BLOOMSBURG — The Towanda boys cross-country team pushed three runners to states, though they came up just short of sending a full team at the District IV, Class AA Cross-country Championships Thursday.

The Knights saw Emmett Klees (16:22.7), Boom Thompson (17:04.3), and freshman Brayden Cox (17:04.9) all earn state berths.

As a team they had their top three in before anybody else but finished in third with 108 points. Danville (73) and Hughesville (92) took the top two spots.

Klees spend most of the day running in the chase pack as he ended up sixth on the day.

"I feel like I definitely could have done better here, but it is what it is," he said. "I definitely tried my best, I gave it all I could."

It was a fast start as they came through the mile in under five minutes.

"It's pretty intense," said Klees. "You've got so many people going out at once, you have to really get out there, get any place, or otherwise you're going to get boxed in, and spat out the back."

Klees found himself running with Athens' Graham Wanck for much of the race.

"It's good to have supports with you so you're not just running alone and trying to fend for yourself," he said. "It's good to be with people that are your speed, somebody that you can actually either pass or stay with for the entire race."

As for states he wants to get Danville's Wesley Oldfield, who finished just a few seconds ahead of him.

"I'm going to come back for him, I'm not going to let him get away so easily," Klees said.

Thompson and Cox ran together the entire race as they started around 20th before working their way up 12th and 13th at the finish.

"It feels good the season's not over yet," Thompson said about making states. "We stuck together the whole time and we brought each other to states."

The junior said they realized at about the mile mark they needed to make up some ground.

"We realized we had to stay together, and one by one, we got some guys," Thompson remarked. 

They'll be on a different course this year, so that's something they'll have to get used to.

"It'll be an even playing field since everybody hasn't been at that course," Thompson said.

Cox was just one of two freshmen in the race to qualify for states.

"I'm proud of how I did," he said. "I'm really excited."

For much of the year Cox has been focused on hanging with Boom, and he wasn't about to change that up on Thursday.

"I just went with the same mindset - just hang with Boom," he said. "Stick in and just do my best. I basically just followed him, he helps a lot - he makes it easier."

Also for the Knights Hagen Jones (18:23.2) took 37th, and Phillip Spinney (18:31.4) was 42nd to round out their scorers.

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