Photo by Patty Morgan
Independent Schools (PAISAA)
Individuals - Without Dahl, A Number Of Boys Will Contend
Germantown Friends' Nick Dahl rolled to his second straight PAISAA crown last fall, but Dahl will soon depart for Yale, and, like the girls, we've got a fairly open field for the individual title. Six of the top ten finishers from the championship meet are back this season.
The top returner from last year's race is George School's Jeffrey Love. Love took second to Dahl at Belmont Plateau. But he'll get plenty of competition from some Friends League rivals as well as those from the Inter-Ac. Malvern Prep's Peter Borger was the Inter-Ac champ and then took third just behind Love at PAISAAs last year. Borger had a strong spring, which included a PAISAA 3200 meter title.
Episcopal Academy's Elias Lindgren had a monster spring, taking second in both the 1600 and 3200 at PAISAAs. He was eighth in the PAISAA in XC last fall. The Germantown Friends duo of Colin Riley and Zach Goldberg are coming off solid junior seasons and should contend. Westtown's Ryan O'Donnell should factor in as well.
Teams
After Malvern Prep won in 2013 and 2014, Germantown Friends has reassumed its spot atop the PAISAA the past two seasons, easily winning titles. The Tigers lose the aforementioned Dahl, but do return three from last year's squad. The perennially strong program (which won a DMR national title at New Balance Nationals Outdoor last month) always finds a way to retool and they'll look to do the same this time.
Every team will be chasing GFS, who is in search of its third straight PAISAA title. Haverford School, George School, Hill School, and Germantown Academy all finished within 17 points last year. Each of those four squads will have some rebuilding to do, but should be near the top of the standings.
Westtown School returns its entire top five, led by O'Donnell. They should be serious factors on the scene in the PAISAA.