Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
- State Qualifying Spots For Individuals: 10
- 2019 Individual Champion: Jacob Hess (Lewisburg Area) - 16:12
- 2019 Team Champions: Lewisburg Area - 30 points
Individuals Breakdown
It was a big sophomore season for Jacob Hess. On the heels of a good freshman campaign, Hess from Lewisburg Area upped his game even more as a tenth grader winning the district and then placing fifth at the state meet, while battling up front for the win. He also went 15:48 earlier in the season, and also placed 14th at NXR-Northeast.
He enters the fall at PA No. 8 and figures to be a serious factor in AA at the state level this season. He is the overwhelming favorite to win his second straight district title.
Lewisburg has three other returners from the top ten in the district from last season: Calvin Bailey (seventh), Evan Hart (ninth), and Thomas Hess (tenth). Bailey and Hart are seniors this season, while Thomas Hess is a sophomore. Bailey was 31st in the state last season, so he'll be eyeing a state medal this fall.
Danville's Rory Lieberman was solid as a freshman last year, placing eighth in the district; the only non-Lewisburg returner from the top ten. He was an impressive 45th place at states last year (the No. 3 ninth grader in AA last year).
Warrior Run's Caden Dufrene and Andrew Adams, Central Columbia's Tyler Davies, and Milton's Brody Bender are among the other strong returners to watch for in D4-AA this fall.
Team Breakdown
Lewisburg Area capped off a terrific 2019 cross country season with a state title at Hershey. The team won on a sixth runner tiebreaker over York Suburban to claim the title in a thrilling battle at the Parkview Course.
Lewisburg loses state medalist Peter Lantz to graduation, but brings back a great core to the fold in 2020. Up front Jacob Hess will be an individual state title contender, while Bailey, Hart, Thomas Hess, Gianluca Perrone, and Connor Murray make up some excellent depth. Lewisburg will be the team to beat in AA again this season (they are a Preseason AA No. 1 team), as this team has the talent and now the experience to keep it rolling.
There's another state spot up for grabs in D4-AA, and it should be a close battle. Milton Area grabbed that second spot last year and went on to take 12th in the state. It loses three seniors to graduation, including Tanner Walter, but has four varsity boys back from last year. If those returners can step up, Milton will have a good shot at a return trip to Hershey.
Danville Area, which was third in the district last year just four points off Milton for second, will be strong this season, as well as motivated after last year's near-miss. The Ironmen have three varsity returners, led by the sophomore Lieberman, and should be right in the mix for that second spot.
Warrior Run and Central Columbia have a good group of returners back, and have the ability to contend for the top two as well this fall.