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Paityn Newswanger
For ELCO junior Paityn Newswanger, the Lancaster-Lebanon League Cross Country Championships represented more than another opportunity to race. It was a chance to help the Raiders reach Districts, something she had been working toward throughout a fall season unlike any other.
During the week of October 19th, Newswanger led ELCO’s girls at the L-L League Championships at South Hills Park, finishing 21st among Class 2A runners with a near-season-best time of 23:23.40. Her performance helped the Raiders secure a team berth in the District 3 Championships and earned her LebCo Athlete of the Week honors.
The following Saturday, Newswanger concluded her Cross Country season at the District 3 Class 2A Championships at Big Spring High School. She finished 86th overall in 23:44.9, helping ELCO place 19th in the team standings.
The District appearance marked another accomplishment in a running career that has included 3 trips to Districts. Newswanger also earned Lancaster-Lebanon League All-Star recognition as a freshman and was named her team’s Female MVP during her sophomore season.
This fall, however, her contributions extended beyond her performances on the course. Named one of ELCO’s Cross Country captains, Newswanger actively recruited girls to join the program, helping create the team’s largest girls roster in 3 years. She also made a point of supporting her teammates after races, often waiting near the finish line with water as they completed their runs.
ELCO Cross Country coach Mike Harnish appreciated the example Newswanger set throughout the season.
“Paityn plays a very important role as a leader on the cross country team,” Harnish said. “Running can be a very challenging sport, but she always brings a positive attitude to practice and leads the other girls by example.”
Harnish also credited her consistency and hard work for helping the Raiders reach Districts. What makes those accomplishments even more impressive is that Cross Country was only half of Newswanger’s fall athletic schedule.
While leading the Raiders on the course, she was also a key contributor to ELCO’s Field Hockey team. On 3 occasions this season, Newswanger finished running a 5K race, hopped into a car, and headed straight to a field hockey game. One of those trips involved more than an hour of travel between competitions.
Despite the demanding schedule, Newswanger thrived in both sports.
After spending her first 2 seasons primarily in a reserve role, Newswanger moved into the starting lineup for ELCO Field Hockey this fall. She finished the season with 4 goals and a team-leading 15 assists, becoming an important part of the Raiders’ offense.
Much of that success came from embracing a new responsibility. ELCO Field Hockey head coach Kelsey Thorley tasked Newswanger with becoming the team’s inserter on offensive penalty corners, a role that required practice, precision, and quick decision-making. Newswanger put in the extra work to improve her technique, eventually developing into one of the team’s most productive offensive contributors.
Thorley, herself a former dual-sport high school athlete, has a special appreciation for what Newswanger accomplished.
“Paityn stepped into a starting role after being a reserve for her first two years and played every second of every game she was in without a complaint,” Thorley said.
The coach also praised Newswanger’s commitment to both programs and the work she put in beyond scheduled practices.
“She isn’t just competing in two sports; she is leading in two sports,” Thorley explained. “Her hard work, the time she spends training when no one is directing her, and her efforts to be one of our top student-athletes deserve to be recognized.”
Balancing the two schedules required understanding and cooperation from both teams. Thorley noted that Newswanger earned the respect of her teammates, who recognized the dedication required to compete in both sports, even when it occasionally meant missing a practice.
Newswanger is especially appreciative of the people who helped make her unique season possible. She thanked Mr. Mealy for nominating her, along with Thorley, Harnish, and the coaching staffs of both programs. She also expressed particular gratitude for Harnish, whose encouragement has extended beyond Cross Country, and credited her running teammates and field hockey friends, including Liljah Davis, for making the fall memorable.
Her parents, family, and friends have also been a constant source of support, regularly making time to attend her games and meets.
Athletics have long been part of the Newswanger family. Paityn’s father, Eric Newswanger, was a standout football player and athlete at ELCO who later spent 6 years coaching football for the Raiders. Her younger brother, Brody Newswanger, is already enjoying success in youth wrestling. At just 10 years old, Brody is a 2-time state qualifier and 3-time FVL Champion.
Paityn’s athletic interests extend beyond her two fall sports. She also competes in indoor and outdoor Track & Field and plays club field hockey for PA United.
Away from athletics, Newswanger enjoys visiting coffee shops, thrifting, crafting, and spending time with friends. She also works as a barista at The Brickerville House Restaurant in Lititz.
Before focusing so heavily on high school sports, Newswanger spent approximately 10 years dancing at Generation Dance Studio in Myerstown. Beginning at age 4, she trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop, with the latter becoming her favorite. Although she stepped away from dance 2 years ago, she still maintains friendships from those years.
Her musical tastes are just as varied, with Newswanger enjoying everything from Rihanna to Eminem.
Looking ahead, Newswanger hopes to pursue a career working with athletes. She currently attends the Sports Therapy program at the Career and Technology Center, although she is still exploring her exact career path.
For Newswanger, participating in sports has always been about more than competition. She values the friendships she has developed, the relationships with her coaches, and the confidence that comes from challenging herself.
Now that both fall seasons have concluded, she can look back on a year that required tremendous dedication. Newswanger helped lead ELCO’s Cross Country team to Districts while becoming one of the Field Hockey team’s top offensive contributors, all while balancing school, work, and the responsibilities that come with being a leader in two programs.
Congratulations to Paityn on earning LebCo Athlete of the Week honors and on an outstanding fall season representing the Raiders in both Cross Country and Field Hockey!
Photos by Fox Photography & the Newswanger Family
LebCo Male Athlete of the Week: Bryce Yocum (Coming soon)
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