Parker Upright claimed the District 2 Class A cross country title on Wednesday, Oct. 28, crossing the finish line at the Wyoming County Fairgrounds in 16:32.8. The Elk Lake senior secured the gold by a narrow three-second margin over Riverside’s Jack Davies.
In 2025, he finished third at the district level, trailing his teammates Cody Adams and Kendel Jones. While he was part of Elk Lake’s PIAA Class A Championship team then, this year he returns to the state level as the individual champion.
Upright Siblings and Lady Warriors Qualify for States
The success for the Warriors wasn’t limited to the top spot. Parker’s younger brother, Trevor Upright, also secured a spot in the state championships, finishing 13th in the boys’ race with a time of 17:35.7.
The Lady Warriors are mirroring this momentum. Both Kendyl Weisgold and Madison Kerr qualified for states, finishing 13th (21:32.7) and 14th (21:37.2) respectively. Their qualification ensures that Elk Lake remains a presence in the Class A girls’ division heading into the PIAA Cross Country Championships.
Lackawanna Trail’s Multi-Runner Surge
While Elk Lake took the individual gold, Lackawanna Trail emerged as a powerhouse in terms of volume, sending three runners to the state meet. The Lions’ performance was spread across both the boys’ and girls’ categories.
Chase Litwin continued his consistency, qualifying for the second year in a row after finishing fourth in the Class A boys’ race at 16:47.3. Senior Timmy McNamara claimed the final individual qualifying spot for the boys, finishing 17th with a time of 18:00.9. On the girls’ side, freshman Angelina Cours made an immediate impact, finishing fourth in the Class A race with a time of 20:51.2.
Riverside and Old Forge Lead Class A Standings
The team standings reveal that Class A is highly competitive. Riverside dominated the boys’ team rankings, while Old Forge took the top spot for the Class A girls.
| Category | Top Team | Runner Up | Third Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A Boys | Riverside (40) | Holy Cross (100) | Blue Ridge (137) |
| Class A Girls | Old Forge (65) | Holy Redeemer (69) | Lackawanna Trail (86) |
| Class 2A Boys | Mid Valley (56) | Wallenpaupack (90) | Crestwood (125) |
| Class 2A Girls | Crestwood (60) | Scranton Prep (76) | Lake-Lehman (87) |
In the Class 2A division, Mid Valley and Crestwood led the boys’ and girls’ standings respectively. Jacob Borelli of Mid Valley posted the fastest time across these brackets at 15:57.4, while Vella Byrne of Scranton Prep led the 2A girls with a time of 19:06.7.
The Road to Newville
The focus now shifts from the Wyoming County Fairgrounds to the PIAA Cross Country Championships. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at Big Spring High School in Newville.
The District 2 field is evident in the qualifying times. In the Class A boys’ race, the difference between the gold medalist and the final qualifying spot (Timmy McNamara) was just over 90 seconds.
