D6-A Boys - Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
- State Qualifying Spots For Individuals: 10
- 2019 Individual Champion: Colton Sands (Penns Valley) - 15:14
- 2019 Team Champions: Penns Valley Area - 28 points
Individuals Breakdown
Two of the state and nation's best hail from Penns Valley with Colton Sands and Brendan Colwell. Together, these two will look to put on a show this fall. Sands is the reigning state champion in Class A. He went on to take tenth at Foot Locker Nationals, and now the recent UNC commit returns for his senior season.
Colwell was second to Sands at both districts and states. He was 11th at Foot Locker Northeast and just missed a spot in the national meet. He ran a 14:53 5K this past spring without an outdoor track season, and he seems poised for another big season on the trails.
Once again, Sands and Colwell are heavy favorites to go 1-2 at both the district and state level and compete for spots at Foot Locker Nationals, where both will be All American contenders.
After the national-caliber runners, there's a strong returning group of boys in D6-A. Josh Hershbine of Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy was fifth in the district and 30th at the state meet last year, just missing a medal at Hershey. Now a junior, he'll be a major podium factor in 2020.
Penns Valley brings back a separate pair of talented seniors after its top two. Daniel Kelly and Thaddeus Smith were sixth and seventh in the district, respectively, last season. They finished in the 50s at states last year and have the ability to move up in the field this season. United's Gavin Cameron is another returner from the top ten in the district. He was ninth as a junior last year in D6-A.
Team Preview
Penns Valley Area will be the team to beat once again in D6-A this season. With the state's bet 1-2 punch in Sands and Colwell, along with good depth provided by Kelly, Thaddeus Smith, and Simon Smith, PV is a very strong squad.
There's an impressive contingent of Class A squads in the state, but Penns Valley deserves to be right in the conversation for the top team in the classification. This team will be looking to return to the top of the state after winning the state title in 2017.
There's another state spot up for grabs here, and it should be a close battle. Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy earned the second spot after PV last fall, and it went on to take 12th at states. SJCA loses three talented seniors from last year's squad, but has a good group of boys back, led by Hershbine that will put it in the mix again this season.
Marion Center Area was third last year, and it loses four seniors including state fourth place finisher Hunter Armstrong. MCA, like SJCA, has been known to rebuild well, so this squad also can't be counted out. Purchase Line was fifth last year in the district, but returns its full varsity squad from last season, and that will make it a factor as well.