HERSHEY - Palmerton’s Connor Hibell closed an outstanding high school career with his best performance yet at the PIAA Cross Country Championships.

The senior placed 26th in the Class 2A boys race Saturday on Hershey’s challenging Parkview Course, finishing in 17 minutes, 10 seconds — the top state result of his four-year run and another highlight in a career defined by steady growth and quiet consistency.

Hibell first reached states as a freshman in 2022, when Palmerton captured its first District 11 team title in 35 years — a milestone he shared with his older brother, Owen, then a senior. From that breakthrough, Hibell emerged as a mainstay for the Bombers, finishing 32nd as a sophomore, 41st as a junior, and now 26th as a senior.

Along the way, he won back-to-back Colonial League and District 11 titles as a sophomore and junior, and this fall placed second at the league meet and third at districts.

“I thought it was going to be a lot worse than it actually was,” Hibell said with a small laugh. “Luckily, the weather was nice. I had a decent start — I wasn’t stuck in a pack or anything. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.”

The course demanded patience and strategy.

“I took it a bit easier in the second mile,” he said. “Last year I had a fast first mile, but then I took the second mile a little harder and had a really slow third. This year I tried to stay steady.”

Hibell, typically reserved and humble, was proud to end his career on a high note.

“I’m really happy with how it went,” he said. “It feels good to know all the hard work paid off, and I finished stronger than I ever have at states.”

He credited Palmerton’s program and his teammates for shaping his success.

“I’m definitely proud of the team I was on,” Hibell said. “Cross country is a really team-oriented sport, which is nice. I’m just proud of everything we accomplished.”

Gillespie leads girls

Jim Thorpe freshman Logan Gillespie capped a remarkable season with an 81st-place finish in the Class 2A girls race, running 21:33.

After missing significant time due to illness, the resilient Gillespie returned Sept. 30, running the final two regular-season meets before placing fifth at the Colonial League Championships in 20:27, and fourth at districts in the same DeSales University course with a time 20 seconds faster (20:07) to qualify for states.

“Everybody went out really fast, and I felt like I was just going to be terrible today,” Gillespie said with a laugh. “But it ended up going really well.”

“It was actually really hard not to go out too fast because everybody went out so fast,” she added. “You just have to remember it’s your race and not get caught up in what other people are doing.”

Her composure – and perseverance – paid off, and her performance has her motivated for what’s to come.

“Today was kind of just like a preview,” Gillespie said. “I hope to eventually be on that stage getting a medal for my senior year or something. My goal today was to get top 100, and I did that, so I’m happy.”

Biros, Gormley and Heil reflect on growth

Marian senior Teaghan Biros improved nearly 30 seconds from her state performance last season, placing 174th in the Class 1A girls race with a 23:56.

“I’m pretty happy,” Biros said. “It’s a tough course, but it helps knowing what to expect. You know where you can be and how fast you should be running.”

Biros, who has been running for two years, said having sophomore teammate Anna Keer (189th, 24:36) alongside her made the experience even more meaningful.

“It’s amazing because you have someone to train with and run by your side,” Biros said. “We ran for almost the first whole mile together, just pushing each other to go faster.”

Biros said she’s most proud of her mental growth.

“Definitely just being mentally strong throughout the race — knowing what I’m capable of and not allowing my mind to stop me,” she said.

Tamaqua freshman Shaylee Gormley finished 106th in Class 2A with a time of 21:56, marking an impressive debut season that ended with a trip to states.

“It’s been really, really great to be here and compete,” Gormley said. “It was my end goal for my freshman season to hopefully make it here, and I did it.”

She credited the support of those around her.

“Probably really the encouragement from my friends and family,” she said. “They’ve all been really supportive and wanted me to push myself to be my very best.”

Gormley turned her early nerves into motivation.

“I tried to turn that nervous feeling into excitement,” she said. “I wanted to push myself to my very limit, and I did. I was really proud of my kick at the end — I knew the last 600 meters were straight, and I was able to pass about 10 girls.”

Northern Lehigh senior Emma Heil capped her career with an impressive run, placing 101st in 21:50 — nearly 30 seconds faster than last year, when she finished 151st in 22:17.

“I ran almost 30 seconds faster than I did last year here, so I’m happy with that,” Heil said. “It’s my last cross country meet, so I was just excited to run. There’s no better way to go out than to be out here.”

Her final race was an emotional one.

“My coach told me, ‘You deserve this,’ and I almost started tearing up,” Heil said. “I got really nostalgic. I was like, there’s no better way to go out than to be here and run.”

Experience and promise on display

Lehighton senior Elijah Pagotto, a three-time state qualifier, placed 74th in the Class 2A boys race (17:53). He was 79th as a sophomore and 68th last season.

Freshman Quinn Heimbach (144th, 18:38) joined him at states to give the Indians another strong showing.

Tamaqua sophomore Aidan Elston placed 122nd in Class 2A with an 18:24.

“This is my first year here, so it was great,” Elston said. “Now I really know what to do for next year.”

“There are so many people, and the start is so fast,” he said. “The whole goal was just to not get boxed in.”

Elston said he was proud of his team’s progress.

“To get second in leagues and motivate my teammates, that means a lot,” Elston said. “It makes the experience even better to have a teammate (Gormley) out here with me. I’m not just doing it alone.”

Weatherly sophomore Alex Best (176th, 19:58) represented the Wreckers in Class 1A, and was joined by freshman teammate Alexia Kehler (206th, 25:16) in the 1A girls race.

“It’s amazing,” Best said. “After districts, I woke up and thought it was all a dream. It just feels so good to be real.”

Best, who still has two more years left, is already looking ahead.

“I just want to keep improving,” he said. “Hopefully one of these years I’ll be winning districts.”

Marian’s boys placed 19th overall in the 1A team standings, led by Wade Eroh (115th, 19:02), Jacob Berlanda (164th, 19:46), James Gelatko (204th, 20:47), Darren Paulino (221st, 21:21) and Achilles Fitzpatrick (257th, 24:31).

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS ... Saucon Valley’s Virginia Kraus won an unprecedented fourth consecutive state title Saturday, capturing the Class 2A girls race with a time of 17:48. Emmmaus senior Madelyn McCartney won the Class 3A girls race with a strong finish, crossing the line in 18:17 ahead of Wissahickon’s Berkley Marcelis (18:27) to give District 11 a pair of state champions.

PIAA Championships

Results of

Times News area runners

GIRLS

Class 1A

Marian’s Teaghan Biros (174th, 23:56) and Anna Keer (189th, 24:36); Weatherly’s Alexia Kehler (206th, 25:16)

Class 2A

Jim Thorpe’s Logan Gillespie (81st, 21:33); Northern Lehigh’s Emma Heil (101st, 21:50); Tamaqua’s Shaylee Gormley (106th, 21:56); Lehighton’s Claudia Pagotto (110th, 21:58); Northwestern’s Rosalia Nestor (147th, 22:30)

BOYS

Class 1A

Marian’s Wade Eroh (115th, 19:02), Jacob Berlanda (164th, 19:46), James Gelatko (204th, 20:47), Darren Paulino (221st, 21:21), Achilles Fitzpatrick (257th, 24:31); Weatherly’s Alex Best (176th, 19:58)

Class 2A

Palmerton’s Connor Hibell (26th, 17:10); Lehighton’s Elijah Pagotto (74th, 17:53) and Quinn Heimbach (144th, 18:38); Tamaqua’s Aidan Elston (122nd, 18:24); Northwestern’s Noah Griffith (188th, 19:25)