Oct 23, 2025
CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville’s Tyce Shaner crosses the finish line to claim District 4 cross country gold on Thursday at Bloomsburg.
BLOOMSBURG — Hughesville’s Tyce Shaner went out to a great start in the District 4 Class AA boys cross country race on Thursday morning and never looked back.
The Spartan claimed gold to lead Hughesville.
As a team, Hughesville led from start to finish at Thursday’s cross country championships as they claimed team and individual gold.
The Spartans finished with 56 points, well ahead of second place Lewisburg (85).
“It’s absolutely awesome,” Shaner said about bringing home the team title. “Absolutely awesome to be with my team, and just working hard, and here we are because of it.”
CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville’s Wyatt Laubacher competes at the District 4 cross country championships.
Shaner (15:57.1) pulled away for the win, beating second place by over 30 seconds.
“I’ve never done so individually, but it’s not anything compared to the feeling of winning as a team,” said Shaner. “It definitely is good that all the hard work has paid off.”
Shaner looked to be the favorite coming into the race, but in such a competitive field anything can happen.
“I kept in the front of my mind that nothing’s guaranteed,” he said. “You’ve just got to run as hard as you can, and the place will follow after if you put in the most effort.”
Wyatt Laubacher (16:35.6) was fourth while Carter Sherwood (17:11.6) came in 14th.
CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville’s Emelia Wolfe competes at the District 4 cross country championships in Bloomsburg.
Tristan Kurzawa (17:32.4) finished 22nd, and Joseph Laubacher (17:33.5) was 23rd.
They knew it was going to be a battle of the green teams at the top.
“Lewisburg is definitely good,” said Wyatt Laubacher. “Their first guy, Justin (Nolt), was someone whose broke sixteens, and ran 15:40’s quite a lot, so my plan was to catch up to him, and just stay with him for the race.”
He wasn’t quite able to do that, but getting fourth was important for the Spartans.
“I’m a little bummed about the race, but I did everything I was planning on doing,” he said. “Justin was a little sick, and I didn’t run as fast as I was hoping.”
CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville’s Grace Fortin and Avery Meckbach compete at the District 4 cross coutnry championships.
Both Shaner and Wyatt Laubacher are hoping to bing home state medals.
“We’re just going to rest up and lock back in,” Shaner said.
On the girls’ side three Spartans earned state berths in the Class AA race: Emilia Wolfe (19:53.50 in eighth, Grace Fortin (20:13.4) in 13th, and Evey Meckbach (20:27.6) in 14th.
As a team they were fourth with 96 places.
“I’m so happy with our team this year,” said Meckbach. “We’re all so close, and it’s just the best team I’ve ever been on. We kind of all just wanted to run for each other today, and even though we didn’t make it as a team, it’s still good to be going.”
As a freshman Wolfe was glad for the guidance she received to finish in the top 10.
“I’m going to miss our seniors a lot,” she said.
The three are also excited to see how things go the second time they run Hershey this year.
“It’s a whole different race down there from when we ran there a few weeks ago,” said Fortin.
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