WILMINGTON - Brynn Crandell made her last cross country race in Delaware her most memorable on Saturday, surmounting the state’s hilliest course for the DIAA Division II individual title in 18:20.9, and establishing herself as the First State’s first girls runner for the third consecutive year.

Five Tatnall runners and an eighth-grader from Sussex Academy followed the Indian River champion, as Tatnall convincingly established itself as the state’s top team.

Padua sophomore Anna Bockius took command after two miles to win the Division I race by 150 meters in 19:13, leading the Pandas to their 11th consecutive division title.

Opening more quickly than her custom, Crandell maintained her velocity in the last state meet that will be held at Brandywine Creek State Park until at least 2027, scaling its many ridges with a pace that never wilted - a steady 6-minute-per-mile tempo.

Crandell, who intends to run at the University of Delaware, joined Lydia Olivere, Haley Pierce, Juliet Bottorff and Anna Brousell as the just fifth girl to have the best state meet time in either division for three consecutive years.

BOYS CHAMPS This time, it's an upset: Salesianum rallies past Caesar Rodney for D-I cross country title

After challenging the East’s best in the Nike and Foot Locker Regionals over the next two weekends, she will return to her original love, swimming – in the sport’s longest distances, the 200- and 500-meter freestyles – before coming back to track next spring.

“I really don’t like the competing part,” Crandell said of swimming. “I love the practice.”

Abby Downin, Katie Payne and Carlita Kaliher broke 19 minutes to return Tatnall to the winner’s circle it last entered when the Hornets won their 14th consecutive D-II title in 2017.

As the meet approached, “we spent time working the panhandle,” Payne said. “We knew were all the rocks were, where all the holes were. That led to us being expert in this course.

“We have some big goals in the coming weeks,” Payne added. “We wanted to avoid being too risky today, so we’re not dead in the coming weeks. We’ve been making certain that we’re extra cautious for the work that we’re doing, making sure that we’re protecting our investment.”

Kaliher, who fell while chasing Crandell in the final 400 meters last year, was able to finish strong this year.

“I’ve done the most mileage ever, but with less intensity,” Kaliher said. “I think we went too fast, too quick last year for me. This year, I’m more focused on cross training.”

Ruby Schwelm (sixth), Katrina Endres (seventh), Krissa Woods (16th) and Addison Schwelm (21st) provided depth that Tatnall missed over the last five years.

Amid the top pack in fifth place was Sussex Academy eighth-grade Paige Ballinger. Seven of the day’s top eight times came from the Division II race.

Bockius took the lead from Middletown’s Isabelle Walsh after two miles and stretched it to a 22-second margin.

“At the mini-hill, I thought, ‘I’ve done all this work, I need to keep working at it,’ ” said Bockius, whose father Troy won four middle-distance state championships at Dover, and was later All-ACC in cross country at Florida State and a sub-3-hour marathoner.

The 13^th Padua runner to win a state title, Bockius was the Pandas’ 11th consecutive Division I champion.

“I look up to all of my teammates. It doesn’t matter who comes first,” said Bockius, whose teammates Sophia Holgado (third), Kelsey Wolff (fourth), Molly Flanagan (fifth) and Mary Drost (11th) and Alessandra DeAscanis (16th) gave the Pandas a one-sided victory.

Brandywine Creek has been central to Delaware cross country since 1974, but rainfall erosion has rendered some portions of the course in need of repair.

Although the state meet has rotated between upstate and downstate sites since 1971, DIAA plans to run the next three championships at Killens Pond because White Clay Creek, an attractive site last used in 2014, is booked on the second Saturday of November.

Bree Talley (eighth), Analyse Caskey (13th), Alexis Blackwell (14th) and Madeline Francis (20th) paced Caesar Rodney to second place as a team in Division I.

Faith Mitchell (seventh), Jorja Willey (17th) and Aviana Shaw (18th) lifted Milford to third, the Bucs’ best finish in 29 years. Veronica Kamenitzer (sixth) and Nikita Lachke (ninth) led Charter of Wilmington to fourth.

Arina Varrato of Sussex Tech (10th), Elyse Fuller (12th) and Bailey Fuller (15th) of Polytech and Giana Ruggeri of Appoquinimink (19th) also reached the top 20.

In Division II, Maddie Priest (10th), Helen Socorso (12th) and Alaina Thomas (13th) helped Archmere repeat in second place.

Leah Horgan (eighth) and Claire Hulsey (14th) helped defending champion St. Andrew’s to third. Shayla Kluizenaar (18th) led fourth-place Newark Charter.

Alyssa Napier of Conrad (ninh), Isabelle Daniel of Tower Hill (11th), Natalie Radecki of Caravel (15th), Angelina Mangaro of Brandywine (17th), Laurena McCann of Delaware Military Academy (19th) and Sarah Whalen of Ursuline (20th) also finished among the top 20.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: DIAA girls cross country: Brynn Crandell, Anna Bockius, Tatnall win