D12-AAA Girls - Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1
- State Qualifying Spots For Non-Team Individuals: 5
- 2018 Individual Champion: Christine Mancini (Cardinal O'Hara) - 19:51
- 2018 Team Champion: Cardinal O'Hara (32 points)
Team Preview
Cardinal O'Hara will be shooting for its eighth straight district title this fall in D12-AAA, certainly no small feat. The Lions have been the class of AAA in D12 for some time now and this fall it could be on the cusp of yet another victory.
Reigning individual district champ Christine Mancini has graduated, but the rest of O'Hara varsity 7 returns. 3 of those returners took top ten spots in the district last year, so some good talent is back to Belmont Plateau.
A few teams will look to pose a challenge to O'Hara's bid for an 8-peat and the lone state qualifying spot allotted to D12-AAA. Central was second last year, 17 points off O'Hara's score. Central also brings back 6 varsity girls from last year, two of which were inside the top 10 at the district meet.
Archbishop Ryan will look to be a factor as well. Ryan brings back 6 varsity performers from last year, like their main rivals. A year ago, Ryan took fourth in the district, but it will be looking to make a nice leap this year. The likes of St. Hubert's and Little Flower will look to add some depth to become a factor in the district this fall.
Individuals Preview
A fairly wide open race is brewing for the individual title in D12-AAA this fall. An O'Hara girl has won the individual title every year since 2012. That could change this season. Little Flower's Olivia Pisacano is the top returner in D12-AAA and the Phladelphia Catholic League. The senior was second to Mancini at both of those races and will be aiming for the title in this, her senior year.
O'Hara's Katie Till will look to have something to say about that, though. Till was third at districts last season and is slated to be the new No. 1 for the Lions, who will be shooting for the team title, too.
Erica Panei of Creative & Performing Arts should be a factor, along with the Central duo of Gwendolyn Koziara and Elizabeth Anderson and O'Hara's Kaitlyn Durning and Bridget Bennetta. Overall, it should be a close one!