SLIPPERY ROCK — Mandi Moxie knows the Cooper’s Lake cross country course well.

The Knoch senior knows every hill, every slope, every curve.

And where to hit the next gear.

It’s the second-to-last bend when Moxie knows to start her kick toward the finish line.

Never before had she broken the tape and crossed it first.

Until Thursday at the WPIAL Class AA Cross Country Championships.

Moxie became the first Knoch cross country runner to win an individual title, finishing with a time of 19 minutes, 46 seconds. She was the only female runner in the Class AA field to break 20 minutes.

And Moxie still doesn’t know how to process what she has accomplished.

“It was a huge goal of mine and I don’t even know how to start to explain what it means to me,” Moxie said. “It’s the greatest accomplishment I’ve ever done, I believe. I’m standing here now with the gold medal around my neck, wearing it loud and proud.”

Knoch boys and girls cross country coach Wess Brahler said Moxie ran the perfect race on a course that was slow thanks to heavy rain the day before and gusty winds.

“We had a plan and she went out and executed it to perfection,” Brahler said.

That plan was to lie in wait until that magical second-to-last bend.

Moxie trailed a pair of Quaker Valley runners until her late kick bested them both.

The strategy began as early as the first hill at the beginning of the course.

“I took it slow and when I got to the top, I was in the top five,” Moxie said. “I didn’t die on that hill. Then between the first and second mile, my coaches were yelling at me, ‘Don’t pass. Let her lead you.’ I stayed behind until I made my move.”

That move sends Moxie to the PIAA Cross Country Championships Nov. 7 at the Parkview Cross Country Course in Hershey.

Winning the WPIAL, though, is all Moxie can think about now.

“My mom said when I looked up and saw the tape my eyes got really big and I started to smile,” Moxie said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”