In 2024, freshmen made a serious impact at the District 3 Cross Country Championships—8 of the 30 top-10 finishers across the three classifications were ninth-graders. Two even claimed district titles: Leah Droter (Lancaster Catholic) in Class A and Leah Navarro (Dallastown) in Class AAA.
Was this a rare breakout year for freshmen, or part of a growing trend? Here’s a look at the number of freshman top-10 finishers by classification since 2020:
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