NTL CROSS-COUNTRY: TOWANDA DUO TAKE HOME NTL JH TITLES (2024-10-13)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — For the second year in a row Towanda swept the individual junior high titles at the NTL Coaches’ Invitational this past weekend.

Maris Cobb won the girls’ race while Emmett Klees took home gold in the boys.

Last year Mary-Kate Eberlin and Boom Thompson were the individual champions.

Cobb (10:55.1) won the race by nearly 30 seconds as she pulled away from the field.

“I’m proud of the older girls for beating their goal, and I beat mine, too,” Cobb said, referencing the varsity girls winning the team title.

Cobb went undefeated in the league this season, so she had plenty of people coming for her.

“I felt pressure, I always do,” she said. “I kind of eased my nerves, telling myself I’ve beat them before, I can do it again. I always like to start off slow and get in front, but I really used the downhill. I got her over there on the downhill with my long stride.”

This weekend really motivated Cobb to start her varsity career next season.

“I’m so excited to put in the work this summer and be ready fo next year,” she said.

Wellsboro’s Kaci Kosek (11:23.8) was second while Sullivan County’s Addisyn Templin (11:34.6) and Quinn Pennella (11:35.6) were third and fourth. CV’s Lainey Hackett (11:41) rounded out the top five.

Troy’s Annika White (11:51.6) took sixth, followed by NEB’s Julia Laudermilch (11:52.8) in seventh. Rounding out the top 10 were CV’s Maddison Fay (12:01.9), Wyalusing’s Reese Patrick (12:08.4), and Towanda’s Lila Larson (12:08.8).

Sullivan County (38) rolled to the team title, followed by Troy (54), Towanda (63), and Wyalusing (64).

Klees pulled away from the field early, as well, running a winning time of 9:59.9.

“It’s pretty exhilarating,” said Klees. “I didn’t actually expect to win this, but I definitely tried my best to try to win. It’s crazy, I never expected to win this.”

Towanda also edged NEB to win the team title, 35 points to 40, giving them two titles this year.

“My plan was to at least get Brayden (Cox) second so that we could have a chance for first as a team,” said Klees. 

Cox (10:12.2) held off Wyalusing’s Sheldon Griffin (10:16.70 for second. NEB’s Asher Kolesar (10:19.7) was fourth, while Towanda’s Wyatt Jones (10:22.3) rounded out the top five.

NEB’s Anthony Johnson (10:25.7) took sixth, with Sullivan County’s Calen Sweigart (10:27.9) seventh.

Rounding out the top 10 were NEB’s Josiah Russell (10:31.5), and Keagan Netherton (10:37.6), along with Towanda’s Phillip Spinney (10:41.1).

Wyalusing (59) was third as a team followed by Sullivan County (94), and Troy (130).

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

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