NTL CROSS-COUNTRY: TROY'S PARKS TAKES HOME SILVER AT D4 CHAMPIONSHIPS (2024-10-24)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
BLOOMSBURG — Troy’s Alyssa Parks came in seeded third and finished second during the girls’ Class A District IV Championship race on Thursday.

“It feels amazing,” Parks said. “This is all I wanted to do all week coming in.”

As a freshman Parks (20:12.7) earned a silver medal so things came full circle for the senior. She started out in third, but quickly passed Southern Columbia’s Haley Conner (21:00.6) and never looked back.

“When I passed that one girl it just made my energy go up a little bit,” explained Parks. 

She got by Conner on the first trip by the hospital loop and did what she could to keep putting distance between them.

“I wanted to use every hill to my advantage,” Parks remarked.

At the same time she was watching Warrior Run’s Claire Dufrene (19:00.6) pull away for the individual title.

“It was very difficult, but I just had to keep my head in the race that I was running,” Parks said.

The 4-time state qualifier will now be looking to get that elusive state medal.

“I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” she said.

Kalynn Keltz (28:42.8) was 33rd, while Sheridan Wilcox (29:08.9) took 34th.

In the Class AA boys’ race Troy was fifth overall with 160 places.

Frank Harper (17:26) led the way in 20th, followed by Evan Geer (17:33.8) in 23rd.

Hart Houseknecht (18:23.5) was 44th, RJ Bellinger (18:26.4) took 46th, and Mason Wulff (18:31.6) rounded out the top five in 48th.

— — 

PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

Print Friendly Version