PA\'s top runners represent one of the strongest groups ever from the Keystone State. The same can be said for the entire Northeast Region. Headlining the girls are AAA State Champ Frances Koons of Allentown Central Catholic, AA State Champ Adriene Beltz, Hamburg, Elizabeth Kearins of CB West (3rd in AAA), and Kate Papenberg, Red Lion, who finished just six spots from the top eight last year.
The PA boys are led by Ian Gottesfeld, Henderson (02 Foot Locker Finalist, 02 AAA Champs, 03 Runner-up), Steve Hallinan, Cardinal O\'Hara (3-time PCL Champ, Belmont CR-holder, 4th at Mid-East Regionals), Chris Spooner, Lewisburg, (02 AA Champ, 03 Runner-up, 3rd at Mid-East), David Mock, Westmont Hilltop (02 AA State Champ, 9th @ Mid-East), James O\'Toole, Mount Lebanon (Slippery Rock CR-holder, 13th @ Mid-East), Ian Fitzgerald, North Hills, 3rd in AAA @ States), Brian Fuller, Cumberland Valley (the only PA runner to beat AAA State Champ Craig Miller this season), Jed Christiansen, Greenville, (3rd in AA @ States), Brian Soder, Harbor Creek, and Greg Williams, Henderson, who finished 2nd in a seeded race at Great American, beating Gottesfeld, and joined Hallinan and Gottesfeld in breaking Chris Dugan\'s Belmont CR in September.
No doubt about it, this is a great PA senior class. As a fan, you have to be happy that the Northeast is just as deep this season. As a Pennsylvanian, it\'s going to be a nail-biter. But most of the members of our group this year have focused on this race from the beginning. Gottesfeld, Williams and Fitzgerald skipped the Mid-East Regionals for various reasons. Others felt they needed a race. Both paths have proven successful in the past, and this class should have at least two who survive the hills of Van Cortlandt for a trip to San Diego.
Noticably absent from this group are sophomore and AAA State Champ Craig Miller. He and his twin Brad are multi-sport talents, and are playing in a basketball tournament this weekend. Experience is important on this course, but both have two years to show their running talent to the rest of the country. St. Hubert\'s Amy Kelly, a senior, won\'t be racing. She would have been in contention. And Indiana\'s Marissa Umbel, a junior who was second to Koons at States in the AAA race, is also a basketball player. Hopefully we\'ll see the talented underclassmen in the years to come. Others who could have cracked the top eight with a perfect race, who are not running, include Palisades\' Christa Plummer, Uniontown\'s Katie Thaeder. Forest Hills\' Jake Strayer (a wrestler), McGuffey junior Jeff Weiss, and Connellsville junior Ken King.
No predictions this year. But I know that each of the PA athletes who will race this Saturday will leave nothing on the course. You can\'t ask for anything more. And you should expect to see a few punch their tickets to California.