NTL CROSS-COUNTRY: THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR TOWANDA RUNNERS (2025-08-21)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
The Towanda cross-country program is seeing a renaissance as of late. Two years ago their boys team claimed the NTL Large School title, last year the girls did the same, going undefeated in league dual meets. This year they’re hoping both teams can end the season with banners.

“We’re very excited coming in,” said Towanda coach Mike Maurer. “I think we’ve got high expectations with the boys and girls. We didn’t lose a lot, though the ones we lost we’re going to miss them a lot, but we definitely reloaded from junior high last year, so it makes me really excited to see what both sides can do.”

Infused with junior high talent the girls’ team rolled to the NTL title a year, and they add even more talent this year, giving them hopes of not just another league repeat, but also breaking into the top two at districts.

“Obviously we want to be NTL champs again,” said junior state qualifier Izzy Larson. “I think we have a really good chance. We all have a lot of talent, and we all put in a lot of work, and hopefully go into something bigger like team states. We have good heads on our shoulders, and we’r trying to go to districts to take it on. We know we can compete with them, and get those girls up there.”

Team states will be quite a challenge as District IV, Class AA is the toughest field in the state. Only the top two teams make it to Hershey and Danville and Lewisburg were second and third in the state a year ago.

“They’ve been running and putting in the miles,” Maurer said about his girls. “We’re doing everything we can do to try and get up in those top two in the district, and we’ll see what happens. It’s August, and what happens in October can be complete different than what’s expected.”

Last year’s standout junior high runner Maris Cobb joins them, along with Izzy Larson’s little sister, Lila Larson.

“They both have a lot of talent,” Izzy said. “It’s exciting to get to add them, and see what we can do with them.”

As for Izzy, she just missed a state medal last year so that’s a big motivating factor as well.

“I’ve been running a lot miles this summer, so I’m ready to go,” she said. “I want to get up to that state medal mark. I was five places off, and I think this year is my year to get up there.”

On the boys’ side they lost key upperclassmen, but return several standout sophomores in Boom Thompson and Hagen Jones.

“We should have a really good season this year, and we’re still really young, too,” Thompson said. “We have a couple sophomores, and a bunch of good freshmen coming up.”

They lost a close dual meet with Troy last year that decided the NTL Large School title, so motivation isn’t a problem.

“That was rough last year losing that dual meet,” Maurer said. “We did lose two very difficult (runners) to replace, but we do have two very talented ninth graders that I think should make a lot of noise this year.”

It’ll definitely be a different type of team this year with new faces up in the front pack.

“Last year we had more seniors, so now younger guys, including myself, and Hagen Jones are going to step up and play a bigger role this year,” said Thompson.

Thompson is doing double duty with golf and cross-country this fall, and has a good chance to make states in both events.

“He’s such a great athlete, such a good kid,” Maurer said. “He’s quiet, but he’s constantly being a leader, and making sure he’s doing the right things and leading by example. If I know him as well as I think I do, he’s going to be ready for it.”

ROSTER (Grade)
GIRLS
Mary-Kate Eberlin (10)
Maris Cobb (9)
Kenzie Brown (10)
Izzy Larson (11)
Leila Cobb (10)
Angie Tavani (10)
Lila Larson (9)
BOYS
Emmett Klees (9)
Phillip Spinney (9)
Curtis Carter
Nate Little (10)
Jackson Frederick (12)
Chace Francisco (12)
Levi Snyder (10)
Hagen Jones (10)
Boom Thompson (10)
Hayden Blake (9)

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