D7-AAA Girls - Team Breakdown
- AAA Preseason Team Rankings
- Qualifying Spots For Teams: 3
- 2016 Champion: Oakland Catholic (39 points)
Class AAA is absolutely loaded with talent this year---like many years---and we expect some great battles for not only the three state spots, but the title as a whole.
At the top is the reigning D7-AAA champs from Oakland Catholic. Led by a runner-up finish from Lauren Finikiotis, OC rolled to an 82 point victory art WPIALs last fall. As one of the favorites at the state meet a week later, Oakland Catholic came up just short, finishing second to the champions from Cardinal O'Hara.
While it loses Finikiotis, OC returns its next five runners and will once again be on the hunt for a WPIAL title and possibly a state crown. Hannah Schupansky and Megan Nagy will be strong team leaders. It's only August, but Oakland may have the pieces to make a good run this fall.
Photo by Phil Grove
Fox Chapel Area was one of last year's nicest surprises in the WPIAL, placing second and earning a spot in the state meet led by four girls in the top 20 of the district. Annika Urban and Sarena Seeger are a talented pair of team leaders, and FCA has some good depth with all seven varsity runners back. Fox Chapel went out hard at states (it was sixth at the mile mark) and paid the price, finishing 14th, but look for them to make some noise this time around.
Another team with good potential and strong returners this fall is North Allegheny. Of course, NA will have Clara Savchik, the individual state title favorite providing a very low stick, but the Tigers have some strong runners after that. Hannah Lindgren was 12th in D7 as a freshman. If NA can get its varsity squad to move up in the pack, look for them to be a very dangerous team come October and November.
Greater Latrobe was just off third place NA at districts last year, and they are a team with plenty of motivation this season. It returns its entire top five, led by Maria Cawoski, and Greater Latrobe will certainly be a factor for the a team trip to Hershey. Seneca Valley (fifth in '16 in D7) brings back five of seven, and while it lacks a frontrunner, SV could put itself in the conversation with a breakout performance or two.
Mount Lebanon, Norwin, Butler, and Upper Saint Clair are among the teams on the outside looking in, hoping to make some noise late in the season to threaten some of the above teams.