Girls
Villa Maria Academy have been the top team in the division since the opening day of the season. The District 10 champions appeared to be in cruise control from the get go, earning victories at Slippery Rock and PIAA Foundation, while earning a runner up finish at Red White and Blue. Four of the varsity runners on the 2014 squad were on the team when they finished 4th in 2012, while six of the seven return from a 3rd place finish in 2013. They won District 10 without top runner Claire Brown finishing the race. Can they regain their form and finish the season as champions?
Out to make the favorites wait another year will be Northwestern Lehigh and their strong spread running. Their 35 second spread held off Wilson by 6 points to win the District 11 championship. Last year’s 4th place team have Carly Pierce leading the way up front. The 2013 state medalist leads the best 1-5 spread squad in the division. Last time they saw Villa Maria, they were runners up in a big way at Foundation. What will the rematch entail?
Scranton Prep enter as the District 2 champions who have been winning meets since the start of the season. Erin Feeney leads the line for a team that has two wins and a 3rd place finish to their record this season. They have a top five capable of finishing under a minute of each other on the right day. Quaker Valley have the advantage of carrying two sub 19 minute runners on their squad in Lucie Kubinski and Hannah Bablak. A strong performance from the back end of their varsity squad will put the District 7 champions in the mix.
Dallas is back to defend their title, but their big two of Ally Rome and Lindsay Oremus will be seeking individual title gold to compliment last year’s team championship gold medal. The duo have the two fastest times in the division this season. Two time District 12 champion Kayla Connelly of Lansdale Catholic finished in the top ten in her 1st state meet last season, and this season she added a Paul Short White race victory to her resume with her 18:39 performance. Karli Visconto of Nazareth Academy is back from a stress fracture injury and is the reigning district 1 champion. Claire Brown of Villa Maria won at Hershey in September at the Foundation invite and will hope to finish with a strong performance to help her team. Kubinski and Bablak of Quaker Valley are top ten medal contenders while looking to support their team’s podium chances. Angel Barber of East Pennsboro won District 3 comfortably, while Riley Kwiatowski of Greensburg Salem is the Tri States champion.
Boys
Before the district meets, York Suburban and Grove City looked like the two teams who would be battling it out for the team championship on Saturday. York Suburban has been on a roll sine the Foundation Invite where they defeated previously undefeated Grove City. The District 3 champions followed that performance with a runner up finish at the Carlisle Challenge race and the top PA squad. League and district titles followed a team who relied on pack running, as they entered last week with one of the best 1-5 pack in the division.
Meanwhile, Grove City were nearly sweeping away the competition at their home meet in October and the Mercer County title meet a couple of weeks after that. Their Mercer County win was with a 33 second spread, suggesting they will look to match up head to hear with York Suburban in their rematch.
Then a twist in the tale took place, as 2012 state champions and 2013 runners up Pottsgrove arrived at the District 1 title meet and won their 3rd straight championship with their most impressive performance at the district meet. The Falcons had a 39 second spread led by a Derek Lopez gold medal performance up front to score 29 points and win by 35. Only two seniors sit on the roster of a team who know the difference between chasing the championship and trying to defend it. What will their next trip to Hershey bring?
Scranton Prep enters as the District 2 champions with four sub 17 minute runners with a solid front runner in Kyle Perry. They also have the best 6 and 7 runners in the division that can step up for anyone in the top five that may slip up.
District 2 will also have individual favorite Dominic Hockenbury of Lake Lehman. The junior went through the 2014 season with only one defeat to state leader Colin Abert of Easton. Hockenbury won Cliff Robbins, Foundation, leagues and districts. The district meet was against some of his direct competition for state gold in division leader Matt Kravitz of North Pocono and Jack Tidball of Tunkhannock. Can he come through one more time and emerge as champion?
District 4 champion Simon Smith of Towanda is a 15:40 runner this season and will look for his best state finish of his career. Daniel Green of James Buchanan won the Champions race at Carlisle and made an impressive come from behind victory at District 3 to win on the state course. Will Kachman of Bedford has four wins in six competitions and is the 2013 bronze medalist. Zach Skolnekovich of Quaker Valley has been excellent this season three top three finishes, including two victories. Aaron Benka of Grove City will be a top ten contender while helping his team look for team title glory.