D3-AA Boys - Team & Individuals Breakdown
- Preseason Rankings: Team | Individual
- State Qualifying Spots For Teams: 3
- State Qualifying Spots For Individuals: 15
- 2020 Individual Champion: Weber Long (Greencastle-Antrim) - 15:47
- 2020 Team Champions: Kennard-Dale - 45 points
Individuals Breakdown
2020 saw the continued development of Weber Long. The Greencastle-Antrim senior had another big season last year. He rolled to his second straight District 3 Class AA title and then placed third at the state meet for a second consecutive season. He ran an XC 5K best of 15:47 at Big Spring and could certainly chase a course record this season. He broke 9 minutes for 3,200m and added a 4:14 1,600m PR during this past spring.
Long is one of the state's top runners and he should contend for a spot in a national championship meet. Overcoming a talent like Gary Martin at the state meet in AA will be a tall task for him. But knowing Long's aggressiveness, he won't go down without a fight.
The talent doesn't stop there in D3-AA, though. Kennard-Dale's Garrett Quinan was second to Long in the district and then placed sixth at the state meet during a big senior season that saw him make some big improvements. He's the No. 4 AA returner statewide behind Martin, Jacob Hess, and Long. Lampeter Strasburg's Colin Whitaker is another strong returner. As a freshman last year, Whitaker placed third in the district and then 12th in the state. With some more experience in his sophomore season, expect an even better year out of Whitaker.
There are two other state medalists back this year. Kennard-Dale's Dylan Cunningham was eighth in the district and 20th at the state meet. Susquehannock's Matthew O'Brien was seventh in the district and 25th at the state meet. Look for these two to challenge for top 15 state places this season, and they could make it interesting up front at the district level.
One name to keep an eye on is Luke Seymour of Schuylkill Valley. He was 12th at the district meet and missed out on states with a limited amount of qualifiers last year. But he had a huge spring, running bests of 4:17 for 1,600m and 1:52 for 800m on the track. If that track speed can convert to the trails, he should be in for a big fall.
Susquenita's Michael Singley and Lampeter Strasburg's Parker Stoner are the other returners that went sub-17 last season. The talent is strong in D3-AA this season and it will be worth following.
Team Breakdown
Kennard-Dale was terrific in 2020. K-D put four in the top ten of the district to roll to the district title, and then a week later at the state meet placed third in a very competitive season for AA. The squad loses some key pieces from last year's team, including state medalist Collin Wolf. But Quinan and Cunningham are a pair of state medalist returners, and if K-D can backfill its top seven, this is still a team capable of taking the district or a top two spot.
Lampeter Strasburg was the unlucky No. 2 team in D3-AA last season, but this year it returns six of its top seven. Whitaker was a huge addition as a freshman last year and he has the potential to finish in the top five at the state meet. Stoner and then a nice grouping of his fellow returners makes L-S a very deep and dangerous team heading into 2021. This could be the team to beat.
Susquehannock is a team to watch. After taking fourth last season in the district, it returns five of seven boys behind a good lowstick in O'Brien. Four of the five returners are juniors this season. This team has good top two potential. After that, Donegal, Wyomissing Area, Eastern Lebanon County, and Boiling Springs are among the teams to keep an eye on.