Williamsport has three cross country runners qualify for states
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PORTAGE -- The Williamsport cross country teams wrapped up an outstanding 2026 season Saturday at the District 4-6 Class AAA subregional championships at Maple Crest Golf Course in Portage. Competing against some of the top programs in the region and state, the Millionaires delivered another impressive postseason performance, highlighted by a team runner-up finish for the girls and a fourth-place finish for the boys.
The girls continued their remarkable season with a second-place team finish, trailing to State College by just six points. The Millionaires were led by as senior Isabelle Sanders as she captured the district title in a blazing time of 17:42.7, followed closely by twin sister Madeline, who earned third place in 18:17.30. Sophomore Loisa Hofstrom added another outstanding performance, crossing the finish line in fifth place with a time of 18:31.60.
Those three Millionaires will be competing next weekend at the PIAA Class AAA championships.
The team’s depth was on full display as seniors Clara Wade (14th, 20:17.30) and Johanna Pelly (21st, 21:20.00) completed the scoring five. Lola Kastner (23rd, 21:36.80) and Faith Hale (26th, 21:45.40) rounded out a strong team effort.
The boys turned in an equally impressive performance, securing fourth place overall with 108 points. Sophomore Brysen Thornton paced the Millionaires with a 12th-place finish in 16:44.50, followed by seniors Lauger Waldman (18th, 17:21.00) and Noah Baird (19th, 17:24.40). The tight grouping of Williamsport’s second and third runners demonstrated the competitive depth that has been a hallmark of this year’s squad.
Tristan Sullivan (28th, 18:08.00) and Hunter Neuhard (31st, 18:16.20) completed the scoring five, while Austin Furey (32nd, 18:17.20) and Jude Fisher (41st, 18:49.50) added valuable contributions to the team’s postseason effort.
The Millionaires also had several strong performances in the combined junior varsity races.
On the boys’ side, Levi Allison led Williamsport with a 15th-place finish and PR of 18:32.40, followed by Russell Christensen (24th, 19:21.80) and Camron Fatherly (27th, 19:25.70). For the girls, Laura Wade finished 17th in 23:43.30, while Alison Williams placed 20th, setting a new PR of 24:00.40.
Saturday’s championship performances were the culmination of a tremendous season for the Williamsport cross country teams. The girls finished the regular season undefeated at 18-0, while the boys posted an impressive 17-1 record. Both programs also captured the HAC-I team championships, establishing themselves as two of the strongest teams in the conference.
The season featured numerous individual milestones, personal records, championship performances and memorable team accomplishments. The girls’ third-place team trophy at the Paul Short Invitational, competing against 111 high school programs, was another highlight of a season filled with success.
“While championship results and individual times will be remembered, the accomplishments of this year’s teams extend well beyond the finish line. The commitment to daily training, support for teammates, willingness to embrace challenging competition, and pride in representing Williamsport have helped establish another memorable chapter in Millionaire cross country history,” Williamsport coach Jeremy Steppe said. “Congratulations to all of our athletes on an outstanding 2026 season. The coaches are incredibly proud of what these young men and women have accomplished and, more importantly, the character, resilience, and commitment they demonstrated along the way.”