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Individual: AAA boys - AAA
girls - AA boys - AA
girls
Teams: - AAA Boys/PCL
- AAA Girls/PCL - AA Boys
- AA Girls
AAA Boys - is Shawn Cavanaugh back?
Is he back, or isn't he? That's the question that
competitors and observers alike are asking about 2000 State AAA
XC Champ Shawn Cavanaugh of Mount Lebanon.
Hampered at the start of outdoor by an injury that
cut into his training, (he had skipped indoor track to play basketball),
Cavanaugh never got the base he needed to improve on his 2000 Outdoor
2nd place in the 3200, and instead, ran the 4x800 and 800. If he's
back and hungry for a second title, Cavanaugh will be tough to beat.
But there are a slew of guys hoping to give it a try, including
the only PA runner to beat him in XC last year, Dan Mazzocco of
Baldwin. Mazzocco had a tough race at XC States, after getting out
nicely with the lead pack, finishing out of the medals. He rebounded
though, getting 35th at Footlocker Northeast Championships in the
hot race. He and Cavanaugh are both seniors. As a sophomore, Cavanaugh
had finished second in XC to Danny Coval.
Also ready to step up are some guys who saw their
stock rise after strong outdoor campaigns. Sam Bair, Shaler, heads
that list. He got 21st at States as a sophomore, and then controlled
both prelims and final in the Outdoor 1600, garnering his first
state championship with a 4:14.36.
Southern Lehigh's Tim Erickson, who was 5th as a
sophomore in the state XC champs in 1999, but dropped to 30th in
2000, was the only PA 1600 runner close to Bair, finishing 2nd in
4:15.80. He should be ready for his senior season.
Following in Coval's footsteps is tough, but Council Rock senior
Mike Didio made steady progress during his junior year. After finishing
25th as a sophomore Coval's last year, he improved to 22nd in 2000,
and then uncorked a 4:18.52 in the spring to get 4th at states.
More on PennTrackXC
AAA Girls - is Julia Pudlin back?
Before getting to the PIAA talent, the obvious top
returning XC athlete is Julia Pudlin, now a senior at the Baldwin
School. Pudlin had an incredible three seasons. In XC, she added
to her course records, which now number 15. She landed 3rd at Northeast
Regionals, and then 8th at the Footlocker National Championships
in her first time there. Indoors, she took 5th at the prestigious
Millrose Games mile, set an all-time DVGTCA record in the 3000 in
a meet at Lehigh (9:57.6), and took first in the mile at Princeton.
Then outdoors, she took 2nd (running somewhat ill) in the Penn Relays
3000, broke the record of Penncrest grad and Olympian Kate Fonshell
at the PA Track Classic in the 3200, and also logged the fastest
1600 (4:56.94) and 3200 (10:27.51) in PA. Sorry for dwelling here,
but she also recorded the fastest 5K in the country last year for
an underclassmen, a stunning 17:14 at a dual meet.
But Julia was injured in a hectic finish at Millrose.
It dogged her through mid-May, when during the Loucks Games, she
almost had to stop because of increasing pain. Favoring the Millrose
injury, her May injury turned out to be a stress fracture in her
left heel. The cast was removed on August 9th. She switched to swimming
for aerobic conditioning, and has worked out aerobically every day
since May 11. She has also added some weight training to her regimen.
Julia is anxiously awaiting clearance to return to training. But
this is her senior year, and the race that counts is the Northeast
Regionals, 12 weeks away. So she has some time. She will not be
ready for the early season tests; a major disappointment; but expect
to see her return to nationals. Well, enough about Julia.
There is an incredible amount of returning talent
in AAA girls. But the two early favorites for PA state champ have
to be Stephanie Madia, North Allegheny, and Angela Saterstad, newly
transferred to District 3's Hershey HS.
All Madia did her junior year was get second in
XC to Paige Miller, and then win her first state championship and
break five in the 1600 with a 4:58.08 at states. And she's been
getting better every year since bursting on the scene as a freshman
when she took 12th at Penn State in 19:00.08. She was 3rd as a sophomore
in 18:28.50 at Lehigh, and then 2nd in 2000 with a 19:07.00 at Bucknell.
