Girls Preview - PIAA District 4 Championships
Class A
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1
After a second place finish last year to Isabell Sagar, Mount Carmel's Caroline Fletcher looks poised to be the one to beat in D4-A this season. The junior was 14th, the top 1A girl at the PHAC Invite and is the only girl to have run sub-21 in the field.
Towanda's Erica Locke, Wyalusing Valley's Catherine Brown and Carina Beebe, Loyalsock's Emma Tredinnick, and Canton's Camille McRoberts are among the girls that have run low 21s this season that should challenge for top five finishes.
The NTL Coaches Invite provided a good preview of the team battle and it proved it'll be a close one for the top spot on Thursday. The defending champions from Troy edged out Wyalusing Valley Area, 55-58 for the victory. Both of those squads are among the favorites for the District 4 title and that lone state qualifying spot. Look for Troy to pack up, while Wyalusing may have the advantage up front with lower sticks. Anyway you draw it up, it will be close.
Mount Carmel Area could get in the mix. MCA was the top 1A squad at the PHAC Invite, led by Fletcher who is the favorite individually.
Class AA
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
Lauren Trapani of Warrior Run will go for her third straight District 4 title on Thursday. The first of which came in 1A, while last year she won in D4-AA. There likely won't be much in the way of Trapani's bid for the win. She went 17:50 at Lock Haven to start off the season, then she took second at NEPA and won the PHAC Invite by 1:10. She'll have an opportunity to run a very quick time at Bloom.
This is a very deep year for D4-AA, so we can expect a fierce battle for spots inside the top five. Shikellamy's Alyssa Keeley was second at PHACs, running a nice PR of 19:20, so she appears to be hitting her stride at the right time. Her Shik teammate Macy Carper should be in the mix as well.
Warrior Run's Emma Miller and Lewisburg's strong trio of Delaney Humphrey, Olivia Beattie, and Hannah Mirshahi will all be near the front competing for high finishes. Jules Jones of Cowanesque Valley won the NTL Coaches Invite and looks to be in a good spot entering the district meet.
The team race will be one of the best of districts week with a pair of PIAA Class AA's best duking it out. Warrior Run comes in as the favorite with its talented junior-heavy roster, but Lewisburg Area will give them a good challenge for the win. Warrior Run claimed team wins at the NEPA Invite and then at the PHAC Invite, but Lewisburg has been closing the gap and getting stronger as the season has gone on. At PHACs, WR won 50-57 over Lewisburg, but could we see a reversal at Bloom?
This race, in all likelihood, could come down to those 4 and 5 runners with a district title on the line. Meanwhile, Danville Area will aim to pull out some magic and keep its streak going. The Ironmen have won ten straight District 4 titles. That crown is in jeopardy. After a fourth place PHAC finish, Danville will look to have its pack move up in the field to compete for a spot in Hershey.
Selinsgrove, Shikellamy, and Milton Area will all look for strong days to make a run at the top two as well in a crazy-deep D4-AA.