Bethlehem Catholic hosted its season’s second cross country meet where Becahi, Freedom and Liberty’s harriers competed against Pleasant Valley, Pocono Mountain East, and Pocono Mountain West on Sept. 19 at Freedom.

Patriot senior Ava Fihlman won her first Eastern Pennsylvania Conference race of the season in 19:25, and a familiar competitor, Kaya Meier of Pocono Mountain West, took second place in 20:42.

In team results, Liberty’s girls added three wins to their record while Becahi and Freedom had too few girls competing to compile team scores.

“After last week, they were pretty disappointed, and they didn’t have their best performances, but we talked a lot this week about working harder, finding excuses to get better, and they seemed to take that to heart,” said Liberty coach Kevin Bush. “It’s working, and they’re becoming more of a team, so hopefully we keep building toward that progression so we’re peaking at the end of the year.”

Emma Haas placed fourth (22:46), Lilah McClarin placed fifth (22:49), and Sierra Schmoyer came in sixth (23:02) for the Hurricanes.

“I tried to stick up with the top,” said Haas, still recovering from an injury. “There was a Beca girl in front of me, very supportive, very helpful, and I really appreciated it. You know, the running community’s great, in general. There’s a strategy with the wind where you go off each other so that the wind’s not hitting you directly, so you go back and forth, rather than you taking the front and always taking the wind yourself.”

Aliyah Brame was the Beca girl trading places with Haas throughout the race and came in third (22:36).

“There’s a certain pride that comes with exhaustion,” Haas said after crossing the finish line. “You’re like, I did something, and I’m proud of myself, and I managed to finish because, you know, it’s always that one step forward, and I accomplished something great.”

Freedom’s Taylor Vidumsky took seventh place (23:05), and Amelia Holden was eighth (23:11), also for the Patriots.

Rounding out the top 10 were ninth-place Remiah Rivera of Becahi (23:30) and 10th-place Rhianna Eppler of Liberty (23:38).

“I was trying to pace myself up the hill because that’s where I struggled last race. I feel like my mindset is better this year. I feel like I’m more competitive. I really want to do well now,” said Rivera. “I eventually got one of the Liberty girls on the hill, and then there were two more Liberty girls I also got at the end. I really pushed myself at the end, and at the very end I tried to sprint to get one of them. I felt dead, but I was definitely happy.”

Becahi coach Krystyn Fenon was pleased with the way the entire girls team raced last week.

“We’re only in the beginning of the season and nowhere near peaking, so I’m happy with every kid,” Fenon said. “Aliyah and Remiah are beat feet going up the hills. Good body strength, good leg drive, everything, and they have the speed to go with it. I’ve been pairing them up at practice too and making sure they’re working together.”