PIAA PREVIEW: Girls' Distance Events


The anticipation is building and we're excited to bring you a series of previews ahead of the PIAA Outdoor Track and Field. Over the next couple of days, we will provide event-by-event previews of the action to come.

2A Preview | 3A Preview

Links You'll Need:

AA Girls 800m

Will anyone have anything for Kate Moncavage (Southern Columbia)?

At first glance - it almost looks like she has had an up-and-down season at the distance until you realize she has won all but one 800m race this year. Her 2:14.26 at the PHAC League Championships is three seconds faster than anyone else in this field has run. 

Lauren Bower (Notre Dame Green Pond) or Ellie Cain (Quaker Valley) could contend with Moncavage. They have both run in the 2:17s - but would need a strategically stellar race to win.

Moncavage has experience on her side after winning the PIAA Championship last year.

AA Girls 1600m

Last year, Jolena Quarzo gapped Delaney Dumm by seven seconds to run away with the 1600m title. Yet again, she owns the fastest seed time, with the 5:05.28 she ran at the District 7 Championship.

But don't let that distract you from the fact that Delaney Dumm is the only 2A Girl to have broken 5 minutes this season. Dumm ran 4:58 at a tri-meet in Mid-April and broke five again at the Altoona Mt. Lion Classic. She has been consistently one of the best in the state at the distance. Oh, and did we mention that she's undefeated? No, not just in the 1600m, but in every race she's run this year.

Dumm is on an absolute tear right now - and will carry that momentum into the weekend. 

Addie Cohen (Wyomissing) ran a respectable 5:04.79 in late April, the second-fastest 2A time this year. Kate Moncavage is just a little behind her with a 5:05.57.

AA Girls 3200m

Defending State Champ, Jolena Quarzo, should be considered the heavy favorite heading into the State Meet at Ship. Though she hasn't run a blistering fast 3200m this year, she has not had to. 

She is undefeated at the 3200m distance this year and ran a quick 9:51.41 3k at the Penn Relays in horrid conditions. Her split in that 3k roughly converts to a 10:35 3200m.

Comparably and by that standard, Delaney Dumm technically ran faster at the District 6 Championship. There - she ran 10:32.57, which is currently the 2A state lead.

Notably, these two have raced each other seven times, and Quarzo came out ahead in all seven of those races. Could Dumm break the trend this weekend?

Gracelyn Laudermilch (Northeast Bradford), Maizy Aikey (Bloomsburg), Addie Cohen (Wyomissing Area), and Lacey Danilovitz (Riverside 02) could surprise us. 

Danilovitz has the best chance to contend with Dumm and Quarzo. She finished fourth in this event a year ago.

AA Girls 4x800m

In the Girls 4x800m, we're looking at a battle of champions. Central Cambria, Warrior Run, Holy Redeemer, and Elk County Catholic ran within six seconds of each other at their respective District Championships (6, 4, 2, and 9, respectively).

They're all considered favorites heading into the State Championship Meet, but you could argue that the Elk County Catholic girls have the most to gain from the solid competition. At the District 9 Championship, the ECC relay finished 20 seconds ahead of the next team. For a significant duration of their race - they were running by themselves. A close race may benefit them.

Central Cambria is the defending champion and owns the quickest seed heading into the State Meet. All four of its runners ran 2:25 or faster at the District 6 Championship. That consistency pays the bills. 

Similarly, Holy Redeemer and Warrior Run rely on consistency. Warrior Run does have freshman star Claire Dufrene who ran 2:20.48 earlier this year.

Southern Columbia could steal the show with Kate Moncavage as its anchor. Moncavage currently leads the 2A ranks in the 800m and has run 2:14.26. That is over three seconds faster than any other 2A runner.