D3-AA Girls - Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 3
- State Qualifying Spots For Non-Team Individuals: 15
- 2018 Individual Champion: Marlee Starliper (Northern) - 17:19
- 2018 Team Champion: Northern - 52 points
Individuals Preview
For the last three years, the AA girls have dazzled us at the PIAA District 3 Championships, with its incredible depth. Now its two biggest stars -- Northern's Marlee Starliper and Greencastle-Antrim's Taryn Parks -- have reached their senior seasons. It's been quite the ride and we're ready for one last go of it.
Starliper had a remarkable junior season last year. She ran away with district and state titles in Class AA (her second straight in both). She was second at Foot Locker Northeast and 13th at Foot Locker Nationals. She'll be among the top girls to watch for on the national stage this season as she chases a national title.
This spring, Starliper broke PA state records in the 3K and 3200 meters. In the 3K, she qualified for the Pan-Am team , representing the USA. It's time for one last XC season for the Northern star, and it won't be one to miss.
Parks, meanwhile, has a chance to make some history this season. She will be looking to become the first girl since 2014 to make Foot Locker Nationals four straight years. Makena Morley of Montana (2011-2014) was last girl to accomplish such a feat in the US.
Parks is coming off a junior season, where she placed second to Starliper at districts and the state meet. At states, Parks raced aggressively and went after the win over Starliper, ultimately settling for silver. In the spring, Parks dropped a 4:37 in the 1600 meters, the second fastest time in state history to win the state title by tenths of a second over Starliper. She will look to channel that race and go after the XC upset.
It will surely be a battle between those two up front, but that doesn't mean there isn't more talent in D3-AA.
Wyomissing Area's Grace Kuhn is the top state meet returner after the top two. She was 36th at states last year after taking fifth in the district. She'll look to move up into medal territory this season. Parks' Greencastle teammate Isabella Weaver was third at districts last year as a freshman. She'll move into her sophomore season hoping for similar results.
Other returners from the top ten in the district last year are Bishop McDevitt's Katelyn Deitrick (seventh), the Northern duo of Katie Anthony (eighth) and Allie Engle (ninth), and York Suburban' Courtney Ohl (tenth).
Team Preview
Northern won its third straight District 3 Class AA title last season decisively, scoring 52 points to win by over 100 points over second place. The team returns six varsity runners from last year's dominant squad, so they will be loaded once again in 2019.
The Polar Bears wound up sixth at states, not having their best day. With a healthy group of returners, Northern should still be looked at as one of AA's top teams this season, as well as one of the state's overall best teams. Starliper is the state's best runner, and the team's depth is very strong with Anthony and Engle competing for state medals. Expect Northern to run away with D3-AA again (its fourth straight) and have a shot at the state title.
After that, there are still two state spots on the line. Less than ten points separated spots two through six at districts last season, and we can expect it to be fierce again.
Donegal, second to Northern in the district last year, is a good bet. The team brings back six varsity runners from the team that took 13th at states. Rachel Fernald and Hadley Shoaf are back as a strong top two for Donegal, which will have a strong chance at getting back to Hershey. Wyomissing Area grabbed the third and final states spot last season. Six girls return from that team, led by Kuhn and rising sophomore Olivia Fisher. Wyo will be in the mix once again, too.
Berks Catholic was just two points off Hershey last year, so BC will be very motivated to make a play at the top three this season. Five varsity girls are back from 2018 and state meet is certainly on their minds. York Suburban was fifth in 2018 and just three points off the top three is in a similar boat. Five varsity girls are also back for YS on a team that had three freshman in its top five last year.
Conrad Weiser, Gettysburg Area, and Greencastle-Antrim all have a solid group of returners that will make them contenders in 2019 for those coveted state spots. It's going to be a close race after Northern and any variation of the aforementioned six teams have a shot at those two other berths to Hershey.