Warning: If you are competing Saturday, you may want to read this preview AFTER your race. That way, you can see how incredibly right, or incredibly wrong we were. This is for those of us who just want to speculate and discuss. You have to make it happen. Best of luck, and HAVE FUN!
- Don Rich, Publisher
You could see this coming with their great 4x800 squad last spring. But Gwynedd Mercy Academy does have the talent to stop the Wyomissing streak at four. With the front-running Kate Vernon (18:34 win in District 1 at Lehigh), setting a solid pace, and a 2:18 spread, this could be their year. St. Basil, which finished 2nd at D1 to Gwynedd-Mercy, will not be there, but could have contended for the title with their 2:30 spread behind Morelli. They missed a spot by just two points. Dallas, from District 2, is led by soph Lisa Giacometti, and boasts a 1:33 pack. But then there is Wyo. They have looked vulnerable before. And then they just find a way to win. Could it be five?
Gwynedd Mercy has two in the front pack approaching a mile at D1.
AA Girls Top Team Championship Contenders based on District and Season performances
|
DISTRICT |
TEAM |
DISTRICT PLACES |
DISTRICT |
TOP FIVE SPREAD |
#1 DISTRICT TIME |
2002 STATES PLACE |
|
1 |
Gwynedd Mercy |
1, 3, 6, 11, 18 |
39 |
2:18 |
18:34 |
2 |
|
2 |
Dallas |
1, 4, 5, 7. 9 |
26 |
1:33 |
19:24 |
5 |
|
3 |
Wyomissing |
2, 6, 8, 21, 25 |
62 |
1:50 |
19:46 |
4 straight 1sts |
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In the individual race, Vernon has to be one of the two favorites. Hamburg senior Adriene Beltz smoked the Hershey course at District 3 in a time that would have won either championship race in 2002. Others in the mix include St. Basil #1 Lynn Morelli from D1, and from D10, Mercer's Nicole Smith, General McLane's Lindsay Petri, and Fairview's Aryn Gruneisen. And out of D11, Christa Plummer looked comfortable in a wire-to-wire win at DeSales.
Kate Vernon winning the D1 title.
Lindsay Petri finishing first at Rocky Grove.
AA Girls Top Individual Championship Contenders based on District and Season performances
|
DISTRICT |
ATHLETE |
DISTRICT PLACE |
TIME |
2002 STATES PLACE |
|
1 |
Kate Vernon, Gwynedd Mercy |
1 |
18:34 |
DNC |
|
1 |
Lynn Morelli, St. Basil |
2 |
18:40 |
DNC |
|
3 |
Adriene Beltz, Hamburg |
1 |
18:51 |
DNC |
|
10 |
Nicole Smith, Mercer |
1 |
19:07 |
19 |
|
10 |
Lindsay Petri, General McLane |
2 |
19:19 |
21 |
|
10 |
Aryn Gruneisen, Fairview |
3 |
19:33 |
52 |
|
11 |
Christa Plummer, Palisades |
1 |
19:19 |
254 |