PIAA State Championship Preview - AAA Girls

Girls AA Preview

Boys AA Preview

Boys AAA Preview

1 Devon Prep 1 2 3 15 16 37 1:20 17:12

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

Allentown Central Catholic, behind AAA favorite Frances Koons, and Parkland, behind a remarkable :49 pack near the front of every race, have each won one AAA title in the past three years. But last year's champ, despite the graduation of Janine Ricci, should repeat. Hatboro-Horsham has been getting low points up front all season from two freshmen, Kerry Swayne, and Brittany Sullivan. Their team dominated a very strong District 1 with just 91 points, using a 1:06 spread behind Swayne's 3rd place 18:40. If any of these three teams have off days, Chambersburg and North Allegheny will be more than happy to take their place. But those who were looking for the pressure to get to the frosh pair just watched in awe as they went 3 + 13 at D1. It's the Hatters to win.


Strong pack running at the start by Hatboro at D1.

 

AAA Girls Top Team Championship Contenders based on District and Season performances

DISTRICT

TEAM

DISTRICT

PLACES

DISTRICT
SCORE

TOP FIVE SPREAD

#1 DISTRICT TIME

2002 STATES PLACE

1

Hatboro Horsham

3, 12, 16, 21, 39

91

1:06

18:40

1

3

Chambersburg

3, 5, 12, 46, 50

116

2:11

19:02

18

7

North Allegheny

4, 12, 30, 41, 49

136

1:30

19:37

9

11

Allentown Central Catholic

1, 8, 10, 13, 18

50

2:02

18:46

2001 Champ

11

Parkland

4, 7, 11, 14, 15

51

:49

19:56

2000 Champ

             

 

We're sticking with our season-long prediction that Frances Koons will pace her way to her first state championship. She usually pulls away from the gun, but that won't be the case in Hershey. District 1's Katie Thaeder of Unionville impressed a lot of observers with a very smooth 18:09 on the Lehigh course, seven seconds faster than Koons did on the 14th. Liz Kearins of Central Bucks West wasn't too far back in D1, but let Thaeder go just before two miles, and never got it back. District 3's Janelle Young has been gaining a ton of confidence all season with super runs at Great American and Steel City. She'll need the race of her life to finish on top. Red Lion senior Kate Papenberg is always at the front. Don't be surprised if she surprises. She's a senior too, and mentally, one of the toughest competitors ever in PA. That's how you get that consistently good. And Indiana's Marissa Umbel went 19:01 on the tough Slippery Rock course. She placed 74th in 2002. That's not gonna happen this time around.


Katie Thaeder pulled away from Liz Kearings after 1.5 miles at D1.


Frances Koons winning the D11 title.


Janelle Young at Steel City.

AAA Girls Top Individual Championship Contenders based on District and Season performances

DISTRICT

ATHLETE

DISTRICT

PLACE

TIME

2002 STATES PLACE

1

Katie Thaeder, Unionville

1

18:09

20

1

Liz Kearins, CB West

2

18:19

8th grade

3

Janelle Young, Chambersburg

1

18:43

7

3

Kate Papenberg, Red Lion

2

18:50

2

7

Marissa Umbel, Indiana

1

19:01

74

11

Frances Koons

1

18:46

3