The wait is over. It is officially PTFCA Championship Week. With an action-packed meet on deck - we want to ensure you're as prepared as we are.
4x800m Relay Preview
by Ian Sherlock
The Girls
The squad from State College Area High School will be the 4x800m relay team to beat on Sunday. They've been running extraordinarily, winning big meets like the Kevin Dare Invitational and taking 2nd at the Millrose Games, where the team ran their season-best time of 9:20.32.
Anticipate seeing the Upper Dublin team pushing the pace up front as well. They've been running strong this season, clocking a season-best time of 9:29.72 just last weekend at the DVGTCA Meet Of Champions.
Those fighting to finish in the top three are where things get interesting. There are about seven different teams that have the potential to do so.
Cathedral Prep will be getting after things. They enter the meet with the current PA No.4 time of 9:37.47. Although, Perkiomen Valley will undoubtedly be clipping their heels. The Perkiomen Valley team finished 2nd at the DVGTCA Meet of Champions in 9:39.02 and will be looking to capitalize on this moment at the state championship meet.
Not far off from that duo, based on season bests, is Pennridge. This team ran 9:41.53 at the DVGTCA Meet #7. This performance beat other top-ranked squads in the state, such as Lower Moreland, Academy of Notre Dame, and Strath Haven.
Lower Moreland's season best is 9:44.23, with the Academy of Notre Dame running a time of 9:44.34 and Strath Haven running a time of 9:44.80, all from the DVGTCA MEET #7. Seeing how things play out with more robust competition in Sunday's race will be fantastic.
You also can't overlook West Chester Rustin. This group of girls ran away with the win at the PTFCA Indoor Track Carnival with a time of 9:42.25.
Other teams with the potential to medal are J.P. McCaskey, Central Bucks East, and North Penn.
The Boys
Episcopal Academy is the clear favorite Sunday. The US No.1 ranked team ran a wicked time of 7:45.78 to win the Millrose games by nearly five seconds. If the Episcopal squad runs all out, it is improbable that any other teams will come in contact.
The race for second will likely come down to a battle between Penncrest and Twin Valley. Penncrest, like Episcopal Academy, ran very well at the Millrose Games, clocking a time of 7:56.02. Meanwhile, the robust Twin Valley team ran their season best of 7:57.23 to win the Ocean Breeze Invitational. This should make for an electric showdown on Sunday.
Like the girl's race, there are a lot of closely matched teams in medal contention that will make things very competitive.
Ridley, South Fayette High School, and Coatesville are evenly matched teams. The Ridley squad ran 8:04.17 at the Ocean Breeze Invitational, the South Fayette High School squad ran 8:04.24 at the TSTCA Indoor Championship Meet last weekend, and the Coatesville squad ran 8:04.85 at the Garden State Invitational last weekend.
Three other teams entering the state championship have run below 8:10 this year. Cumberland Valley comes in with a season-best time of 8:08.71. Not far off is Downingtown West with a season-best of 8:09.03, and the evenly matched Central bucks East with a season-best of 8:09.61.
Other teams capable of making the podium are Grove City Area, Lower Merion, and Butler.