D11-AA Boys - Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 2
- State Qualifying Spots For Individuals: 10
- 2020 Individual Champion: Matthew Chaikowsky (Saucon Valley) - 17:48
- 2020 Team Champions: Northwestern Lehigh - 48 points
Individuals Breakdown
Samuel Bower is the top returner in D11-AA based on district finish last year. Last year the Northwestern Lehigh runner took second to district champion Matthew Chaikowsky. He has graduated and Bower will look to take over the top spot. Not far behind in fourth was Matthew Santana, also from NW Lehigh. Together those two will look to battle it out for the top spot.
Santana was 31st at the state meet, just eight seconds off a medal. Bower was 49th. And hey, Cole Chukoskie was sixth in the district and 65th at states. Those boys make up a talented trio and will be among the ones to watch this year in D11-AA.
Looking to spoil the NW Lehigh party up front will be North Schuylkill's Justin Williams, the only returning individual state qualifier from last year (the NW Lehigh boys qualified as a team in 2020). Williams was fifth in the district and 83rd at states. He'll be looking to breakup that pack. Saucon Valley's Jacob Huber (tenth) is also back from the top 10 in D11-AA from last year.
Team Breakdown
It will be hard to stop the Northwestern Lehigh boys in their pursuit of three straight District 11 Class AA team titles. NW Lehigh ran away with the title in 2020, putting just 48 points on the board to win by 32 points over second place and earn the lone state qualifying spot.
This year, Northwestern brings back five varsity boys from last year's team. The experience and depth is there, led by Santana, Bower, and Chukoskie. This team was sixth in the state last season, but they definitely have the makeup of a team that could climb up the standings this fall.
Bangor Area is a team that could make a run at the second state spot in D11-AA. Behind Cameron Stout, who was 11th in the district as a freshman, Bangor has a solid group back that includes five total returners from its top six last year. Bangor was fourth in the district last season. Meanwhile, Allentown Central Catholic (fifth in D11-AA in 2020) and Palmerton Area (sixth in D11-AA in 2020) both have five returners back from last year's top six, and either team could make a nice jump into state qualification territory.
Blue Mountain (second last year) and Notre Dame Green Pond (third last year) will each have some retooling to do after losing some key runners to graduation, but both are strong programs and can't be discounted in this battle.