Freedom High School senior, Shaina Palmer, got a little emotional at the start of the PIAA State Girls Class AAA Cross Country Championships, knowing it would be her last cross country meet of her high school career, and with that, placed 26th among 225 runners on Saturday in Hershey.

"Shaina ran her heart out," said Freedom cross country coach Bob Thear. "She ran a great time."

Palmer finished the race in 19:20.

Palmer said, "I approached it the same as districts. We were tapering a lot more, and I knew it was my last race for my high school cross country career. At the starting line, I started crying a little bit, and then I thought, what's going on here?"

Palmer and teammate, Olivia Salerno, who placed 127th in 20:35 did not have the best starting point, starting on the end, but they made the best of it.

"It wasn't really the ideal box, but one benefit is that you don't get boxed in by anyone. The first half mile is faster, before you hit the hills. In the beginning, people are pretty aggressive. People don't realize how aggressive cross country can be," said Palmer.

Liberty High School sophomore, Raisa Kochmaruk, had a less than desirable starting point as well, starting at the extreme inside.

Liberty coach Mark Will-Weber said, "It's maybe the worst starting point. If you don't get out fast, you get pretty crushed, but she got a decent start."

In the end, Kochmaruk placed 32nd in 19:23.

"Raisa ran pretty well. She didn't really feel like she dug down as deeply as she did in leagues and districts, but it's hard to dig down deep at a place like that. She ran a good, solid race on the toughest course she ran all year," said Will-Weber.

Kochmaruk missed receiving a medal by eight seconds; Palmer missed it by one spot.

Thear said, "At about the one-and-a-half mile mark, Shaina was between 30 and 40. I yelled to her to work the hill and pick people off. With about two minutes of running time left, Shaina was 23rd at the bottom of the hill."

Palmer knew she was on the border, passing one girl going up the hill as another girl passed Palmer.

"It was a little bittersweet at the end. It's kind of a relief once you finish. Then I thought, oh my gosh, that was really my last race," she said.

In the Class AA race, Bethlehem Catholic's Kassi Yocco placed 51st out of 210 runners in 20:26, and teammate, Rowan Pepe, placed 53rd in 20:27.

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