Photo by Kyle Brazeil
PTXC 8 (Kutztown, PA)
- VIRTUAL MEET HUB
- Meet Page
- 2015 Results
- Top 200 Boys Performances at "The Farm Course" (Since PTXC 3)
- Top 200 Girls Performances at 'The Farm Course" (Since PTXC 3)
BOYS "GOLD RACE" PREVIEW
Watch the 2015 Boys Gold Race below:
The course record has a legitimate chance of going down on Saturday as Carlisle's Noah Affolder will make his Pennsylvania 5000 meter debut. Affolder transferred from New York in the summer and appears ready to roll after shattering the course record over 2.4 miles at Enos Yeager over this pst weekend. He certainly has the ability to go under 15:21, but with some extreme heat expected, it may not be in the cards. Regardless, The Saucony Flo 50 PA#1 is the heavy favorite this weekend. His brother Sam Affolder will also be up there. The sophomore ran well at Enos Yeager, too, and appears ready to take on the 5K this weekend.
The question then remains as to how strong the Carlisle team can be. Isaac Kole and Jack Wisner looked good at Yeager. Can Max Fiorentino and Tyler Hallman be strong enough 5 and 6 runners to take the win over some good competition this weekend?
Souderton's Connor McMenamin looked strong in a duel meet win this week, running away with the win in a 16:17. The senior also appears ready to go for his invite opener on Saturday. He's PA#14 in the latest Flo50 rankings.
Loudoun Valley is making the trip up from Virginia for the meet. The school that Drew Hunter ran for last year no longer features the sub-4 miler, but they have plenty of firepower. Peter Morris and Colton Bogucki will lead the way for this squad. The pair crossed the line together at their season opener in VA a few weeks ago.
Loudoun Valley will battle with Carlisle and Council Rock North for the team title. It's always hard to tell early in the season where teams are at, though. CR North is typically a team that doesn't come alive until later. We'll get some answers to some questions after Saturday.
Other teams to keep an eye on are the reigning AA state champs, Dallas, who are led by Jack Zardecki (winner at Cliff Robbins last week), North Penn, and Cumberland Valley.
BOYS "BLUE RACE" PREVIEW
Watch the 2015 Boys Blue Race below:
York Suburban, one of the states biggest threats in AA, will open up in the Blue Race as the heavy favorites. This is the first invite of the season for YS, who are led by two that are expected to finish high in the state this year, Jarrett Raudensky and Bryce Ohl. It's definitely possible for the pair to take 1-2 in this race on Saturday.
Elizabethtown Area will have two frontrunners in Charles and Christopher Scarf. The pair took eighth and 11th at this meet last year en route to a team victory. Led by Garret Smith, Northeast Bradford should factor into the team race well.
Wyomissing and Mifflinburg will be among the other squads to keep an eye on.
GIRLS "GOLD RACE" PREVIEW
Watch the 2015 Girls Gold Race below:
The girls' gold race will feature one of the country's best runners, Jessica Lawson of Corning. The New York senior was second at Foot Locker Northeast last season and is a strong favorite for the crown at PTXC 8. She was 11th at Foot Locker Nationals last year and won Nw York Federations. She has already raced this season, running 3000 meters as apart of a relay and split a course PR of 10:31. She's ready to challenge the course record of 17:48.
There's plenty of depth after Lawson. Brooke Hutton of Coatesville was second to winner Mady Clahane last year. She didn't race in spring track at all, so this will be our first look at Hutton since indoors, and we'll see if she's regained her 2015 form.
Saturday will be the invite debut of PA#2 Perkiomen Valley. The Vikings returned a lot from their very successful team from last year. They won easily against PA#6 Owen J. Roberts in a duel meet on Wednesday and appear ready to take on the big stage. Annie Glodek clocked a 19:18 in that win over OJR and seems primed for a big senior season. Lawson's Corning squad and Loudoun Valley from Virginia, led by Natalie Morris, will likely be their best compeititon.
Plenty of individuals will be making their invite debuts this Saturday in this race and they should be in the mix near the front. Eastern York's Maddie McLain, Chambersburg's Kaylee Mowery, Hershey's Andrea Demko, and Ridley's Jamie Green will be among the contenders. Who will shine on Saturday?
GIRLS "BLUE RACE" PREVIEW
Watch the 2015 Girls Blue Race below:
Saucon Valley was without Kiele Riefenstahl at it opener at the Lions Invitational and it doesn't look like the sophomore will race at PTXC to defend her Blue Race title. Instead, it looks like that will switch hands this year.
Lower Moreland's Kerry Kovacs will be one of the favorites. She will battle with Oley Valley's Rebecca Snyder for the early season victory. It will be the invite opener for both girls. The AA competitors will be medal threats at the state meet as well this year. Dallas' Rebecca Balara is another contender. She didn't race at her team's opening meet at Cliff Robbins, but if she toes the line Saturday, she could very well walk away with the trophy.