Meet Preview: PIAA District 9 Championships

PIAA District 9 Championships
Phil Grove


Boys Preview - PIAA District 9 Championships

Class A

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2

A year ago, Elk County Catholic (7th) and Cranberry (9th) turned state berths into top 10 finishes in the Class A final in Hershey. In the District 9 final, the teams were separated by just two points, with ECC in front.

For the majority of the season, Cranberry held down the No. 5 ranking statewide in Class A on the strength of fourths at PIAA Foundation and at Rocky Grove.

Senior Ben Hoffman of ECC was eighth in the Class A race at this year's McQuaid Invitational in Rochester, N.Y. He has wins in the Ridgway and Bradford invites as he looks to move up from last year's D9 fourth-place effort and 12th at the PIAA meet.

Nathaniel Lerch of Clarion was third a year ago in this meet and has the No. 2 time this year behind Hoffman. Junior Joe Wolfe of ECC also is under 16:50 this season and was second at Ridgway and Bradford.



Class AA

  • State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 1
In AA, defending champ McKellen Jaramillo of DuBois Area has the No. 5 time entering Saturday's title race. Corbin Heitzenrater and Aiden McLaughlin of Punxsutawney also are back from top four finishes last year.

McLaughlin was the highest placed D9-AA boy at the Ridgway Invite. His teammate Owen Bartlebaugh wasn't far behind at both Ridgway and Rocky Grove. The Bradford duo of Tyler Kraft and Ryan Cottillion, along with DuBois' Jaramillo could get in the mix to challenge that Punxsy duo for the win.

The team race looks to be a battle between Bradford and Punxsutawney for the lone state berth, with the Chucks out to defend. Punxsy won the Ridgway Invite outright and look to be the ones to beat on Saturday.