That infusion includes Sarah Clark, who finished 26th at the state championship in 2021; Allison Bender, who ran 5:40 (1600m) on the track; Rue Burkett, who finished 55th at the 2021 state championship and Lauren Rainey, who has enjoyed a breakout season. Add in freshman standout Anne-Catherine Brown with several other quality returners, and the Cathedral Prep girls have created a powerhouse in the Northwest.

They swept the top 3 spots at the District 10 Championships, winning with just 22-points. They picked up an impressive win in the Class A (second highest division) race at the Manhattan Invitational and won the Northwest PA Invitational.

However, they did finish fifth at the PIAA Foundation Invitational, but that score was without Allison Bender in the lineup. Bender has since been a staple in their top three, often running with No. 2 Brown. With her in the lineup, they would've been in the mix with Montour and Central Cambria, who tied for the win. Central Cambria took the tie-breaker.

Montour is the defending champion, while Central Cambria finished second in 2021. Both teams enter as the favorites yet again this year. Central Cambria (CC) took home a dominating victory at the District 6 Championships. 

Coach Naylor discusses Montour title defense at District 7

They loaded seven runners in the Top-10 to lock the standout victory. CC has quietly enjoyed a stellar season behind a consistently tight 1-5 spread (just 50 seconds). They'll look to avenge themselves this week.

Montour has enjoyed another signature season and is positioning itself to claim another State Title. They won the District 7 Title by placing 5 in the Top 20. The downfall of that victory was a two-minute Spread, but the upside is that they have Harley Kletz out front, who will be hungry for a state title. She is one of the few girls in the field who can challenge Quarzo, and if she can secure a low stick, she puts Montour in a great position.

Beaver Area, Danville Area, and North Catholic are in the mix.

On the Individual Side of things, 2021 Runner-up JoJo Quarzo is the clear favorite to claim the 2022 title. She has toned down her race schedule but tuned up her efforts. She won three marquee meets this year, including Red, White, and Blue, PIAA Foundation, and the District 7 Title. The NC State Commit is in a great position to claim her first XC title.

But as mentioned, Harley Kletz may be able to run with her. Kletz has also run a limited schedule and competed with Quarzo throughout the season. Although she hasn't gotten the best of her yet, she stayed with Quarzo through two miles the last time they raced the Hershey Parkview Course. This go-around, she'll try to make a decisive move first.

Harley Kletz on her District 7 Runner-Up Finish

Delaney Dumm is undefeated in her last four races. She won the District 6 Championship in her most recent race, storming ahead of the field. That was her best, as she ran 18:35, good for the 30-second win. Did she catch lightning in a bottle, or can she put together a similar performance this weekend?

Madelyn Keating has run the second-fastest time in 2A this season. She ran 18:03 at Paul Short to finish tenth in the large field. She collected the win at the District 2 Championship this week and will be in the hunt after enjoying a breakout track season this past spring. With a 5:02 1600m pr and a third-place finish at the state meet last spring, Keating has the speed to match Quarzo. We're excited to see what she can do.

Lacey Danilovitz and Nicole Dauberman will also be in the mix.