OBSERVER Staff Report

PLATTSBURG — Emily Brown took her decorated Fredonia Cross Country career to new heights on Saturday, making the most of her fourth trip to the State Championships with a career-best finish. Despite snowy, frigid conditions, Brown finished 12th in NY State with a time of 17:49 in the girls cross country championship race to earn a medal in her final trip to States on Saturday at Plattsburg High School.

“The course was snowy and frozen. It was very cold, but she handled it very well. All of the girls there did,” said Fredonia coach Carol Zirkle. “She had a really good time through all of that. I was really impressed (with her performance).”

While Saturday was Brown’s last trip to the State Championships, her six-year cross country career at Fredonia lives on one more week. Brown qualified for the NY State Federation Meet next Saturday at Bowdoin State Park in Wappingers Falls, a meet that combines all runners in NY State into one race for an overall championship. Making the Federation Meet was a goal Brown set before the year began.

“She has worked so hard for this. She is the hardest working athlete I’ve ever worked with,” said Zirkle. “Her drive to be the best and her passion for the sport are the things that make her so successful. It’s great to see her end her career with a great finish at States and to make the Federation Meet.”