PIAA Champs Race Preview: Class A Boys


1A Boys' Individuals Preview - PIAA State Championships

The top runner on the state's top 1A team will look to cash in on some individual glory on Saturday. Jenkintown's Jack Miller enters the weekend unbeaten, earning wins in the White Race at both Foundation and Paul Short, before rolling to a second straight District 1-A title on Friday. Miller is the top returner from states last year, placing third.

He'll be challenged up front, though, in what should be a good race. Andrew Healey of Holy Cross the fourth at states last year, coming in right behind Miller. Healey has had a strong season, competing against some of the state's top talent at every turn. He went 15:54 at Paul Short before winning his first District 2 title.

Penns Valley's Colton Sands will also compete for the win in this field. The sophomore has been terrific this season, a year after leading his team to the state title as a ninth grader (he was 10th overall). He earned good win earlier this season at Spiked Shoe at Penn State. He settled for fourth at the District 6 Championships, though, with his teammate and fellow tenth grader Brendan Colwell picking up the individual win. Colwell will also be a factor come Saturday.

The trio of favorites -- Miller, Healey, and Sands -- met at the Foundation Invite on the state course. Miller pulled away for the win with Sands taking second and Healey third. They'll all return to Hershey now six weeks later, and it should be another fun battle, with surely a few others looking to get in the mix.


Among the best of the rest is Liam Mead of Montrose. The senior runs his best at the end of the season and this year is no exception. Mead was second to Healey in District 2 by just four seconds. He was sixth at states last year and seems primed to improve upon that. Elk Lake's Peyton Jones was third in D2 and could also make some moves after medaling a year ago. Freedom Area's Adam Hessler ran to the WPIAL Class A title last week, a week after winning his home invite. He'll look to carry that momentum into states after placing 13th a year ago.

District 9 will have its fair share of contenders. Smethport Area took the top two individual spots there with Christian Tanner taking the win followed by Darion Gregory. Gregory was 12th a year ago. Elk County Catholic's Ben Hoffman was 4th in D9 on Saturday, but took 8th at states last season. Others like Clarion Area's Nathaniel Lerch and Cranberry's Matt Woolcock will also mix it up near the top 10.

There's room for others, like Southern Columbia's Ethan Knoebel (District 4 champ), Northern Bedford's Ian Zimmerman (District 5 champ), Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy's Carter Kauffman, Trinity Christian's Zachary Gould, and Winchester Thurston's Scott Routledge.