Despite less-than-perfect course conditions for the District XI Class 3A Cross Country Championships due to the previous day’s rain, Freedom harriers Ava Fihlman, Dylan Boyle, and Joe Bauer recorded better-than-expected times and booked a trip to states last Wednesday at DeSales University.

“With the rain and the traffic, the course is just slower,” said Freedom coach Bob Thear. “There were one or two turns that could be potentially treacherous, and I told them just be careful and mind their step and watch where they were going. I told them they might want to get out just a little more aggressive because as the race goes on, it’s harder to make big moves and pass a lot.”

So Coach Thear was thrilled to learn that Fihlman’s time was well under 20:00.

“I think I ran really well,” said Fihlman, who medaled with a fifth place finish in 19:46.44. “Coach wanted me around top flour-ish, but I was fifth or sixth for most of the race and started picking people off mile two. The girls who are usually behind me were going out really fast, and I was trying to stay at their pace, but at the same time, it was difficult to get in a spot where I wasn’t going to slip and stay with them.”

Adding to Fihlman’s accomplishment was beating Pocono Mountain West’s Kaya Meier who placed sixth in 19:59.35.

“We were sticking together for most of the race,” Fihlman said. “We pushed each other a lot on the straightaways because I have a long stride and she has very fast pickups.”

Boyle came in fourth and medaled with a time of 17:01.67, missing third place by .36 seconds.

“I was out with the Nazareth pack the whole time, and on the hills, I caught up to them and started pushing it. Cornfield, I pushed it a lot harder this time, and then right out of the cornfield, I just started going, pushing it the whole time, no breaks at all,” he said.

Thear projected that top five would be a really good place for Boyle to land but didn’t foresee the Patriot sophomore beating out Liberty’s Emrick Leshko who came in fifth.

“Coach Bob just said take it out like you did last time; you ran great,” Boyle said. “I attribute a lot to him because all the workouts he does, prepares us for this, and he’s a great coach. He deserves a lot of credit. Same for Coach Devon (Harris). He pushes me during my workouts. They’re amazing coaches. I’m really happy about this.”

Bauer, a senior, was the ninth individual boy to qualify for states with a time of 17:47.08.

“Joe likes to start off slow and pick people off during the race, which is generally a good strategy, but last week he started back just a little too far,” Thear said. “Today, once we saw him, he was in the top 20 and pretty much held his spot all the way throughout, which was great.”

Bauer had been thinking about states a lot, prior to the district meet.

“I was kind of burned out after last meet and I didn’t run as well as I wanted to at leagues, so I kind of wanted to have a comeback race and I was sort of determined to do that today, so I guess I did, yeah,” Bauer said. “Really, I just listened to Coach. He told me to go out seven, eight seconds harder. I did that and it really helped me push it up the hills because I had a pack to go with and they basically dragged me along to the finish. It didn’t feel great but I finished strong and had a pretty good time.

“Back by the cornfield was really muddy and my spikes are broken and I was slipping everywhere but it was fine and I got it done. It’s part of cross country. The ending is very similar to the end of Freedom’s course, so I think that helped me push around, and I think I had a pretty good kick. I wanted to get the Emmaus kid, but I also didn’t want to lose my spot so I was making sure I didn’t sort of just die, but I think I held the ninth spot (for states).”

Parkland’s Paul Abeln won the boys race with a time of 16:49.98, and Parkland’s Lana Hurwitz won the girls race with a time of 19:09.49.

In team results, Freedom’s boys placed sixth.

Also competing for the Patriots at the district meet were Aubrey Yeager, Amelia Holden, Ryan Parkin, Ryan Haas, Gavin Culcasi, Mark Barger, and Liam Kurtz.

The PIAA State Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Nov. 5 in Hershey where Fihlman will compete at 12:30 p.m., and Boyle and Bauer will race at 2:45 p.m.

“I’m looking forward to the experience,” said Bauer. “I think it’ll be cool to see the best runners in Pennsylvania, and compete against them.”