Liberty’s Raisa Kochmaruk and Bethlehem Catholic’s Rowan Pepe ultimately attained their goal of clinching a berth in the upcoming PIAA State Cross Country Championships at the district meet last Thursday at Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course, but not in the way either of them expected.

Kochmaruk placed second in the District XI Class AAA race, outstepped by Stroudsburg’s Allana Powlette at the finish line.

“I don’t know where she came from. She had the kick at the end there. I thought I had it. I guess I had tunnel vision,” Kochmaruk said.

Kochmaruk’s time was 19:34.80. Powlette’s was 19:34.46.

Liberty coach Mark Will-Weber said, “They were all out so hard in the beginning. We knew that [Easton’s Diana] Hammerstone would be a challenge and Katie Bacher [from Emmaus]. I think the wind beat them up. We knew the girl from Stroudsburg was good, but we were more concerned with Hammerstone and Bacher.”

It was true that Kochmaruk started off very fast, and it was very windy on the course on Thursday.

“I was out in front, but I hurt because of the wind. I don’t know if there is anymore I could have done. I was definitely trying my hardest. I did the best I could,” said Kochmaruk.

In the District XI Class AA race, Pepe relied on a lot of inner strength to outrun her seventh place seed.

“My friend sent me a speech over text about believing in myself, and I kept telling myself, the pain will end,” she said.

Pepe had been nursing a leg injury for weeks.

“Up to this race, I didn’t think I could do it. I crossed. It was over. It didn’t feel like 20 minutes,” said Pepe, smiling from ear to ear.

Teammates and Becahi coach, Kelly Bracette, gathered around Pepe, congratulating her after the race.

“For the first half, I was right around tenth, really close to that top pack. Halfway, I was in sixth, and then I saw Colleen [Daday] and the other Central girls. At the end, I was close enough to see the Saucon Valley girl finish,” Pepe said.

Saucon Valley’s Kiele Riefenstahl won the race in 19:55.10.

Joining Pepe at states this coming Saturday will be teammates, Kassi Yocco, who placed eighth in 20:36.83, and Lauren Bunke, who placed 18th in 21:45.86.

In team results, Becahi placed third out of 12 teams. Liberty placed fifth out of 15 teams.

Hurricanes in the top 50 included Delaney Davis who was 22nd in 21:15.54, Grace Haas who was 25th in 21:35.02, and Greta Stuckey who was 31st in 22:06.50.

For Freedom, Ally Young placed 38th in 22:25.21, Shannon Connelly placed 41st in 22:29.33, and Olivia Salerno placed 47th in 22:56.99.

The Patriot girls placed tenth in team results.