PIAA District 6 Championships - Girls' Preview
Class-A
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
The path to a three-peat will go through Forest Hills on Saturday. The Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy girls will be aiming for their second straight District 6-1A team title and they look to have the pieces to make a run for it.
Up front, Sera Mazza of SJCA is the reigning 1A state champ. She's having a strong season which included an 18:45 at Carlisle and her low stick will be crucial for her team. But she'll be challenged up front. MacKenzie Walker of Marion Center Area followed up her solid track season with a good fall on the trails. She won county and league titles and looks primed to fight for the D6 win.
SJCA's Julia Cusatis and Maggie Urban should mix it up near the front. So should Bishop McCourt's Bridget Barbato, West Branch's Hailey Prestash, and Marion Center's Alyx Cornetto.
Now back to the team title. SJCA comes in as the favorite, but Marion Center Area has proven they are a talented bunch led by Walker and Cornetto. Ultimately, this is a race that will be won by the 3-4-5 runners, but, regardless, there are still two state spots for D6-1A (and remember that SJCA was second at districts in 2015 before winning the 1A state title).
Class-AA
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1
The race for the lone state qualifying spot in D6-2A will be a close one. Central Cambria won the meet last year in its first season back in 2A since moving over from 1A.
The Red Devils took the LHAC title last week by seven points over Forest Hills. But a lot can change in a week and a half and Forest Hills will look to reverse its fortune and take the title. Carly Kaschalk led the way for Central Cambria and Kacy McKeel, along with freshmen Ella Vrabel and Anna Dill placed inside the top ten at LHACs
Emily Montag and Lacey Greathouse lead Forest Hills, and they'll be relied on for strong races once again on Saturday. The race for the win will come down to Central Cambria's fifth runner and if she can close the gap to the four. If not, the door could be open for Forest Hills, which has slightly better depth.
Individually, Somerset's Rosie Chan will be the favorite. She ran an impressive 19:30 to take the LHAC win last week. Kaschalk and Montag will look to challenge for the win.
Class-AAA
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1
The State College girls have retooled yet again, and on Saturday they'll be primed to take home yet another District 6 title. Kileigh Kane has emerged for the Little Lions as a very solid No. 1 runner and Emma Simon, freshman Jordan Reed, Cailin Saylor, and Gabriella Bock have all run well to make for one of the state's deepest teams.
Looking to break up the State College logjam up front will be Central Mountain's Alyssa Laughner. She's having a strong season, which included a 19:30 at the Northeast Invitational. She was fifth at districts last season.
Mifflin County's Elly Haushalter and Central Mountain's Christina Lugg are among the other individuals to watch for.