The area was well-represented with talented runners at the PIAA cross country championships in Hershey on Saturday, with a handful of medalists and top-20 finishers.

Team-wise, it was a great day for Lewisburg as the Green Dragons took second place in both the boys (Class AA) and girls (Class AA) races. The Lewisburg girls finished with 151 points, behind only Catheldral Prep’s 118. The Green Dragon boys were second in 126, behind Grove City’s 85.

Warrior Run junior Claire Dufrene and Lewisburg’s Jonathan Hess both left Hershey as state champions. Dufrene won state gold in the girls Class A race when she finished with a time of 19:04, winning the race by just 13 seconds over Forest Hills freshman Bella Ascheri. Dufrene was the area’s only runner in the top 25 to cross the finish line.

On the boys side, Hess was a gold medalist in the Class AA race with a time of 15:57, the only runner to break 16 minutes as he won by eight seconds in a close race against Freeport’s Michael Braun. Hughesville’s Tyce Shaner took 10th in 16:34. Lewisburg’s Justin Nolt took 27th in 16:51 and Montoursville’s Weston Fry was a 30th-place finisher in 17:03. North Penn-Mansfield’s James Knefley took 42nd in 17:19.

Warrior Run’s Keiara Shaffer, a junior, took 75th in 22:14.

In girls Class AA competition, Lewisburg standout Baylee Espinosa, a junior, finished ninth with a time of 19:22. The Class AA gold medalist was Saucon Valley junior Virginia Kraus (18:18). Lewisburg’s Alanna Jacob, a senior, took 31st in 20:24 and Cowanesque Valley’s Natalie Yonker was 33rd in 20:31. Lewisburg also saw Maya Sak take 42nd in 20:44 and Theo Wilkinson finish 48th in 20:49.

In Class AAA competition, Williamsport’s Sanders sisters took 69th and 70th. Isabelle Sanders was 69th in 20:16 and Madeline Sanders was 70th in 20:16.

Canton’s Lawrence Halbfoerster took 37th in 17:41 in the boys Class A race.