Girls Preview - PIAA District 12 Championships
Class A
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
After a two year stint in AA, Masterman returns to 1A looking to add another District 12 crown to its mantel. But it won't be an easy task for the reigning D12-AA champs. Neumann-Goretti has looked strong and could certainly challenge for the victory here.
Masterman ran away with the Philadelphia Public League title last week, and a few days later Neumann-Goretti captured the Philadelphia Catholic League crown. Now the two teams will compete for the D12-A team title. Luckily for both teams, there are two states spots allotted to D12-A, and both will be heavily favored to take those spots.
(If you merge the results from the Public League and Catholic League Champs -- same course -- Masterman scored 56 points to Neumann-Goretti's 73).
Then the race is on for the individual title. Viki Mancoridis was second in D12-AA last year and second in the Public League. She'll look to take the top spot and she'll have teammates Anya Gizis and Marina Mancoridis not far behind.
Neumann-Goretti will have some individual contenders. Kami Joi Hickson and Mykala Perry were fifth and sixth at PCLs, respectively. Expect both to compete for the win on Thursday.
Class AA
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
Another close race for the district team title will come in the D12-AA race. The race will come down to Archbishop Wood and Msgr. Bonner & Abp. Prendie. The two teams scored scored the same amount of points at the PCL Championships with Bonner & Prendie taking third to Wood's fourth on a sixth runner tiebreaker.
There are two state spots in D12-AA, which is good for these teams, but surely these both will want to leave Belmont Plateau on Thursday with a district title in hand.
The race for the individual title will likely come down to Wood's Casey Ems and Saul's Miracle Price. Ems took third in the PCL on Saturday in 20:40, while Price, just a freshman, won the Public League title in 20:50 (both coming on the same course). Expect an exciting race for the win there.
Others looking to place inside the top five in D12-AA include Wood's Shannon Kelly, Lansdale Catholic's Taylor Connelly, and Bonner & Prendie's Maggie Salter.
Class AAA
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1
How about three-for-three for close team finishes in District 12 girls' races? The AAA race is another race that should be very close for the win. This time, the stakes are even higher with just one state spot up for grabs.
Cardinal O'Hara will be going for its seventh straight District 12 title. The Lions took second in the PCL. The reigning champs will be challenged by Central, which placed second at the Public League Champs. When you merge the Catholic and Public League results, O'Hara takes it by eight points. Of course, anything can happen in a different race, so look for a close one here.
Archbishop Ryan, Little Flower, and St. Hubert's will look to contend, as well.
Individually, the one to beat is Christine Mancini of O'Hara, who rolled to the PCL crown on Saturday at Belmont Plateau. Her sister Elizabeth won D12-AAA last year and Christine will aim to keep that crown (just like the PCL title) in the family.
Other individuals to watch for include Little Flower's Olivia Pisacano, O'Hara's Katie Till, and Central's Gwendolyn Koziara.