Photo by Ethan Rissell
D6-AAA Boys - Individuals Breakdown
- Class AAA Individuals Rankings
- State Qualifying Spots For Non-Team Individuals: 5
- 2016 Champion: Nick Feffer (State College Area) - 16:02
Four of the top five spots at the District 6 Championships went to the State College Area boys in AAA last season. Despite losing two of those four, including state medalist Nick Feffer, State College will have a good shot at a similar performance this season with some talented runners returning.
Owen Isham was third at districts before placing 47th at states, providing strong depth to the team that placed seventh at states. But we can't forget about Mitchell Etter, who won the JV race at the early season Big Valley Invitational and placed fifth at Spiked Shoe before missing the rest of the season with an injury. Etter ran 9:27 for 3,200 meters on the track, proving he's got the strength to be a force for State College this season.
But Mifflin County's Chayce Macknair could be the one to break up the State College party. Macknair, a rising junior, was fourth in the district last fall and ran 4:23 for 1600 meters this spring. Last year was his first competing in XC, so the added experience should help Macknair, who is certainly one worth watching in the state this season.
Macknair's Mifflin County teammate Chase Sheaffer was impressive last year in his first XC season, too. Sheaffer ran a best of 16:59 at Carlisle and took districts last season. Seth Phillips, a 1:55 800 meter runner, who also went sub-17 should also supply a good boost for this team, that will make for a great 1-2-3 punch this fall for MiffCo. Slaying the Little Lions won't be easy, but these two will have a good shot at breaking up the pack.
Altoona Area's Greg Williams, Central Mountain's Corbin Green, and State College's Sam Horn will aim for individual state qualifying spots this season.