Girls Distance Medley Relay
PA State Rankings: DMR
The State Favorites: Friends' Central; Strath Haven
Top Medal Contenders: Academy of Notre Dame; Central Bucks West; Downingtown West; Fox Chapel Area; Penn Charter; Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy; West Chester East; West Chester Henderson
Dark Horses: Central Bucks East; Episcopal Academy; Owen J. Roberts, Pennridge; Seneca Valley
Sizing It Up: Strath Haven started the season off with a bang, running 12:02 in the DMR at the first DVGTCA meet. It's a time that only the Katelyn Tuohy-led North Rockland (NY) girls have topped since then in the entire nation. The team will likely go for the 4x8/DMR double at states.
Waiting in the wings is Friends' Central, the defending state champions in the event. FCS no longer has Gabrielle Wilkinson on the anchor, but still have a very solid squad with some breakthrough performers that make it a formidable foe. The Phoenix ran 12:02 at the VA Showcase. The stage could be set for FCS's Lydia Russell and Haven's Grace Forbes to battle it out late in the day for the state crown at Penn State.
There's a big group of teams after that that may not quite be on the same level as the top two squads, but could offer a challenge with a big performance. PA#3 Penn Charter and PA#4 CB West are among those teams. West Chester East and West Chester Henderson could also make some moves, each having strong anchor leg options.