NTL XC: NORTH PENN-MANSFIELD'S KNEFLEY MEDALS AT STATES (2026-11-07)

By Chris Manning
Northern Tier West Sports Report
NEWVILLE — North Penn-Mansfield's James Knefley earned his long sought after state medal on Saturday as the senior took 15th place overall at the PIAA 2A Boys cross-country Championships."It feels good," Knefley, a 3-time state qualifier, said. "That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to place a little higher, but I tried my best, and that's all I can do."

Knefley was eighth at the mile, and got as high as seventh at the 2-mile but dropped back to 13th with 1000 meters to go before taking 15th in 16:25.

"I was hoping to be a little bit further back," Knefley said about his spot at the mile. "I just got carried right through with them, and I was feeling good. I started burning halfway through the race, but I still came back strong and finished."

It's a new course at Big Spring that's very undulating once they get to the woods, with steep up and down hills.

"You've just got to be mentally strong in this because anybody can run fast on a flat course, but you've just got to grind those hills," he said.

Coming down the stretch Knefley felt good as he knew he was going to get a medal.

"I got a little bit happy there with 400 to go," he said. "I got this in the bag. I still wanted to fight Graham (Wanck) and Wyatt (Laubacher), but they got me."

Knefley was one of five District IV runners to earn a medal, along with the NTL's Graham and Emmett Klees.

"It's a pretty awesome feeling," Knefley said. "Graham's been injured, and just coming across the line with him - we're good buddies - that's a pretty cool feeling."