RWB Girls' AAA Race - Recap
Hannah Schupansky (PA#3) kept her rolling start to 2018 going, winning in convincing fashion for the second straight week. The Oakland Catholic senior, who won at McDowell last week, broke 18 minutes for the second time in her career, running 17:56 in the rain and on a new Schenley Park course. She was over a minute ahead of second place.
Schupansky has asserted herself in the opening weeks of the season as the one to beat in PIAA Class AAA this season.
Sarena Seeger of Fox Chapel Area took second in 18:59, while North Allegheny's Hannah Lindgren was third in 19:02 in a race that pitted two PA Top 15 girls against each other. Morgantown freshman Lea Hatcher was fourth in 19:13, while Fox Chapel's Grace Sisson was fifth in 19:20.
In the hyped team race between three of the state's top four ranked squads, it was PA#4 North Allegheny that made its case for the top spot, winning with 44 points, 22 ahead of second place Fox Chapel Area, the defending state champions. NA did it with depth. Lindgren led the way, but Keeley Misutka and Caroline Daggett went 7-8 and the Tigers' 1-5 gap was just 56 seconds.
Fox Chapel Area (PA#1), the reigning AAA state champs saw strong performances by its top four, but didn't have the fifth runner to hang with NA. PA#2 Oakland Catholic got the low stick in Schupansky, but was without one of its top runners, Teresa Davison. Saturday was the first of many battles between these three teams, but this time around, NA delivered the first blow in this young season.