D6-A Girls - Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
- State Qualifying Spots For Non-Team Individuals: 10
- 2018 Individual Champion:
- 2018 Team Champion:
Individuals Preview
Lauren Shaffer had a terrific state meet, offering one of the meet's biggest surprises in the first race of the day. The Portage Area freshman went 19:51 for second place at Hershey (on a sloppy and, of course, difficult course), which is the fastest returning 5K time in D6-A. She comes in at PA No. 25 on the season and is 1A's top returner based on state meet results.
Shaffer will look to turn her stellar freshman campaign into a solid sophomore season, where she'll have a shot at a state title. She'll have some challengers in 1A though, and some even coming from District 6.
The only other returning state medalist from D6-A is Kelsey Hull of Penns Valley. After taking sixth last year at districts, Hull took 24th at states. The rising junior will be looking for another strong finish to her season.
A number of girls came close to state medals. Marion Center Area's Nevada Armstrong proved to be a crucial piece of MCA state title squad, taking fourth at districts and then 31st at the state meet. Purchase Line's Addaleia Beer (13th at districts) was 35th at states. Westmont Hilltop's Elle Dorian (fifth at districts) was 39th at states. Marion Center's Micaylee DeHaven and Westmont Hilltop's Julia Dill are among the other returners who placed inside the top ten last year.
A number of these girls should be in line for high state finishes this season, and we should see plenty of medalists out of D6-A.
Team Preview
Marion Center Area ran to the PIAA Class A title last fall, the program's first state championship. MCA turned the state meet into a runaway, winning by 43 points. It was closer at the district meet, with Marion Center pulling out the win by just 13 points.
Five of seven Marion Center state champs from a year ago are back. MacKenzie Walker, who led the squad at states last fall, has graduated but the rest of their scoring five from 2018 are back. Armstrong, DeHaven, and Alyx Cornetto will lead the way for MCA, which will have a really good shot at defending its 1A state crown.
Saint Joseph's Catholic is not a team you can count out. The 2015 and 2016 state champs were second in the district and third in the state last year. A talented top three from last year has graduated, but the Wolves have successfully retooled their squad over the past few years. It should once again contend for one of the two state qualifying spots in D6-A.
Westmont Hilltop, third in the district last season, will be gunning for that second states spot. WH brings back four of its top five girls from a year ago, with a strong top two in Dorian and Dill. Penns Valley Area and Purchase Liner5 will also be on the hunt for a coveted spot in Hershey.