back, and it was good.”

Pender navigated a muddy course, one that presented more challenges than usual.

“At first, I was trying to avoid the puddles, and then after going through like one of them, I was like, ‘OK, whatever,’ and I just went,” she said. “I just didn’t care at that point.

“I noticed a couple of girls were slipping in front of me, but they didn’t fall. They regained themselves before they went down. So I knew to avoid those spots. And if you fall, you’re already one or two places behind, so it was crazy.”

Despite the difficult conditions, Pender improved on the 20:31 she ran last year.

But Bulldogs’ head coach Dave Oertner didn’t want Pender to think about her time, or anything else happening around her on the Parkview Course.

“You just run your race, and wherever you finish, you finish,” said Oertner. “You don’t worry about your time. You don’t worry about anybody else. All you can control is how you do.”

Oertner has seen Pender grow as the season has progressed, blossoming into one of the premier runners in the district – and now the state.

“Confidence-wise, at the start of the year, I don’t think she realized how good she could be,” the veteran coach said. “And now she’s starting to realize, ‘OK, I’m an elite runner. I belong here. I belong with the runners up here.’

“That’s just starting to happen, and it’s just happening. She’s just feeling like that now. It’s important to know that you can go with those kids. Now that she’s there, it’s just a matter of staying healthy, and continuing to get better.”

The foundation is already in place for Pender to continue her climb up the leaderboard next season.

“Going into this year, I would have been happy if I was in the top five when I ran,” said Pender. “And now, the Colonial League and district (titles), and now states, it’s amazing.

“I guess (I would like to be) in the same spot (next year), this is a good place to be. A little improvement. The top three I could shoot for next year, maybe. Just set a little higher goal for next year.”

Like Pender, Capparell came out strong, hitting the first mile-marker inside the top 10, a position she knew she had to try to keep.

“I was really happy I got out really quick,” said Capparell. “I just knew I had to hold my spot, and stay in the top 25.”

The milestone was especially sweet for Capparell, who overcame surgery for slipping-rub syndrome the wiped out her track season and put her behind schedule well into the summer months.

“After surgery, it was really hard,” said Capparell. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to go this year, how I’d be running and everything. But this made it a lot better, to be able to come back, and to be OK for this.”

Capparell got to share the moment with friends and family, including older sister Tina, who won the Class A race a year ago. Tina, currently running for the University of Delaware, was on hand Saturday to present Nicole with her medal.

“I’m so glad they came and that they were able to come support me,” Nicole said. “Hearing them yell on the course made me run quicker.

“I’m just super-excited with how it ended. It means everything.”

The Northwestern girls narrowly missed reaching the podium in the Class 2A team standings, placing third with 116 points and improving on last year’s sixth-place result. Central Cambria (92) and Danville (105) were first and second, respectively.

“I told them right before we raced, that I knew we had a shot,” Tigers’ head coach Chris Stitzel said of a top two finish. “Everybody here has a shot, that’s why they’re here, and that’s why they run the race.

“I told them I was proud of them no matter what happens. It was a great year. You’re leaving as district champions, league champions. You’re leaving here as a champion. This would just be icing on the cake. I just wanted them to promise me when they crossed the finish line that they gave it their all, and that’s all I ask.”

Alyssa Zack was the top finisher for Northwestern, placing 35th with a time of 21:02. Madeline Consuelos (21:04) and Kailyn Jones (21:07) earned top 50 finishes, placing 39th and 45th.

“We really worked hard this season because we knew that we had competition this year,” said Jones, a sophomore. “And that hard work really paid off.”

Saturday marked the last time Zack and Consuelos, the team’s captains, would run for Northwestern.

They know the program is in good hands.

“I think this is just the beginning, though. For years to come, we’re going to be in the same position we were in this year,” said Consuelos.

“I hope that this is not the best team that ever comes through this program. I think that very shortly there’s going to be a team that will medal here, and I’m so happy for that,” added Zack.

On the boys’ side, Palmerton senior Jake Martinez was 42nd-with a time of 17:52 in the Class 2A race.

While disappointed with the outcome, Martinez, who will continue his career at Lehigh University, has plenty to look forward to with track season on the horizon.

“It’s always great to get out here and race against the best-of-the-best,” said Martinez. “It was a tough day.

“Although this is a frustrating end, I’m more motivated than ever for track season. Track’s where my heart lies, and I’m really excited for that. Committing to Lehigh University is awesome, so I’m looking forward to after track season, the next four years of competing at that level.”

Weatherly’s Scotty Zoscin (18:48) finished 95th, while teammate Frankie Willis (19:33) placed 142nd in the Class A boys race.

SWEEP … North Allegheny won both the Class 3A girls and boys team titles.

