The cold and rainy weather before and during the race will put a halt on some potentially fast performances. However, everyone will be competing in the same conditions, so you have to run for place and compete.
The boys Brown race, a trio of PA runners will look for individual glory. Griffin Mackey of Sewickley Academy is travelling across the state for a flat course racing opportunity. He's run 15:39 so far this season. Matt Kravitz of North Pocono is looking for his own breakout moment by securing a win at Lehigh. He has also broken 16 this season, but is coming off a defeat last week. He is a AA state title contender, and many of his rivals will toe the line. Methacton's Jeff Kirshenbaum has been strong this season, but a win here will put him into the state's elite category. He's earned one win this season and has run 15:42 this year.
Hempfield (3), Cumberland Valley, and AA Holy Ghost Prep will look to earn a top three finish in the race on Friday. Hempfield is top of District 3 right now, while Cumberland Valley are one of their closest challengers. Holy Ghost Prep had strong success early on, but will need a strong performance to maintain that momentum.
By Bill Coren
In the girls Brown race, of the 45 teams in this race, none can boast they are equal to PENNSBURY!! Besides having at least 7 strong runners, they also have HISTORY backing them up. They won in 2014 and have dominated PA for at least a few years now! 3 other PA teams, CARDINAL OHARA, EASTON, and PERKIOMEN VALLEY will likely be top 6, but really have only a slight chance to get close to PENNSBURY. 2 teams from out of state will look to challenge these PA teams---BAY SHORE(NY)(won 1st 2 Invitationals) and OAKTON(VA)(6th at Adidas)(beat BETHESDA who won Bull Run). Other teams who will be in the running for Top 10 are(in alphabetical order)--CENTRAL BUCKS WEST, CONESTOGA, CUMBERLAND VALLEY, OWEN J ROBERTS, PADUA, SPRINGFORD, and STRATH HAVEN.
INDIVIDUALS!!!!
Although there are at least 35 very strong runners in this race, only 20 will win LEHIGH shirts!!! Those 20 will all likely have to be under 18:45. There are 12 girls who will be competing for TOP 10 honors!! In no particular order they are Arizin(OH)(11), Villalba(CBW)(12), Clahane(CUMV)(12), Rome(DALL)(12), Wilkinson(FCENT)(10), Goldstein(GACAD)(11), Kendall(OAKT)(11), Olivere(PAD)(10), Molloy(PENNS)(12), Sargent(PENNS)(12), Glodek(PERKV)(11), and Knibb(SIDW)(12). Of these 12 the favorites are Arizin(OH)(11)(Briarwood Champ)(7th 2014), Clahane(CUMV)(12)(3rd Carlisle Challenge)(3rd 2014 1st 2012), Sargent(PENNS)(12)(1st George School)(3rd 2014), Kendall(OAKT)(11)(4th Adidas)(beat Sargent's time in ?3K at Cherokee), and Olivere(PAD)(10)(2nd Carlisle)(4th 2014).
The boys white race will feature defending champion Gabriel Allgayer of Mercersburg Academy. His win last year was a little bit of an upset, but no one will be surprised this time around. Liam Galligan of Springfield Delco will be a big favorite as he has come close to breaking 16 minutes this season. In the team standings, Bishop Shanahan will hope to be up there. Last season they had a strong start, but struggled towards the end of the season. To compete in AA at the end, they will need a good performance on Friday. Twin Valley, Wallenpaupack, and William Tennent will look to put themselves in the top three and kick start their seasons.
In the girls white race, Kiele Riefenstahl of Saucon Valley puts her undefeated streak on the line in the biggest race of her early career. The 9th grader has already been successful at Moravian Academy's Lions Invitational and PTXC 7. But she will be the underdog to Taylor Knibb of Sidwell Friends and she will also be chased by Maddie Ferner of Kennard-Dale and Emily Bracken of Bishop Shanahan. Bracken's team will battle with Stroudsburg and Central Dauphin for team title honors against Sidwell Friends.
