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TEAMS
By Lex Mercado
Three time defending AA girls champions Central Cambria earned the opportunity to defend their title this Saturday at the state finals. They return five of the seven from the 2009 championship team, including Alyssa Brandeis, who was 4th in this race a year ago, and the third of the running Seymours, Kendall (left in photo by Lex Mercado). If they're going to repeat and become the 3rd team in all of PA cross country history to win four consecutive titles, they're going to have to overcome some very good teams.
Saint Basil's Academy (below in photo by Don Rich) has won twice since the millennium began, and were the 5th place team last season. The AACA Champions have finished in the top two in two of their three invitationals this season. They were victorious in the PIAA Foundation race, beating ranked squads Holy Redeemer, Lewisburg, and Central Cambria. They earned a 2nd place finish at the Paul Short White race, but finished as the best PA squad in that race. Megan McGarrity has been their top runner this season, winning her league and district titles, as well earning top ten finishes at PIAA Foundation and Paul Short.
Quaker Valley (below in photo by Doug Michaels) was 14th at this meet a year ago, but enter the 2010 finals as one of the favorites to win. In their last two meets, they have been big winners, with a 1-5 spread of 37 seconds, the best spread in AA. Sarah McKendry is their front runner and can score low points with the big runners, while number 2 runner Sarah Miller leads the 2-5 runners to a sub 20 second spread to score good points. They were the 3rd best team at the Red White and Blue classic, behind eventual district 7 AAA Champion North Hills and PA#2 for almost the entire season, North Allegheny. With that race experience against some of the best in AAA, that may help lead them to the title. A Quaker Valley win can also start a Quaker Valley sweep in AA, which hasn't happened since North East did it in 1982 and 1987.
Lewisburg was 4th a year ago and that team had four seniors in the front seven. This year's team is younger with only two seniors, including number 1 runner Shannon Wright (74th in 2009), and has four seniors and one sophomore. As the season has progressed, Lewisburg has been getting better and is looking like the program that many in AA are used to seeing. Their highlights include winning the Northeast Invitational over district rival Danville, placing fourth at the PIAA Foundation Blue race, and winning district 4 with a 61 second spread. Lewisburg will be ready to move up the standings if a team slips up and has a bad race.
INDIVIDUALS
Individually, it's been all about Angel Piccirillo (left in photo by Don Rich). The Homer Center junior was 5th at states last year, but this season, she has won every meet she has competed in except for two. At PTXC 2, she was 2nd to the best runner in America, Aisling Cuffe, and at the Paul Short Run, she was 2nd to the reigning individual state champion Sara Sargent. At the district 6 meet, she ran 17:56, which is the 2nd fastest time All Time in the district behind two-time Foot Locker All American Carly Seymour. All season she has been on a roll, and on Saturday she will look to win her 3rd state gold medal in the 2010 calendar year. Her contenders will have their work cut out for them, but anything can happen at the state meet.
Just ask Leah Anne Wirfel (right in photo by Lex Mercado) of Forest Hills. In the 2009 season, she was one of the favorites to win the AA title. She had won at Foundation the month before and won with ease, but at states it didn't come together. She managed to earn a medal, but that was a lot less than she expected. This weekend, she will have redemption on her mind to make up for last year. She was the winner of the PIAA Foundation Blue race for the 2nd straight year and she was 2nd to Piccirillo in district 6.
Megan McGarrity (left in photo by Don Rich) has filled in nicely for the graduated Liz Barrett as the top runner for Saint Basil's. The sophomore has had some big time performances this season, including an 8th place finish at PTXC 2, a 3rd place finish at the PIAA Foundation blue race, a 4th place finish at the Paul Short White Race, and is the new AACA and District 1 AA champion. She has broken 19 minutes twice, and ran 19:00 in another race this year. She'll be running for team points and will be in the hunt for her own gold medal.
Nicole Hilton (below in photo by Doug Michaels) of South Fayette has also had a big season. She hasn't finished worse than 3rd in the 2010 season. She was 3rd at the Pittsburgh Central Catholic Invite behind two of the Malone sisters of North Hills (AAA), and she won the B race at Red White and Blue, and she won the Tri-States and district 7 individual championships. Her best time this season is 18:42 from September 11, but has broken 19 two other times this year. Look for her to enter the top five this weekend.
St Mary's Adair Gennocro is now in AA after she was 19th last year in AAA and ran 19:34, the best time from all AA returners at Hershey. This year, she hasn't finished worst than 3rd, with a course record at District 9 last week.
Other runners looking for top ten finishes this weekend include sub 19 minute runners Kendall Seymour of Central Cambria, Kennedy Weisner of Elk County Catholic, and Emma Mahoney of Villa Joseph Marie. The Learn Sisters, Susan and Violet will look to team up and take some high medal places like they have for most of the season. Also look for Amber Carroll of Tamaqua, Morgan Richards of Hickory, and Breanna Twomey to crack the top ten and surprise some runners.
RETURNING MEDALISTS
Was AAA last year: 19. Adair Gennocro, 19:34 St. Mary’s, sophomore, 9
4 2 Alyssa Brandis, Fr* 5:50 12:17 19:37 6:20 Central Cambria (6)
5 Angel Piccirillo, So* 5:43 12:10 19:38 6:20 Homer-Center (6)
9 5 Maria Trowbridge, So* 5:52 12:17 19:46 6:23 Elk Lake (2)
10 6 Kady Schrann, Jr* 5:53 12:21 19:47 6:23 York Catholic (3)
11 Allison Hall, Jr* 5:49 12:20 19:49 6:23 Blue Ridge (2)
12 Amber Carroll, So* 6:01 12:26 19:49 6:23 Tamaqua (11)
13 7 Lainie Smith, So* 5:44 12:09 19:54 6:25 Saucon Valley (11)
15 9 Bridgit Walters, Jr* 5:52 12:24 19:59 6:27 Northgate (7)
17 10 Alison Billas, So* 5:55 12:30 20:03 6:28 Danville (4)
18 Emily Moroco, So* 5:54 12:34 20:08 6:30 Reynolds (10)
21 13 Katie Hallingstad, Jr* 5:55 12:33 20:10 6:30 N W Lehigh (11)
22 Hilliard Rachel, Jr* 6:03 12:43 20:10 6:30 South Side (7)
23 Dana Cerroni, So* 6:00 12:39 20:12 6:31 Sharon (10)
24 14 Leah Anne Wirfel, Jr* 5:39 12:20 20:20 6:33 Forest Hills (6)
25 15 Kendall Seymour, Jr* 6:01 12:37 20:21 6:34 Central Cambria (6)