Padua Academy left no doubt about the results in the Division I girls cross country championship on Nov. 11 at Brandywine Creek State Park. The Pandas had the individual champion and four of the top five finishers in a dominating afternoon at the Creek, taking a 23-72 win over runner-up Caesar Rodney.
For the Pandas, this was their 11th consecutive title and 23rd overall.
Sophomore Anna Bockius captured the victory, crossing the line in 19:13.80, nearly 22 seconds ahead of Isabelle Walsh of Middletown. The next three spots belonged to Pandas: defending individual champ Sophia Holgado, Kelsey Wolff and Mary Flanagan. Those three finished in a span of 19 seconds. Rounding out the scoring for Padua was Mary Drost, who placed 11th, but received 10 points because the girl who placed 10th was a member of a team without the minimum five participants necessary for a team score. The Pandas’ other two runners finished 16th and 24th.
In Division II, Archmere had another fine season, placing second for the second consecutive season. The Auks had 99 points, bested only by Tatnall, which had five scorers in the top seven on their way to a total of 22 points. The Hornets, who returned to the top for the first time since 2017, are coached by 1983 Salesianum School graduate Patrick Castagno.
Maddie Priest led the Auks with a 10th-place showing. She was followed closely by Helen Socorso in 12th and Alaina Thomas in 13th. The other scorers for Archmere were Anna Benner in 29th place and Ella Taggart in 35th.
Ursuline came in seventh place. Scoring for the Raiders were Sarah Whalen (19th), Gabriella Rosato (40th), Lydia Durkee (47th), Caroline Poole (49th) and Mia Thayer (53rd).
Saint Mark’s was ninth. The Spartans’ scorers were Tessa Palm (42nd), Joy Baffone (46th), Gianna Bracalenti (51st), Ava Hutton (59th) and Cara Lego (60th).
For the third straight year, Indian River’s Brynn Crandell was the individual champion.
