D4-A Boys - Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1
- State Qualifying Spots For Non-Team Individuals: 5
- 2018 Individual Champion: Ethan Knoebel (Southern Columbia) - 16:34
- 2018 Team Champion: Wyalusing Valley Area - 37 points
Individuals Preview
The Wyalusing Valley duo of Alex Patton and Kemuel Laudermilch are poised to step into the spotlight of D4-A this season. After going 2-3 behind multi-time district champ Ethan Knoebel of Southern Columbia (now graduated), the WV pair will be ones to watch.
In 2018, Patton was second in the districts, while Laudermilch was right behind him. At states, the pair finished together with Patton taking seventh and Laudermilch right there in eighth. The pair are seniors and make up the best 1-2 punch of any team in Class A this season. Expect those two to battle it out for the district title.
Their other teammate Logan Newton is another boy to watch for; he was ninth in the district and 48th in the state last year.
There's some good depth back in D4-A after those top two. Hughesville's Hunter Foust was fourth at districts before taking 37th at states during a strong freshman season. His teammate Ryan Bahr is back for his senior year. Bahr took sixth at districts and 47th at states.
Yet another strong duo comes from South Williamsport with Port Habalar and Evan Laudenslager, who were seventh and eighth in the district, respectively. They were 54th and 55th at states in 2018. Ethan Laudenslager, also from South Williamsport was tenth in the district, just missing state qualification last season, so he'll be motivated to get to Hershey.
Team Preview
The class of D4-A last season was Wyalusing Valley Area, which took home the district title and placed third at states, completing a terrific season on the trails. Wyalusing brings back five of its seven varsity boys from last season and four of its top five.
Patton and Laudermilch are as good of a duo as you'll find in Class A in PA, Newton was strong, and Caleb Stoddard emerged as a strong freshman last year. Wyalusing will look to add some depth to repeat as district champs and go after another high states finish.
South Williamsport, which was a strong second place last year, will be looking to challenge Wyalusing. Only one squad makes states in D4-A, and South Williamsport could have been a top five states threat if it could have made it out of the district.
But SW brings back six of seven this season, with its full top four back. Habalar and Evan Laudenslager are a strong top two and this team can certainly make a run at the top spot.
Hughesville will be a contender, as well. Last year, it placed third in the district with a team that had five freshmen on varsity. Its full varsity seven returns this season, led by one of those freshman standouts from last year, Foust. Look for Hughesville, with its young roster, to make the strides to go after the district title.
Southern Columbia, Troy and Towanda are among the other teams that will be looking to make a run at a high finish in D4-A this fall.