Sports

No. 8 Sports Story of the Year: A cross country state champ

Shoreham-Wading River freshman Katherine Lee races in the state qualifier meet at Sunken Meadow State Park. (Credit: Robert O'Rourk)
Shoreham-Wading River freshman Katherine Lee races in the state qualifier meet at Sunken Meadow State Park. (Credit: Robert O’Rourk)

Katherine Lee made a strong first impression running cross country on varsity as an eighth-grader. Now as a freshman this past season, Lee went from a top runner to the best.

Lee compiled an outstanding season for the county champion Wildcats, winning not only the division meet and state qualifier meet, but the Class B state title as well. She was the first Shoreham girl to ever win a state title in a cross country meet.

She earned a spot at the New York Federation Championships in Wappingers Falls, where she ran 18 minutes 30.4 seconds over the 5,000-meter course to finish fifth overall in the competition that combines runners from all divisions in the state.

Lee’s time put her in the top-60 all-time for the course at Wappingers Falls, which has been the home of the federation race for more than a decade, coach Paul Koretzki said.

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