This year's District 3 course may favor the hill-tested western
PA athletes.
All Saterstad did was travel to New York City's
Van Cortlandt Park as a talented sophomore, and almost qualify for
Footlocker Nationals with a 10th place finish. She was 3rd at PA
States less than three seconds behind Madia. As a freshman, Saterstad
also medalled at States, finishing 6th in XC 11 seconds behind Madia.
She certainly wants to reverse the order of their finish this year.
Not to be lost in the mix is Upper Dublin's Katie
Ewart, who can be credited with awakening eventual PA XC state champ,
Penn Relays champ, and state 3200 champ Paige Miller, by beating
her for the District One XC title in 2000. Ewart is a tough competitor,
who is also entering her final season. Ewart beat Saterstad in the
state 3200, getting 2nd in 10:48.96, to Saterstat's 5th place 10:57.04.
More on PennTrackXC
AA Boys - Andy Weilacher is unchallenged No.
1
Eisenhower's Andy Weilacher was 10th as a freshman,
2nd as a sophomore, and absolutely dominated the 2000 AA PIAA State
Championship XC race as a junior, winning in 16:25. Unchallenged
in his race, he would have been 4th in
the AAA race. The 2001 season is his to take. In the Spring, he
was tripped during the 3200 at States, finishing 10th in 9:48.43.
He will remove himself from the pack in cross.
The next four places in AA boys were seniors, but
the 6th place finisher hales from a running legacy (his father,
Rick Blood, was a dominant PA distance runner). Ryan Blood took
the AA District 3 championship as a sophomore on this
year's state course in an excellent time of 16:48 (wait till you
see the course. It's nasty). Blood is mentally tough, always competitive,
and now experienced. If anyone can catch Weilacher, it's Blood.
Unoffically, he took the junior-senior
race at Hershey HS on Tuesday, 8/29.
Other returning medalists include Scranton Prep
junior Jonathan Pastore, who was 8th in 2000; senior Bryan Herdman,
Blairsville, 10th; senior Tyler Spencer, Towanda, 12th in XC, 2nd
in the 3200 in 9:30.27; senior Ben Weaver, North
Clarion, 15th in XC, 8th in the 3200; senior Jon Gratton, Quaker
Valley, 16th; junior Steve Gonzalez, Westmont illmont, 17th; senior
Aaron Miller, Union City, 20th in XC; junior Aaron Benson, Kiane
Area, 23rds; and soph (the AA's top
freshman) Dave Mock, from Westmont Hilltop, 24th in 2000.
More on PennTrackXC
AA Girls - Christensen, Huss twins favored
The athletes at the top of the Girls AA elite list
are used to medalling at States. Let's start with two-time state
champ (XC and 3200), junior Jesi Christensen
of Greenville. As a freshman, Jesi was second to now-graduated Lauren
Shaffer of West Allegheny. She then dominated the 2000 championship
race, running the tough Bucknell course in 19:33. She repeated her
dominance in the spring by taking the 3200 in 11:04.16. Christensen
always looks like she is racing to win. Then does. And that shouldn't
change this eason.
Close on her heels is another junior, who is the
number one girl on the State Champ team, Wyomissing. Debbie Huss
won the district 3 race on this year's state course, and was only
three seconds behind Christensen in XC. She not only comes with
her own team, she comes with a twin sister, who was 12th two years
ago, and 13th last year. Amy was 5th in the 3200 at States. The
Huss girls also have important regional experience, having competed
in the sophomore race last November at Northeast Regionals, where
they finished 3rd and 8th, respectively. Both ran very close times
to their Bucknell times on the challenging Van Cortlandt course.
Either one could surprise Christensen this year.
