Athlete of the Week

LebCo Athlete of the Week: Kayleigh DiPasquale

by
Dan Rau
November 10, 2026

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Kayleigh DiPasquale

A long stretch away from competition could have defined Kayleigh DiPasquale’s first high school Cross Country season. Instead, the Northern Lebanon freshman finished it competing against Pennsylvania’s best runners at the PIAA State Championships.

DiPasquale’s remarkable comeback reached a major milestone on Halloween, when she finished 23rd in the District 3 Class 2A Championships at Big Spring High School. Her time of 20:46.2 earned her an individual berth at States and represented a tremendous improvement from where she had been just days earlier.

At the Lancaster-Lebanon League Championships on October 20th, DiPasquale had returned to competition after missing much of the season while dealing with health issues. She finished that race in 22:10.8, but just 11 days later, she lowered her personal best by nearly 1 minute and 25 seconds at Districts.

The breakthrough performance earned DiPasquale LebCo Athlete of the Week honors for the week of October 26th.

For Kayleigh, the accomplishment carried additional meaning considering the challenges she had faced throughout her freshman season.

“After a long break due to health issues, I came back at Leagues and qualified for Districts,” DiPasquale said.

The improvement at Districts provided an opportunity she might not have imagined during the difficult middle portion of her season: a chance to return to Big Spring the following weekend and compete against the top Class 2A runners in Pennsylvania.

On Saturday, November 7th, DiPasquale completed her first PIAA State Championship race in 21:00, finishing 93rd overall. The performance provided a strong conclusion to her first varsity Cross Country season.

She was one of three Northern Lebanon runners competing at States. Junior Anthony Frederick III finished 63rd in the Class 2A boys race with a time of 17:12, while sophomore Isaac Bruce placed 196th in 18:28. Together, the trio represented the Vikings on Pennsylvania’s biggest Cross Country stage.

For Northern Lebanon head coach Tricia Schafebook, DiPasquale’s accomplishments were particularly rewarding after watching the freshman work through such a challenging season.

“She is an extremely driven athlete,” Schafebook said. “We started the season strong, then she started to have major health issues where she needed to take a step back for a bit. After dealing with the health issue, she came back full-force, all the way to the State meet.”

Despite missing much of the season, DiPasquale remained involved with her teammates and continued supporting them at races. She took pride in encouraging the other Vikings, even when she wasn’t able to compete herself.

That attitude did not go unnoticed by Schafebook, who was impressed by the way her young runner handled the setbacks.

“Through it all, she handled every situation with grace and her head held high. She never gave up!” Schafebook said. “I am proud of her for her accomplishments this season!”

For DiPasquale, the experience has helped shape her goals moving forward. Although reaching States was an incredible way to finish her freshman campaign, her biggest priority is staying healthy as she prepares for basketball season and future opportunities in Cross Country.

Running is only one part of her athletic experience at Northern Lebanon. DiPasquale also plays basketball and competes in Track & Field, giving her opportunities to challenge herself throughout the school year.

That commitment extends beyond practices and competitions. When she isn’t training, DiPasquale tries to maintain healthy habits through stretching, proper nutrition, and getting enough sleep to prepare for upcoming meets and games.

She also credits her coaches and family for supporting her throughout a season that did not always go as planned. Their encouragement helped her remain positive, even when she wasn’t performing at the level she had hoped.

Looking ahead, DiPasquale hopes to attend college, pursue a career in nursing, and continue participating in athletics at the collegiate level.

For all the personal accomplishments that came during her abbreviated Cross Country season, the relationships she has built with her teammates remain one of the most meaningful parts of the experience.

“Although running is hard, I most enjoy my team and the memories we make,” DiPasquale said.

Those memories now include an impressive District Championship performance, a trip to States, and the opportunity to represent Northern Lebanon alongside Frederick and Bruce.

Perhaps most importantly, DiPasquale demonstrated the determination needed to overcome adversity. What could have been a disappointing introduction to high school Cross Country instead became a season filled with meaningful accomplishments and valuable experience for the years ahead.

Congratulations to Kayleigh on earning LebCo Athlete of the Week honors and on an outstanding finish to her freshman Cross Country season. Best of luck as she prepares for basketball season and continues building toward what promises to be a bright athletic future at Northern Lebanon.