Meet Preview: PIAA District 12 Championships


Girls Preview - PIAA District 12 Championships

Class A

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2

Expect a battle up front between some of Neumann Goretti's top girls. Kimberly Johnson and Sherisse Peterson took fifth and sixth at the PCL Championships, but the Saints were without usual top runner Kami Joi Hickson. If Hickson returns for districts, she'll likely be the favorite. If she doesn't Johnson and Peterson could be going for the win themselves.

Neumann Goretti's Najah Hunter and Masterman's Taryn Flaherty are among the individuals that will be in the mix for high finishes.

The team race will be interesting for the win. Masterman and Neumann Goretti will battle it out for the district title and both will likely claim each of the two state qualifying spots. It's just a matter of who wins.

Masterman was second in the Public League to Central, while Neumann Goretti was third in the Catholic League. NG was without Hickson, and with her in the lineup, the Saints may be the team to beat here. But if she doesn't return Masterman may have the advantage depth-wise to win it. Both of these teams will likely make a trip to Hershey, though. Paul Robeson and GAMP will go for the upset.


Class AA

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2

The race for the individual crown in D12-AA looks like it will come down to Lansdale Catholic's Taylor Connelly and Archbishop Wood's Shannon Kelly. At Saturday's PCL Champs, Connelly placed third while Kelly was fourth with the pair separated by 11 seconds. Back at Belmont Plateau, those two will battle it out for the district win.

Archbishop Carroll freshman Quinn O'Brien and Wood freshman Reagan McGowan will be in the mix for high finishes.

It's shaping up to be a two team race for the team title. Like Class A, it's likely that the two favorites for the win -- Archbishop Wood and Msgr. Bonner & Abp. Prendie -- will nab those two state berths allotted to D12-AA.

At Saturday's PCL Championships, Wood took fifth, 26 points ahead of Prendie. In the few days between the league meet and districts, Prendie will look to do what it can to bridge that gap to Wood. It will be a different field with different potential point scenarios to factor in, so things can certainly change.

Either way, both teams are likely headed to Hershey.



Class AAA

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1

Expect a close race for the individual win in D12-AAA. Erica Panei of Creative & Performing Arts broke through last week to win the Philly Public League in runaway fashion by well over a minute. At PCLs, Cardinal O'Hara's Katie Till earned the win over Little Flower's Olivia Pisacano.

Look for all three of these girls to separate themselves from the pack early on and from there, it will be a race to the line for the district title.

The team race could get close with just one states spot on the line. The team to beat is Central, which captured the Philly Public League title last week. On Saturday, Cardinal O'Hara edged out Archbishop Ryan for the PCL team title.

Central looks to have the depth advantage, but O'Hara and Ryan could make a run to make this interesting for the lone berth in Hershey.