Success, in any sport, is never a sure thing.

Even the most accomplished and talented athletes go through trying times, testing their resolve and commitment.

But the best remain dedicated to their craft, never wavering in the face of adversity.

It's that kind of unparalleled devotion that separates Northwestern Lehigh senior Haley Yost from her peers.

Yost medaled at the league, district and state meets this season, finishing no worse than fourth and improving her position and time in each race from a year ago.

While the list of individual accomplishments is certainly impressive, Yost has also been a key component during the Lady Tigers' unprecedented 78-0 run in Colonial League competition over the last three years.

All of those accolades helped Yost earn the 2013 TIMES NEWS Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year award.

The honor is Yost's third straight, not to mention the sixth consecutive year that a Northwestern girl has received the Player of the Year award.

But that kind of regularity certainly doesn't diminish any of the significance for Yost.

"It means a lot just to know that Northwestern itself has been a dominant force over the past few years," she said. "To be able to carry on that tradition of working hard and reaching our goals really means a lot to me.

"I'm very happy with my season. I had personal bests on just about every course that I ran, so that in itself is a big accomplishment for me."

While her talent on the course was obvious and undeniable, Yost's intangibles also played a major role in Northwestern's continued team success this year. The Lady Tigers captured their third consecutive Colonial League crown along with their second straight District 11 Class AA title, earning a trip to the PIAA Championships in Hershey for the third year in a row.

For a squad littered with underclassmen, the accomplishments were far from a certainty at the beginning of the season.

"I really didn't know what to expect this year, with her being one of our only seniors," said Northwestern head coach Chris Stitzel, now in his 15th season. "But she got the girls ready and got them going before every meet. She was a leader on the team and she did a great job of handling that responsibility."

For a group that was close both on and off the course, the leadership role came naturally to Yost, who was also a team captain.

"I think that as a team we pushed each other and worked our best for each other when one person was feeling down," Yost said. "We were always able to look to a teammate and realize it wasn't just about us. We were always working toward our goals as a team."

Individually, Yost did pretty well, too, finishing second at both the Colonial League and District 11 Class AA meets to go along with a fourth place finish at the PIAA Championships.

But the talented senior was quick point out that her individual accomplishments wouldn't have been possible without a strong team.

"I think when you get one (award) you hope the other comes along with it," she said. "It was nice to have a team that worked as hard as I did and had the same goals that I did."

For Yost, the next challenge will be competing at the next level, likely Eastern Kentucky University, a Division I school with a cross country program on the rise. Yost credits her coaches for helping her reach her goals throughout her career.

"Coach Stitzel and coach (Tim) Churetta have always been super supportive," she said. "They always help us work towards our goals and let us know what we need to do to achieve them. They're always there to support us and they know what it takes to get us to where we need to be."

With her selfless attitude and unmatched work ethic, Stitzel sees no reason why Yost won't be able to once again excel.

"I don't see any reason why she will have any problem competing against tougher competition," the coach said. "She has the work ethic, commitment and determination to be successful.

"I've seen some very talented runners come through (the program) and go on to do very well in college. She has the ability to do the same, without question."

With a decorated high school cross country career behind her, Yost can reflect on the past four years with a sense of satisfaction knowing she maintained the level of success set by those that came before her, with a sense of humility that would make her predecessors proud.

"It's kind of bittersweet because I know that I need to move on," Yost said. "I'm going to miss the team and the coaches. But I'm really thankful for everyone that was there to support me the whole way."