RIDGWAY, Pa. (D9Sports) — Eight Clarion County runners — five boys and three girls — qualifed for the PIAA Cross Country meet with strong showings at Saturday’s District 9 Cross Country Championships at Ridgway.

(Photo of the four Clarion runners who qualified for the PIAA Cross Country meet. Adam Bettwy, Nathaniel Lerch, Chelsea Mason and Katie Craig. Submitted photo)

The top Clarion County finisher on the boys’ side in Class 1A was Adam Bettwy of Clarion, who took eighth. Broc Schoeppner of Keystone was 11th, Isaiah Griebel of North Clarion was 13th, Nathaniel Lerch of Clarion was 15th and Jacob Bauer of North Clarion was 17th.

In the girls’ Class 1A race, Chelsea Mason of Clarion was the top Clarion County finisher taking ninth, while Katie Craig of Clarion was 13th and Michaela Higgins of North Clarion was 14th.

Those eight runners all qualified for the PIAA meet my being in the group of the 10-best runners who weren’t on the top two finishing teams.

Elk County Catholic won the boys’ Class 1A title followed by Cranberry. Northern Potter took home the girls’ 1A title followed by Cranberry. All runners on both of those teams also qualified for the PIAA meet.

In the Class 2A girls’ race, Karns City’s Rebecca Pennington also qualified for the PIAA meet by taking third.

Winning the races were Brookville’s Ryan Thrush in Class 1A boys, Northern Potter’s Danielle Perry in Class 1A girls, Punxsutawney Ethan Brentham in Class 2A boys and St. Marys’ Michelle Bauer in Class 2A girls.

Punxsutawney won the 2A boys’ title, while St. Marys took home the 2A girls’ title.

Boys’ 1A Full Results • Girls’ 1A Full Results • Boys’ 2A Full Results • Girls’ 2A Full Results