D9-A Girls - Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
- State Qualifying Spots For Individuals: 10
- 2019 Individual Champion: Cheyenne Mehl (Oswayo Valley) - 20:17
- 2019 Team Champions: North Clarion - 48 points
Individuals Breakdown
Cheyenne Mehl of Oswayo Valley rode her impressive freshman season all the way to the top of District 9 Class A. The ninth grader took runner up finishes at big D9 meets at Bradford and Ridgway, before claiming the district title back at Ridgway. A week later, she placed 22nd at the state meet. She could be on the hunt for more this year.
The entire top five from D9-A is back this season, so Mehl will have plenty of challengers. Cranberry's Kalynne Ziegler was second in the district last year, nine seconds off Mehl. The senior will be one to watch this season.
Northern Potter's Courtney Martin (third) and the Moniteau duo of Hannah Burgoon (fourth) and Jenna Blauser (fifth) are also back this season after top five district finishes.
Team Preview
North Clarion rolled to the district title last season in Class A before placing seventh in the state at Hershey. That team loses one of its top runners in Haley Bauer, who led the team with a sixth place district finish last year, but six varsity girls return from last year's team that have a pretty good pack last season.
Jordyn Hendrickson and Rachel Bauer were top ten district finishers last season and will be among the team leaders this fall. NC will be the favorites once again in D9-A.
Cranberry also returns six girls from last year's team, which earned the second of the two state qualifying spots allotted to D9-A. Ziegler, who was second in the district and 44th at states, and Ashlyn Shultz (ninth int he district as a freshman) will lead this squad that should have enough to talent to compete well for another trip to Hershey.
Brookville Area was third in the district last season, just missing a berth to states. Its full varsity squad returns and this team will be motivated to make a run at the top two this season. Northern Potter also has a good crop of returners and should be in the mix, though it may need to add some numbers and depth this season.