Class A Girls Team Preview - PIAA State Championships
We have talked in past years about just how close we expect the Class A girls team race to be at Hershey. Well, this year could be close once again, but more than that, it is the most wide open team we've seen this field in recent memory and perhaps ever.
Three favorites seem to have emerged out of the pack: Mohawk, Penns Valley Area, and Wilmington, though -- like the individual race -- the door is open for a number of squads in the 11-team field to emerge.
Mohawk put down an eye-opening performance to win the WPIAL (District 7) title last week at White Oak Park. This team had four freshmen leading the way to a 63-point performance in the 22-team field in the WPIAL. Natalie Lape was the top runner for this Mohawk team, which has suddenly become perhaps the team to beat at Hershey. If those ninth graders can withstand the big stage and the Hershey hills, it will be a tough team to top; they managed just a 1:09 1-5 spread at WPIALs.
But Penns Valley Area will look to have something to say about that. Penns Valley made it out of the incredibly tough District 6 (maybe the best district in the state in the classification), beating out the defending state champions Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy. SJCA unfortunately won't toe the line as a full team on Saturday, but the Wolves would have been a title contender if they were. Meanwhile, Penns Valley, led by Hull and Anna Stitzer, has some good depth and should make a good run for the win. PV was second at Foundation earlier this year, so they are familiar with the Hershey course.
Wilmington, the fourth place state team in 2019, rolled to the District 10 title this past week and will aim to move up from its impressive showing last year. They have a solid lowstick in Mason and a good overall lineup that should matchup well with the other favorites.
There are plenty of teams that have a legitimate crack at this title after those three, though. District 11 champions Notre Dame Green Pond has overcome quite a bit this season and should figure into the mix. NDGP was sixth at the state meet a year ago. Montrose ran well to take the District 2 title on Sunday fairly handily. This team has good potential in this field after taking 12th last season.
North Clarion, the District 9 champs, was seventh a year ago and cannot be counted out of the field with some good experience heading into the weekend. District 3 champions York Catholic ran well on Saturday at Big Spring and have a strong pack that will be dangerous in the smaller field at states. Wyalusing Valley Area was 14th a year ago and should contend for a high finish this Saturday, as well.