Here are some notes for the 2020 BCIAA Girls XC season.
Last season’s BCIAA XC championship was incredibly close with the top 3 teams separated by only 18 points. It was so close that Governor Mifflin and Wilson tied, with the tie-breaker giving Mifflin the team title. Don’t expect it to be so close this season. Wilson has 5 girls (all Class of 2022/juniors) in the returning top 12 of the BCIAA. They were one of the top teams in District III last season and should be even better this season.
Governor Mifflin and Exeter Township may have more depth than Wilson, but likely lack the top end performances to keep pace with the Bulldogs. Exeter may be a fun team to watch as they welcome the strongest freshman class in the BCIAA. They should be in a great spot for years to come. Conrad Weiser and Wyomissing may not factor into the BCIAA title race, but both could challenge for a state bid in AA this season.
Individually, Caryn Rippey (jr, Wilson) will look to win back-to-back BCIAA titles. She had a tremendous 2019 season (which also happened to be her first HS XC season). She ended the year with a 12th place finish at the state championships. She’ll compete against an incredibly talented group of District III girls for a title there as well. During the indoor track and field season she placed 7th in the state for the mile run. Grace Kuhn (sr, Wyomissing), Erika Moriarty (sr, Kutztown), and Emily Foight (jr, Wilson) will all look to push Rippey for the title. Kuhn placed 18th in the state (AA) last year. Moriarty claimed the individual District III (A) title and finished 9th in the state.
Kutztown moves up to AA for the 2020 and 2021 XC seasons.
Here’s a look at how BCIAA teams performed at state’s in 2019:
N/a
Top 15 returnees from the 2019 BCIAA Championships:
Returning state medalists from 2019 include:
AAA
12th – Caryn Rippey, Wilson
AA
18th – Grace Kuhn, Wyomissing
A
9th – Erika Moriarty, Kutztown
Here’s a look at a few rising freshman looking to make an impact in 2020 –
Kaitlyn Highduch, Governor Mifflin – Won the BCIAA Junior High Championship running 13:08.
Addie Cohen, Wyomissing – Runner-up to Kaitlyn Highduch at the BCIAA Junior High Championships running 13:10.
Exeter Township had a strong middle school program last year and have 3 of the top 6 rising freshman from the 2019 BCIAA Junior High Championships.