As is always the case with female athletes, there
are freshman who make a mark their first year in high school. The
top two last year, now in 10th grade, were Meaghan Robbins, Western
Wayne (3rd in XC, 6th in the 3200), and Joanna Malow, New Hope Solebury
(4th in XC). Right behind those two in 5th and 6th at XC are two
multi-year state medallists, Nicki Angstadt, Fleetwood, and Stacey
Muchal, Valley View. Now seniors, Angstadt was 9th as a freshman,
and 14th as a sophomore, plus 7th in the 3200; while Muchal was
16th as a sophomore.
Stepping into contention is Mansfield's Charity
Learn, a senior, 9th in XC, who broke out to get 2nd in the 3200
just two seconds behind Jesi Christiansen in the spring. And sophomore
Kyleigh Millhouse of Boiling Springs, got 4th in the spring in the
3200, showing nice improvement from her 56th place finish in XC.
Other returning medallists include junior Desiree
Bower (7th in XC), Tulpehocken; Bishop Guilfoyle soph Sonja Hinish,
10th in XC, 9th in the 3200; junior Trisha Fullmer, York Suburban,
16th in XC, junior Jenny Stevens, Wyalusing Valley, 17th; senior
Rachel Tutmaker, Eisenhower, 20th; Tamaqua junior Liz Manness, 23rd;
senior Heather Fitzgerald, Bloomsburg, 24th; and Marion Center sophomore
Nicole Fairman, 25th.
More on PennTrackXC
Teams
PA Team Outlook - PIAA and PCL
Team performance is more difficult to predict than individual performance.
But that won't stop us from making a few prognostications about
the season. We would, however, like to acknowledge that there are
usually teams that unexpectedly gel during the year, others that
peak too early, and others that get an influx of talent that others
didn't see coming. So to those who will surprise us, thanks. That's
what makes it so much fun. To those who are mentioned below, please
do whatever it takes to make us look good : ). Have a great, injury
free, PR-setting season. Oh, and here's a hint. District 3 takes
three of the four PIAA titles.
Boys AAA/PCL
We're going with Cedar Cliff as the 2001 State Champs. They came
so close in 2000. Just eleven points. Coatesville will be hard-pressed
to repeat, because the only one back of their top five is their
#1 guy, Rob Robertson. Cedar Cliff, on the other hand, has their
first five returning. Two were medallists, John Butler and Andy
Brehm. #3 man Pat Philbin was only 4 places off a medal at #29.
And their 4th and 5th men were 61st and 116th. They did lose their
6th and 7th, but with the quality and growing tradition of this
program, they should be focused on getting the title they thought
was theirs in 2000. They also have home course advantage, as this
year's race will be held at HersheyPark, where Cedar Cliff races
in District 3 competitions.
Three other teams should have something to say about how well Cedar
Cliff fares. Council Rock, Cumberland Valley, and Mount Lebanon.
Council Rock won Dan Coval's senior year in 1999 after a three-year
drought. Prior to that, they took eight of nine state titles. They
just seem to reload. Every one of their 2000 top seven return, led
by senior medallist Mike DiDio, and last year's 27th place finisher,
senior Rob Hampson. They will give Cedar Cliff all they can handle.
Cumberland Valley loses one and four, but gets experience back in
their two, three and five guys from 2000. They will be led this
year by senior Mark Turner, a medallist last year, and senior William
Springman, who was 34th. And Mount Lebanon returns one, two, four
and five, including defending state champ Shawn Cavanaugh. But they'll
have to close the gap between #1 and #2 if they are to make an impact.
Central Bucks East had top talent in 1999 and 2000, but failed
to deliver. They return two veterans from their top five, but the
teams mentioned previously are simply too deep. North Penn returns
two, three and five.
Coincidentally, these seven match last year's top seven teams.
Can Manheim, Liberty, Butler, Altoona, or someone else break into
their group?
In the PCL, Cardinal O'Hara lost their top three from a very strong
team. They looked good at the Viking Invitational 8/31, but Anderson,
Duffy and Cunningham will be hard to replace. LaSalle, on the other
hand, only loses their # 2 guy. More importantly, they placed all
five scorers in the top 20. But it's a long season, and these teams
run Belmont Plateau until they see it in their dreams. Injuries
may eventually determine who has the depth to take the top team
spot in the PCL this year. Looks like LaSalle at this point, though.
