D7-A Girls - Team Breakdown
- A Preseason Team Rankings
- Qualifying Spots For Teams: 4
- 2017 Champion: Vincentian Academy (78 points)
Vincentian Academy goes for its fourth straight WPIAL team title in Class A. Last fall, a freshman stepped into the top runner's role. Tara Lucot's fourth place finish led the way as Vincentian took home the district title by nine over Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic.
Vincentian went on to take third at states in 2017. Six of seven varsity girls are back this season. Lucot was ninth at states, while Marissa Canzian also earned a state medal and Hollie Walters wasn't far off a medal. All three are back making for a solid lead group of lowsticks once again.
The WPIAL runners-up from CWNC, which placed sixth at states, lose '17 top girl Rylee Kopchak, but return four from varsity. Expect Annabelle Nielson to lead that team, which should have a good shot at one of the four state qualifying spots.
Our Lady of Sacred Heart will be a team to watch this fall. This squad placed third at districts, earning a spot in the state meet where it took 11th. Haley Hamilton won the district last year and took seventh at states. With a solid lowstick in Hamilton and and five other varsity returners, OLSH is in a good position to make another run at the state meet and a high finish at WPIALs.
Last year, Mohawk earned the fourth and final state qualifying spot last fall, edging out West Greene by just one point. Mohawk, which took 14th at states, brings back five varsity runners from last year, four of which were freshmen in 2017. West Greene returns six of seven varsity runners from a year ago. After a very tight battle last year between these two, we can expect the same this season, too.
Not far off both those teams last season was Riverview. All seven varsity runners are back from last year's WPIAL sixth place squad. Winchester Thurston, Eden Christian, and Shady Side Academy will also aim to crack the top four and book a trip to Hershey.