KEEP IT MOVING … All 228 runners in the Class 3A boys race finished in under 20:00. Wallenpaupack’s Michael Wildenberg rounded out the field, crossing the line in 19:47. By comparison, the last finishers in the Class A boys race recorded a time of 24:11, while the final runner in the 2A race finished in 23:37.

BACK-TO-BACK … The only repeat champion was Northern York’s Marlee Starliper. The junior won the Class 2A girls race going away, finishing in 17:53. Taryn Parks of Greencastle-Antrim, the 2016 Class 2A champion, was second with a time of 18:49.

PIAA CHAMPIONSHPS

(Top 25 in each class medal)

BOYS

CLASS 3A

TEAM SCORES (TOP FIVE)

1. North Allegheny 90, 2. La Salle College 112, 3. Downingtown West 121, 4. Seneca Valley 122, 5. Mount Lebanon 134.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

TOP 5 PLUS LOCALS)

1. Patrick Anderson (Mount Lebanon) 16:03, 2. Zachary Kinne (North Allegheny) 16:07, 3. Daniel McGoey (North Allegheny) 16:09, 4. Brayden Harris (Mifflin County) 16:22, 5. Christian Fitch (Fox Chapel Area) 16:29.

CLASS 2A

TEAM SCORES (TOP 5)

1. Greensburg Salem 63, 2. Indiana Area 100, 3. Grove City 119, 4. Lewisburg 136, 5. Holy Redeemer 197.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

(TOP 5 PLUS LOCALS)

1. Jonah Powell (Grove City) 16:29, 2. Garrett Baublitz (Juniata) 16:36, 3. Nate Price (General McLane) 16:42, 4. Mitchell Rome (Dallas) 16:45, 5. Cameron Binda (Greensburg Salem) 16:53, 42. Jake Martinez (Palmerton) 17:52.

CLASS 1A

TEAM SCORES (TOP 5)

1. Jenkintown 49, 2. Winchester Thurston 100, 3. Wyalusing 148, 4. Penns Valley Area 159, 5. Montrose 159.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

(TOP 5 PLUS LOCALS)

1. Jack Miller (Jenkintown) 16:33, 2. Andrew Healey (Holy Cross) 16:50, 3. Adam Hessler (Freedom Area) 16:57, 4. Liam Mead (Montrose) 17:00, 5. Scott Routledge (Winchester Thurston) 17:01, 95. Scotty Zoscin (Weatherly) 18:48, 142. Frankie Willis (Weatherly) 19:33.

GIRLS

CLASS 3A

TEAM SCORES (TOP 5)

1. North Allegheny 65, 2. West Chester Henderson 106, 3. State College 132, 4. Dallastown 132, 5. Fox Chapel Area 163.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

(TOP 5 PLUS LOCALS)

1. Jenna Mulhern (West Chester Henderson) 18:42, 2. Kileigh Kane (State College) 18:55, 3. Allyson Clarke (West Chester East) 19:05, 4. Hannah Lindgren (North Allegheny) 19:15, 5. Sarena Seeger (Fox Chapel Area) 19:19.

CLASS 2A

TEAM SCORES (TOP 5)

1. Central Cambria 92, 2. Danville 105, 3. Northwestern 116, 4. South Fayette 149, 5. Warrior Run 153.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

(TOP 5 PLUS LOCALS)

1. Marlee Starliper (Northern York) 17:53, 2. Taryn Parks (Greencastle-Antrim) 18:49, 3. Gianna Labbiento (Sharon) 19:05, 4. Maddison Hayes (Fairview) 19:21, 5. Olivia Haas (Blue Mountain) 19:23, 35. Alyssa Zack (Northwestern) 21:02, 39. Madeline Consuelos (Northwestern) 21:04, 45. Kailyn Jones (Northwestern) 21:07, 58. Molly McGorry (Northwestern) 21:29, 75. Sara Supplee (Northwestern) 21:43, 144. Alison Costa (Northwestern) 22:37, 162. Roselyn Bernhard (Northwestern) 23:00.

CLASS 1A

TEAM SCORES (TOP 5)

1. Marion Center 96, 2. Union City 139, 3. Saint Joseph’s Catholic 145, 4. Vincentian Academy 159, 5. Camp Hill 171.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

(TOP 5 PLUS LOCALS)

1. Isabell Sagar (Loyalsock) 19:12, 2. Lauren Shaffer (Portage Area) 19:51, 3. Grace Mason (Wilmington) 19:58, 4. Sera Mazza (Saint Joseph’s Catholic) 20:15, 5. Carmen Medvit (Shenango) 20:17, 6. Reagan Pender (Northern Lehigh) 20:21, 20. Nicole Capparell (Marian) 20:55.