Moravian Academy freshman Virginia Kraus out ran 113 harriers and high heat and humidity to win the varsity girls race of the Lion Invitational Cross Country Meet on her home course last Friday.

“I was a little nervous before the race because I wasn’t sure what to expect, but once I got going, I got into a rhythm and got focused and felt better,” Kraus said.

Kraus and second-place finisher Anna Pucilowski of Abington Heights took a fast start and remained ahead of the field of the other 112 girls for the three miles.

“I tried to save a little bit because it’s really hot today, and I wasn’t sure what the third mile was going to feel like, but I think I still went out a little bit too fast. My first mile was 5:42, and my average is 6:02,” said Kraus. “[Anna] ran with me up until about the two-mile mark. At that point, I put in a burst of speed, and she fell back, but I feel like I would not have run anywhere as fast as I did if I had not had somebody there with me.”

Kraus’s time was 18:37.45, and Pucilowski crossed the finish line in 19:23.26.

“I didn’t look back, so I had no idea how much of a gap there was,” Kraus said. “It feels great.”

Freedom junior Ava Fihlman took third place after battling it out with Delaware Valley’s Ryan O’Connor, who finished fourth, and Notre Dame’s Katherine Koons, who was fifth.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve done three miles, so I was kind of getting back into the racing feel,” said Fihlman. “I was sticking with the girl in third, and then she started to slow down and I felt like I could pick it up more, but I didn’t think I could close the gap between me and second, so I wanted to make sure I was comfortable and not gassing it.”

Fihlman was happy with her time of 20:23.68, as was Freedom coach Bob Thear.

“Her time was great. I was just talking to her about that,” Thear said. “On a normal day, it would’ve been 10 degrees cooler with no humidity, and she probably would’ve been at 20. But with her time, this time of year, I’m absolutely happy, yes.”

The top 15 received medals, which also included Allentown Central Catholic’s Izzy Kehoe-Buck, Abington Heights’ Reese Morgan, Nazareth’s Kylie Karavitch, Northwestern Lehigh’s Angelina Klein, Saucon Valley’s Olivia Bortz, Notre Dame’s Olivia Schweitzer, Abington Heights’ Emma Horsley, Notre Dame’s Samantha Karwacki, Whitehall’s Mikayla Warren, and Salisbury’s Emily Batten.

“It was really fun, and I’m happy it’s cross country season,” Fihlman said.

Also from Bethlehem, Freedom senior Aubrey Yeager placed 33rd in 24:23.58, freshman teammate Amelia Holden placed 34th in 24:24.20, and Lehigh Valley Academy’s Skyler Szulborski was 47th with a time of 25:36.00.