NEW PARIS – The Arcanum Girls won the 2026 Cross Country league title at the WOAC Cross Country Championship held at National Trail on Saturday, October 17th.
The Arcanum girls cross country team nipped Tri-Village by 4 points scoring 36 to win the 2026 WOAC league Championship upending the two-year streak turned in by Newton. The Trojans won the first two league titles in the WOAC back in 2021 and 2022 and now have 3 titles in 6 years.
Tri-Village placed 2nd with 40 points, Ansonia was 3rd and Franklin Monroe 5th,
Arcanum coach Jon Junkins was named the WOAC Girls Coach of the Year and was pleased with the way his team competed.
“Our girls competed and ran well for all three miles, and I think they just really wanted it and just went for it,” Junkins stated.
The Trojans were led by freshman Lilly Moore in 6th place with a time of 20:37.9, sophomore Sadie Waldo was 10th, junior Ella Warren 11th, junior Maci Pechie 12th and sophomore Esme Smith was 16th.
Tri-Village with a roster of five freshman and one senior provided a strong challenge and was led by freshman Kruz Mead in 5th place with a run time of 20:19. Freshman Bailey Foster was 8th, freshman Shelby Finkbine14th, freshman Aleena Thomas 15th and the lone senior Sophie Goins was 19th.
Zac Graham who coaches both boys and girls cross country was pleased with his team’s effort.
“I’ve been coaching these girls since junior high and they won the league in seventh and eighth grade. They tried hard and came so close, I’m very proud of their effort,” Graham commented.
Ansonia sophomore Anna Yeomans won the league championship race with a time of 19:03, besting 2nd place Michaela Flora of Newton who came in 4 seconds behind. The Tigers also got a strong performance from freshman Claire Barga in third place at 19:43.46.
Yeomans dethroned Michaela Flora who was a two-time defending league champion and was named the 2026 WOAC girls runner of the year.
Top 10 Girls Runners and First Team All-WOAC
Anna Yeomans, Ansonia, 19:03.0
Michaela Flora, Newton, 19:07.3
Claire Barga, Ansonia, 19:43.6
Ella Eshleman, Franklin Monroe, 20:11.8
Kruz Mead, Tri-Village, 20:19.5
Lilly Moore, Arcanum, 20:37.9
Josie Cress, Newton, 21:13.2
Bailey Foster, Tri-Village, 21:27.7
Claire Stull, Newton, 21:45.2
Sadie Waldo, Arcanum, 22:21.3
