The 2016 season was unlike many in recent memory for the Northwestern girls’ cross country team.

The Tigers 134-dual meet winning streak, which spanned six seasons, was snapped. A five-year run as Colonial League champions ended, too.

What a different a year makes. The Tigers returned to championship form and began a new winning streak this season.

Northwestern capped an undefeated regular season with a dominating performance in Tuesday’s annual Colonial League Championship Meet at DeSales University. The Tigers placed six of their runners in the top 12 to easily claim the team championship with 34 points, well ahead of second-place Palisades (89).

Bangor’s Martina Sell finished first in the girls’ race in 20:15.

“It was very nice because last year we didn’t quite have the depth,” said Madeline Consuelos, who paced Northwestern with a third-place finish in 20:27. “We lost our streak. And this year, we have a new streak. So it’s really nice to see the depth.

“We’re definitely a lot closer, which I think helps us. Last year, we had little groups and it wasn’t all one big family. Now we are definitely one big family, and I think that shows on runs. We do a lot of pack running and starting out this race in the first mile, we’re all very close and tight. So it definitely shows how close we are.”

That was evident Tuesday.

Molly Tarvin, Kailyn Jones and Alyssa Zack were sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively. Sarah Supplee (10th) and Hannah Herzon (12th) also had strong runs.

“Today, we really wanted to go for that league title,” said Tarvin. “Because last year we lost it to Southern (Lehigh), we really wanted to come back, do our best, win the league and remind everyone that the Tigers are still here.”

Jones has been an integral part of Northwestern’s success this season as a freshman, transitioning seamlessly into a tight-knit group comprised of mainly upperclassmen.

“I really like this team,” said Jones. “All of the girls are really supporting, nice and really easy to get along with.”

The Tigers are close both on and off the course.

“We had five in the top 10 and I think we had all six in the top 12,” said Northwestern head coach Chris Stitzel. “That’s the way they’ve been running all year. Our freshman that we just got, Kailyn Jones, she’s been stepping up for us; she’s better than I thought she’d do this year.

“And we picked up a big key. We got Sarah Supplee from field hockey. She was a big key, picking her up. The pieces are falling into place for us right now.”

After a 24-0 regular season and another league title, the focus shifts to this week’s District 11 championships.

Stitzel can’t help but see parallels when comparing this year’s team to past squads.

“I think the teams that we finished the top three or four in the state, I think we’re just as deep as those teams,” Stitzel said. “I think we can, hopefully, we can get that district title and go to states just to make some noise out there. There’s no pressure on us out there. Hopefully, we just want to get to that point where we get out there again.

“I know they missed (not going as a team last year). For going so many years in a row, and then ending the streak last year, and then not going to states as a team, I think that definitely fueled them for this year.”

Robert Leiser led the way for Northwestern’s boys team with a 14th-place finish in 18:00. Southern Lehigh’s Colin Cramer won the boys’ race with a time of 16:34.

After finished third a year ago with a time of 17:29, Leiser admitted he was hoping for a better result.

“The woods was a little rough,” Leiser said. “I was feeling it in my legs. I was really tired going up (the hills), but it’s just leagues.”

Leiser’s teammate, Phillip Castrine, placed 16th (18:08).

“Ideally, I would have liked to place a little higher,” Castrine said. “We have tough competition here in this league. But going into next week, I feel good. I feel that I have a good chance at qualifying for the state meet.”

Like Castrine, Leiser has his eyes set on Hershey.

“I’d like to go to states again, and hopefully get a medal,” he said. “That would be nice.

“It feels like I’m better. But compared to the league, it’s gotten so strong that the competition is there so the places don’t represent maybe the times or performance.”

The district meet is set for this Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course.