Meet Preview: PIAA District 4 Championships


Boys Preview - PIAA District 4 Championships

Class A

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1

Alex Patton and Kemuel Laudermilch are the two favorites in D4-A on Thursday. The Wyalusing Valley teammates have gone back and forth with who finishes higher this season. Most recently, Patton has had the advantage, taking second at Paul Short in 15:58 and then winning the NTL Coaches Invite. Expect both to go after the win and low team points.

South Williamsport's Port Habalar, Hughesville's Hunter Foust, and Wyalusing's Zion Laudermilch and Logan Newton are among the others that should be around the top five.

Wyalusing Valley Area is the team to beat once again. Wyalusing was third at states last year after it won the D4-A title. It will be one of the state's top 1A squads at Hershey, but first the boys in bright yellow will look to take care of business at Bloomsburg. 

Wyalusing was second at Foundation and won at the NEPA Invite and the NTL Coaches Invite. It will be the heavy favorite with Patton and K. Laudermilch up front and good depth after that.

South Williamsport, Hughesville, and Northeast Bradford are among the squads that will hope for the upset and challenge for high finishes in the team standings.



Class AA

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2

After a big breakthrough freshman season, Jacob Hess of Lewisburg has taking a star turn this fall. Now a sophomore, Hess has turned in big performances all over the place, including a pair of sub-16 performances. He most recently went 15:48 to win the PHAC Invite. He was outkicked for the win last year, but this time around, he'll be the favorite.

Last year's champ Alejandro Quintana of Loyalsock is back this season and can't be counted out. He has posted some of his best performances of his career this year, and will likely get in the mix.

Lewisburg has plenty lowsticks after Hess. Peter Lantz, Calvin Bailey, and Evan Hart all placed inside the top ten at PHACs. Warrior Run's Damein Moser, Mount Carmel Area's Krystof Lapotsky, and Milton's Tanner Walter are among the other talents that will be up near the front, competing for spots inside the top five.

The Lewisburg Area boys, the top-ranked AA boys team in the state, will look to repeat as district champs, and they will be the overwhelming favorites. Led by Hess, Lewisburg is stacked with talent with boys like Lantz, Bailey and Hart competing for high places.

With Lewisburg likely taking one of the state spots, there still one more berth in the state meet on the line. Who could take it? Milton Area, Danville Area, Hughesville, Shikellamy, and Warrior Run are among the teams capable of claiming that spot.

Milton was third at the PHAC Invite on October 12 that Lewisburg won. But Danville was only ten points back. Hughesville was 29 points back of Danville, Shikellamy was five points back of Hughesville, and Warrior Run was six back of Shikellamy. So just 50 points seperated those five teams at PHACs. A lot can change in two weeks, so it will be a fierce battle for the second and final state spot in D4-AA.