Meet Preview: PIAA District 6 Championships


Girls Preview - PIAA District 6 Championships

Class A

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2

Nine of the top ten individual girls from the 2017 race are back in 2018. The Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy duo of Sera Mazza and defending champ Julia Cusatis are at the top of the pecking order once again and should battle one another for the individual win. Marion Center's Mackenzie Walker finished right on Mazza and Cusatis' heels at states last year and could give them a run for their money, while Cambria Heights' Quinn McElhenny and Westmont Hilltop's Elle Dorian are a couple more names to watch.

After winning states in 2015 and 2016, and Districts each of the last two years, PA#2 Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy will resume its postseason quest to get back to the top. With six of his top seven back, Jayson Jackson will have his squad ready to roll on Saturday. They'll need to be-Marion Center was just nine points adrift last year and finished fourth at states, and if some back-end scoring can materialize for MCA, there could be some excitement.


Class AA

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1

After missing out on states a year ago, Central Cambria has been better than advertised in 2018 -- an influx of new talent will do that. The Red Devils won at Red, White & Blue then finished second at Carlisle behind Cornwall (NY), scoring just 76 points in the process and establishing itself as one of the top 2A squads in the entire state. As far as Districts is concerned, they hold the top four individual times coming in, so a first-place trophy looks fairly certain.

With seven of the top 18 times in the District entering Saturday, defending champ Forest Hills looks to be the only team capable of challenging - and in any other year, would be a strong representative in Hershey. These two schools are already quite familiar with one another, and with plenty of young talent on board, you can expect more battles in the coming years.

Central Cambria senior Paige Wess beat her teammate Stella Kuntz to the line at the LHAC meet and will be favored to win. The Red Devils have three freshmen - Kuntz, Faith Wilson and Abby Walwro - in its top five, and they should all place in the top 10 at Districts individually as well. Somerset Area's Rosie Chan is the top-ranked non-Central Cambria runner in the field, having run 20:22. Forest Hills is led by a freshman of its own in Katie Beyer, while Lacey and Paige Greathouse are contenders to quality for states.


Class AAA

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1

The PA#5 State College girls will be a force on the statewide scene as well, but at Districts they should be utterly dominant. The Little Lions hold the seven fastest times among District competition, and could sweep the meet even without the services of Kileigh Kane, who has been battling injury since running 19:23 at Spiked Shoe. Jordan Reed, Lizzie Gilpatrick, Emma Simon, Mihret Strauss are other names to keep an eye on after SC's 50-second spread at Mid-Penns overcame Marlee Starliper and Northern 72-86.

Mifflin County's Joy Galbraith should advance to states after placing 24th at Mid-Penns; some other names to watch include Galbraith's teammate Lauren Kuykendall, DuBois Area's Abby Dressler, Hollidaysburg Area's Sierra McClain and Central Mountain's Christina Lugg.