United Sweeps the Heritage Conference in Cross Country
By: Brian Ingalls | PA Sports History | October 19, 2023
For the first time since 2009, there is a new Heritage Conference Girls Cross Country Champion. The United Lions girls, who ended Marion Center's dual meet streak (90) earlier in the season, has now broke Marion Center's Heritage Conference streak. United girls beat Marion Center by 3 points (40-43). Marion Center girls have won the Heritage Conference Girls Cross Country Championship for 13 straight years. Marion Center has also won 22 of the 23 years the Heritage Conference has existed. The only other team to win the conference before tonight was the United girls in 2009. Marion Center's Lydia Miller won the girls race with a time of 20:32.
The United Boys also won the Heritage Championship and also ended Marion Center's Boys streak of 6 years. United boys avenged their only loss of the season by beating Marion Center 35-42. Marion Center beat United 27-30 earlier this year. United's Colton Henning won the boys race with a time of 17:21.
The United Girls had 4 in the top 10 and all 5 finished in the top 15. The United girls were led by Freshman Olivia Henning who placed 2nd overall (20:44). Senior Paiton Steiner (21:30) finished 2nd for United and 7th overall, Sophomore Sara Gornick (21:42) -8th overall, Sophomore Chloe Stiles (22:16) - 9th overall, and Junior Sierra Oleksa (23:11) - 14th overall.
Here are the Team Scores for Girls Race:
1 United - 40
2. Marion Center - 43
3. Cambria Heights - 83
4. Portage - 120
5. River Valley - 126
6. Purchase Line - 152
7. West Shamokin - 165
** Homer Center and Penns Manor don't have enough runners for a team**
The top 10 Overall for the Girls race were:
1. Senior Lydia Miller (Marion Center) - 20:32
2. Freshman Olivia Henning (United) - 20:44
3. Junior Jasmine Lucullo (West Shamokin) - 20:58
4. Senior Alex Chobany (Portage) - 21:18
5. Junior Savannah Hoover (Cambria Heights) - 21:23
6. Freshman Macie Miller (Marion Center) - 21:23
7. Senior Paiton Steiner (United) - 21:30
8. Sophomore Sara Gornick (United) - 21:42
9. Sophomore Chloe Stiles (United) - 22:16
10. Junior Zoe Adams (Cambria Heights) - 22:19
The United Boys had the top 3 finishers overall, and all 5 runners were in the top 20. Junior Colton Henning (17:21) was 1st Overall followed by Sophomore Matthew Beaver (18:06) and Junior Dallas Pearce (18:16). Freshman Luke Shepler (19:18) was 11th overall and Junior Garin Fischer (19:44) was 18th overall.
The Team Scores for the Boys were:
1. United - 35
2. Marion Center - 42
3. Portage - 86
4. Cambria Heights - 117
5. Homer Center - 126
6. Purchase Line - 136
7. River Valley - 145
**West Shamokin doesn't have enough runners for a team**
The top 10 Overall for the Boys race were:
1. Junior Colton Henning (United) - 17:21
2. Sophomore Matthew Beaver (United) - 18:06
3. Junior Dallas Pearce (United) - 18:16
4. Sophomore Seth Boring (Marion Center) - 18:27
5. Sophomore Logan Gentile (Portage) - 18:30
6. Evan Risinger (Marion Center) - 18:50
7. Sophomore Adam Ryer (Marion Center) - 18:54
8. Nicholas Todd (Homer Center) - 19:09
9. Sophomore Jacob Kauffman (Purchase Line) - 19:14
10. Senior Jimmy Lucullo (West Shamokin) - 19:14
About the Author
Brian Ingalls
Brian Ingalls is the owner/operator of Pa Sports History. Brian was a multi sport athlete for United High School in Armagh, Pa. Shortly after graduation, Brian joined the military and spent 6 years in the U.S. Army. After his military service, Brian moved back to the United school district. Brian and his wife, Susan, have four children. All four children were/still are involved in high school sports.
Brian has spent most of his life involved with high school sports and has spent the past 20 years researching and collecting schedules, results, and stats for high school sports mainly in the District 6 area.
