Above: St. Marys Area enters the Rankings at PA No. 17
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Introducing our first Girls Team Power Rankings of the 2023 Season. We have already seen some incredible performances, but for the most part we are still waiting to see most teams in full-force.
Please note - These early season Power Rankings are subjective and include some speculation. Some teams haven't competed yet, while others have used tune-ups as team exercises. We haven't been at practices all summer, so we expect some comers and goers.
Girls Top 20 Teams - Rankings #1
RANK(PREV) | TEAM | BRIEF RATIONALE |
1 (1) |
| The North Allegheny girls are the best-of-the-best. Ranked No. 19 in the National rankings - the North Allegheny girls are arguably better than they were last year. With both Robin and Wren Kucler at 100% strength, the NA Girls stand a great chance to win the PIAA 3A State Championship again. |
2 (3) |
| Phoenixville started coming on hot towards the end of the year. They finished third at states, notching their best finish of the season. They graduate two seniors from the Top-5, but will retain five now-seniors who could be lethal this year. |
3 (2) |
| State College silenced the doubters by dominating the Big Valley Invitational last weekend. The team placed six inside the Top-25 and averaged 20:08. Devon Jackson and Chloe Poindexter could lead this team to new heights in 2023. |
4 (9) |
| Haverford Township has one of the best duos in the State out front. Olivia Cieslak and Camryn McGeehan both finished inside the Top-21 at the State Championship last year. The squad finished eighth at the 2022 State Final, but returns five of its Top-Seven. |
5 (8) |
| Cathedral Prep won the 2A State Championship in 2022, and could be back for more this year. They started the season on a high note, by winning the Marty Uher Vulcans Invitational Steel Race. |
6 (NR) |
| Manheim Township looked great in their opener at the Riverside Kickoff Classic. The squad finished second overall, posting a 20:51 average and a 60-second 1-5 split. Elena Barrall and Ava Shirk will lead this squad in 2023. |
7 (4) |
| Owen J Roberts lost some key characters to graduation, but they shouldn't be too concerned just yet. Jane Kratz will lead the squad in 2023. She posted a quick 5:06 mile on the track this year, while Ava Taylor and Khya D'Angelo weren't far behind her. We'll need to see some development, but we're high on this squad again in 2023. |
8 (NR) | North Catholic was lights out at the Marty Uher Vulcans Invitational this past week. They managed an impressive 21:35 average at the Marty Uher Invitational and defeated Beaver Area in the Fire Race. For reference, Cathedral Prep, who won the Steel race, averaged 21:23 over the difficult 5K course. | |
9 (10) |
| Danville could probably be higher on this list. They return six of the starting seven who helped lead this squad to a second place finish at the 2022 2A State Championship. Could they win it all this year? |
10 (NR) |
| Mount Lebanon also has a potent starting duo. Logan St. John Kletter and Caroline Adams are two of the best runners in the state. They sat out at the Mingo Scrimmage, but the Mount Lebanon girls still performed well and it looked like they used the meet as a team workout. They had five girls finished within 2-seconds of each other. Keep an eye on this squad at the RWB Classic. |
11 (NR) | Peters Township finished second to North Allegheny at the Mingo Scrimmage. They averaged 20:27, but struggled with their compression. If they can improve on that front, they have a solid front-three that could help them throughout the year. | |
12 (NR) | Beaver Area finished second to North Catholic at the Marty Uher Invitational. The squad returns five starters from the squad that finished fourth at the PIAA Championship last year. The squad is well experienced and can climb the state rankings quickly. | |
13 (NR) | Emmaus opened the season just like they did last year, with a win at the Northampton Invitational and an average of 19:43. This team had a roller coaster season last year, but could steady the ship and contend for a Top-5 at states before all is said and done. They have solid strength up front and depth behind them. | |
14 (NR) | Pennridge finished second to Emmaus at Northampton, averaging 19:57 over the course. Though they don't have a true front-runner, they have a strong pack of girls and a tight 1:16 compression. Led by juniors Ashley Landis, Kaegan Smith and Taylor Burkett, this could be a fun squad to watch this year. | |
15 (NR) | Montour finished third to North Allegheny and Peters Township at the Mingo Scrimmage. They may have graduated Harley Kletz, but they still have a solid core, including Lakyn Schaltenbrand and Tiffany Miller. | |
16 (NR) |
| Conestoga returns a strong-five that feature an average of 19:51 and a split of 54.40 between their personal bests. Could they surprise us in 2023? |
17 (NR) |
| The Saint Marys Area team started the season with a dominant win at the LHU Bear Mountain River Run. They placed five runners in the top 11 and junior Gabby Pistner ran away with the win. They averaged an impressive 20:16 over the 5K course. |
18 (NR) |
| South Fayette may not have qualified for the State Championship last year, but they finished fifth at the WPIAL Championships and return six of their starting seven. They aren't flashy but they can perform well, and they're certainly a sleeper pick this year. |
19 (6) |
| Perk Valley opened the season with a third place finish at the Northampton Invitational. They finished behind Emmaus and Pennridge but had flashes of brilliance out front. Sienna Miller finished second overall and Allison Matasich finished fifth. The team averaged 19:58 over the 5K course. |
20 (NR) | Easton finished fourth at the Northampton Invitational, but they impressed with a stellar 36-second compression. They don't have a front-runner, but they have a lethal pack. | |
NR | Teams on the Bubble (NR) | Downingtown West, Southern Lehigh, Lower Moreland, Hershey |
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