BETHLEHEM — Tina and Nicole Capparell sprinted from the starting line, leaving the other 67 runners in their wake.
With each stride, the gap grew larger between the royal blue-clad Marian sisters and everyone else Thursday at the District 11 Class A Cross Country Championships.
By the top of the first hill at the Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course layout, only one question remained:
Which Capparell would be the champion?
Twenty minutes later, we had the answer. This day belonged to Tina Capparell as the sophomore clocked a 20:44 to repeat as district champion.
Freshman Nicole Capparell earned silver in 21:13.
“I’m really happy. I was nervous,’’ Tina Capparell said.
And what about that start, which both insisted wasn’t planned?
“We just practice a lot together, and that stuff happens,’’ Tina Capparell said. “Our goal was one and two, so we were trying to reach that.’’
Added Nicole Capparell about the start: “It was amazing just getting out there. You could hear them behind you, so you knew you had to keep going.’’
After the Capparells, Schuylkill League runners took the other three Class A girls’ at-large berths into the PIAA Cross Country Championships, set for Nov. 7 at the Parkview Cross Country Course in Hershey.
Pine Grove junior McKayla Lally earned her third trip to states with a third-place finish in 21:59.
Minersville’s Kaylene Raczka and Mahanoy Area’s Megan Babinsky, a pair of sophomores, are going to states for the second straight season. Raczka placed fourth in 22:02; Babinsky took sixth in 22:25.
Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg won the girls’ championship and team berth in the state meet with 57 points. Minersville (88) finished second.
The district results marked a drastic change from the Schuylkill League Championships for Tina Capparell. Last week, the 2014 league champion struggled in warm conditions and slipped to fifth.
After Wednesday’s heavy rain, Thursday brought clearing skies and comfortable temperatures. The only downside was a strong, steady wind.
“That definitely drove me to want to win this race badly,’’ Tina Capparell said of her Schuylkill League performance.
“I’m beyond excited (to go with my sister),’’ she added. “We practiced our whole lives together, and it’s just great having her out there with me.’’
Meanwhile, Nicole Capparell has matching silver medals from leagues and districts. She also has a trip to Hershey with her sister.
“When I run, I have somebody pushing me, somebody to stay with,’’ Nicole said. “At states, she’ll help me through it.’’
Class AA girls
Blue Mountain senior Caroline Rickard waited more than a year for her chance at redemption. Missing states by one place as a junior, Rickard made sure she’d qualify this time, placing 10th in 20:52. The top two teams and the top 10 individuals not on those teams advanced.
Rickard settled into that spot fairly early in the race and maintained it the rest of the way.
“My goal was top 10,’’ Rickard said of her thoughts during the race. “If I could keep the 10th place, then I’m golden and I’m in. I got the Hershey bar.’’
Two Tamaqua runners — freshman Sarah Maue and sophomore Kailee Carroll — also made the cut as at-large runners.
Maue finished 13th in 21:03; Carroll placed 17th in 21:38.
“I didn’t even think of (qualifying),’’ Maue said. “I just wanted to try my hardest. ... This is a bonus.
“It was my goal in high school to make it to states,’’ she added, ‘‘but it’s my freshman year. It’s amazing.’’
Carroll had the same goal of qualifying at some point in her career, but she didn’t think that day would be Thursday.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all,’’ she said.
Carroll, though, has been to Hershey before, following her older sister Amber as she competed at states.
“I went to watch her, and I was like, ‘I want to be like her when I’m older,’ ’’ Carroll said. “Now I get the chance, and I’m really excited.’’
Saucon Valley’s Kiele Riefenstahl won the race in 19:55.
Allentown Central Catholic (50) and Northwestern Lehigh (61) captured the two Class AA state team berths. Tamaqua placed fifth and Blue Mountain seventh in the 12-team field.
Class AAA girls
Pottsville’s Brenna Nagle finished 51st in 23:07.
Stroudsburg’s Allana Powlette won the race in 19:34. Easton (54) and Stroudsburg (70) took the two team berths to states.