Note: If you are not able to attend in person, PCN will be having live feeds from several different points on the course. Here is the link – https://pcntv.com/crosscountry/
Girls:
Central PA teams will very much be in the team title race Saturday afternoon. Both District 3 champion Northeastern and District 6 champion State College should battle for the team title. North Allegheny and West Chester Henderson also figure to be in the mix. Northeastern, State College, and West Chester Henderson all run together in section 1. North Allegheny runs in section 2.
Individually, Margaret Carroll (sr, Northeastern) and Caryn Rippey (jr, Wilson) are the top ranked girls from District 3 heading into tomorrow’s championship. Carroll hasn’t been defeated this season. She and 2018 champion, Jenna Mulhern (jr, West Chester Henderson) provide a tasty match-up in section 1. Looking to keep pace will be State College Area’s Jordan Reed (sr) and Marlee Kwasnica (so). Reed has gotten stronger as the season has progressed and took home the District 6 title one week ago. Rippey will run in section 3 alongside District 3 competitor Claire Paci (fr, Greencastle-Antrim). They finished 2-3 at last weekend’s District 3 meet and will look to push each other to fast times and top 5 places. Arielle Breuninger (sr, JP McCaskey) and Alyssa Fedorshak (sr, Ephrata) both broke 18:40 at districts when they placed 4th and 5th and should both battle for top 10-15 place finishes. Camryn Kiser (so, Chambersburg), Anna Martin (sr, Warwick), and Lydia Tolerico (jr, Dallastown) are all returning state media lists from 2019.
It took 18:59, which 13 girls achieved, to qualify into states out of District 3 this year. Don’t be surprised if any one of the top 13 girls from District 3 bring home a state medal.
Bolded are athletes with top 40 5k times in the state (Class AA) this season. They may be best positioned to earn one of the state medals (top 25) #medalwatch.
Schedule for District 3 and 6 runners:
1p start time
Starting Block 3: Northeastern Team
Margaret Carroll, sr
Bella Treglia, jr
Marissa Pritchett, jr
Trinity Schraudner, sr
Hannah Herr, jr
Haylie Kurilla, so
Rylie Kurilla, so
Riley Bell, so
Starting Block 4: State College Team
Jordan Reed, sr
Marlee Kwasnica, so
Karsyn Kane, sr
Amy Devan, so
Grace Morningstar, so
Vivian Scott, sr
Maggie Leahey, sr
Ava Langelan, so
130p start time
Starting Block 4: Individual Qualifiers
Camryn Kiser, so Chambersburg
Lydia Tolerico, jr Dallastown
Madeline Quinn, sr Elizabethtown
Alyssa Fedorshak, sr Ephrata
Kaitlyn Highduch, fr Governor Mifflin
Starting Block 5: Individual Qualifiers
Claire Paci, fr Greencastle-Antrim
Arielle Breuninger, sr JP McCaskey
Anna Martin, sr Warwick
Caryn Rippey, jr Wilson
Brooke Sargen, sr York Suburban
Starting Block 6: Individual Qualifiers
Mackenzie Kelley, jr Altoona
Reese Wilber, so Altoona
Kylee Cubbison, jr Mifflin County
Addie Parson, fr Mifflin County
Ellie Fisher, jr Williamsport
145p start time
Starting Block 6: Individual Qualifiers
Winter Oaster, fr Gettysburg
Ella Hartel, fr Warwick
Boys
The team race could be won by at least 5 teams. In preparing for this post, my projections have North Allegheny taking home the team title, with an incredibly close battle for 2nd between Downingtown West, Hempfield, and LaSalle. I’ve learned throughout the year to never count out State College, making them the 5th team in contention. Hempfield has a legitimate shot at the team title if their 1-4 runners do what they’ve done all year (and especially this post-season) and if their #5 has a great day. The good news for Hempfield is that any number of guys could be their #5 on any given day. In a crazy year with minimal invitationals, predicting any outcome is dangerous!
Individually, Penn Manor’s Graham Thomas (sr) and State College Area’s Brady Bigger (sr) enter the meet riding a ton of momentum. Thomas was the LL League and District 3 champ while Bigger took home the Mid-Penn and District 6 crown. Bigger tends to run from the front while Thomas has hung back and used superior strength over the 2nd half of the race to pull away. In this time trial format, however, Thomas may not be able to sit back too long. I’ve liked what I have seen from both athletes and think both could challenge for the state title.
Brayden Harris (sr, Mifflin County) and J Henry Lyon (sr, Williamsport) are the two other District 4/6 competitors looking for high finishes tomorrow. As for District 3, it took 16:15 to qualify into the state championships this season. Same as it was in the girl’s preview, I wouldn’t be surprised if any one of those 15 athletes at/under 16:15 challenge for a state medal tomorrow. Stephen Schousen (sr, JP McCaskey) and sophomores Jordan Tiday (Cumberland Valley) and Aidan Hodge (Hempfield) went 2-4 at the districts and look to be peaking at the right time.
Bolded are athletes with top 40 5k times in the state (Class AA) this season. They may be best positioned to earn one of the state medals (top 25) #medalwatch.
Schedule for District 3 and 6 runners:
2p start time
Starting Block 3: Hempfield Team
Aidan Hodge, so
Evan Eshleman, sr
Joseph Fahrney, so
Dale Winand, jr
David Jackson, sr
Isaiah Hollinger, so
Sam Freedman, fr
Chris Titter, so
Starting Block 4: State College Team
Brady Bigger, sr
Trent Dinant, jr
Sean Adams, jr
Bennett Norton, sr
Nick Sloff, so
Jacob Messner, sr
Tony Tzolov, jr
Charles Endres, jr
230p start time
Starting Block 3: Individual Qualifiers
Ryan Wolfe, jr Cedar Crest
TJ Roden, so Central Dauphin
Jordan Tiday, so Cumberland Valley
Stephen Schousen, sr JP McCaskey
Cole Perry, jr Northeastern
Starting Block 4: Individual Qualifiers
Graham Thomas, sr Penn Manor
Eli Spence, sr Shippensburg
Noah Taylor, sr Twin Valley
Cole Adams, sr York Suburban
Grant Kern, jr York Suburban
Starting Block 6: Individual Qualifiers
Ben Love, jr Hollidaysburg
Chris Love, jr Hollidaysburg
Brayden Harris, sr Mifflin County
Christopher Royer, jr Mifflin COunty
J Henry Lyon, sr Williamsport
245p start time
Starting Block 6: Individual Qualifiers
Tyler Stevens, jr Manheim Township
Jakolby Fackler, sr Palmyra