PIAA District 12 Championships - Girls' Preview
Class-A
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
The race for the top team spot in D12-A will be a heated battle between a trio of teams. The reigning champions from Paul Robeson are gunning for a repeat, but Conwell-Egan and Neumann Goretti are a pair of teams will plenty of potential to earn the title. Factor is Science Leadership Academy and we'll have a good fight for the two state qualifying spots.
Neumann Goretti brings back the defending champion in Mykala Perry (who went to shine on the track in the sprints). But now along with a pair of freshman Sherisse Peterson and Kimberly Johnson, the Saints have one a very strong top three. Can it find the depth to pull out the win?
Conwell Egan is led by Annabel Koza, a solid freshman, who transferred from Council Rock North. She may have it in her to win it all. Krystal Cabrera of Science Leadership Academy and Jacqueline Shepherd of Science Leadership at Beeber were third and fourth in the district respectively last year and should be near the front.
Paul Robeson's Philis Fugah will lead the way for the defending champion team.
Class-AA
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
Fresh off a terrific team win at the Philadelphia Catholic League Championships, the Msgr. Bonner & Abp. Prendie girls will look to continue riding that momentum into Thursday. Meanwhile, the Masterman girls put forth a dominating effort to win the Public League title last week. Those two will be favored to earn to the two state qualifying spots allotted to D12-2A, but who will take the district title?
Prendie is led by Jenna Rastatter, who took second in the PCL. She dropped a PR of 20:10 at Belmont on Saturday and will look to convert that into a district title on Thursday.
Masterman has a talented trio up front. Sisters Viki and Marina Mancoridis went 2-3 in the district last year. Marina was a 2015 D12-1A champion before the team moved to 2A. Junior Jennifer Luong has made some nice strides and become a strong No. 3 for Masterman.
Prendie's Sam Gliwa will be a crucial No. 2 for the Pandas, as she'll try to break up that Masterman trio. Ultimately the race for the team title will come down to those 3-4-5 runners for each team and where they fit in.
Lansdale Catholic's Sara Murphy will look to carry the torch for her team, which lost four-time district champ Kayla Connelly to graduation last year.
Class-AAA
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1
Last year, we saw the Cardinal O'Hara girls cruise to the D12-3A title before winning the state title a week later in Hershey. Despite the loss of Olivia Arizin, O'Hara is strong again this season. They missed both Christine Mancini and Eleanor Mancini at PCLs over the weekend and took second. If those two can get healthy, the Lions will be in the mix for another state crown.
But regardless, O'Hara will be heavily favored on Thursday to take yet another district title. Liz Mancini has been running incredibly this season. She's been first or second in every race she's run this season (most recently winning the PCL individual crown). She'll be going for the win at Belmont again this week.
Also in the midst of a great season this year is Central's Emma Helstrom. She took home the Public League title and will look for a strong race on Thursday. She was ninth a year ago.
Little Flower's Olivia Pisicano, O'Hara's Katie Till and Kaitlyn Durning, and Archbishop Wood's Casey Ems are among the other names to look out for in D12-3A Thursday.