Girls AAA/PCL
North Allegheny at the 2000 California Invitational. They should reclaim
the top spot in PA this year, after a year in 2nd place.
At least four of the top five runners are back for the top AAA girl's
teams this year, and that means it will be a close race again. North
Allegheny had won it in 1999, and with an unexpected bad race or two
in 2000, they slipped to second by just 18 points to District 11's
Parkland. Add Wissahickon to the mix, and we believe you can pick
the 2001 champion from this group. We're going with North Allegheny
based on the odds. One, they're a huge team. Depth is their middle
name. Two, they have tradition and experience. And three, their #1
runner has medalled her first three years in high school, and will
be motivating the team to make her senior year a return to championship
status. And did we mention that they didn't lose one of their top
seven?
Parkland, led by tough-as-nails soph Paula Giguere, ran a great
race last year, and they only lose one of their top seven. They
could repeat if the stars align like they did in 2000. But our pick
for the top challenger to North Allegheny this year is Wissahickon.
They had a strong team last year, led by graduated champion Paige
Miller. And they lose their number five runner, too. But it looks
like their #2 runner has already stepped it up this year (We know,
it's cheating to make a prediction after getting some current results).
In their first race at the Viking Invitational 8/31, Erin Franklin
smoked the field by a minute, running a wooded, root-strewn three-mile
course in 18:49. Their second through fifth runners (two of them
new), then ran a spread of 37 seconds.
Haverford's very young team (pictured here at a 8/31/01 scrimmage)
gets critical state level experience in XC from senior Gen Story,
and national caliber experience from three sophomores and a junior
who ran a 9:19 4x800 in the spring. The four, including the York
twins, Fiona and Alicia, along with Adriana Boyle and Rachel Giannascoli,
will challenge all season, and could end up top five.
Other teams to watch for include Haverford, Great Valley, Chambersburg,
Allentown Central Catholic, and Allerdice. Haverford's elevation
to this list is based on their 9:19 2nd place 4x800 in the spring
with three freshmen and a soph. Those four ran well their first
scrimmage on 8/31, losing by just a few points to state finalist
Great Valley. Their expected 5th and 6th runners both ran out of
the top six on the team. As they mature and gain experience, they
could quickly become a top three, state team. And Great Valley returns
their top six, placing four runners ahead of Haverford's third in
the scrimmage. Chambersburg is a perennial power, but lost four
of their varsity seven, although they return their #1 girl, District
3 champion Kylee Schuler. Allentown Central Catholic lost their
top two, but always has depth. And Allerdice is down a top runner,
but returns great young depth.
Did we mention SpringFord, the state 4x800 champion? They're young,
and could make some state waves.
Prendie will be shooting for a fourth straight PCL championship.
Last year's team won because its young members answered the challenge
after losing all-state runner Tara Johnson.
In the PCL, Archbishop Prendergast is going for four in a row.
They lose their first and third runners, Lindsay Scottoline and
Sarah McFadden. But Justine Tidmarsh returns, and if form holds,
she or another experienced runner will step up just as Tara Johnson
did when Sheila Klick gradutated, and as Scottoline did upon Johnson's
departure. With five of their top seven back, no one can ever count
this team out. But O'Hara only loses their #4 runner, and their
five scorers were in the top 19. #6 and 7 are back as well. This
could, and probably should be their year. But with the one-two scoring
punch of St. Hubert's Kelly sisters, Jackie and Amy, only their
#4 runner departed, and all five in the top 23 in 2000, St. Hubert's
will challenge Prendie and O'Hara, maybe even taking the whole thing.
Let's watch the races unfold, and enjoy.
Boys AA
This year, Scranton Prep has three of their top five returning,
including #1 runner, junior Jonathan Pastore. But the loss of their
second and third guys may open the door to others, especially fast-rising
Wyomissing, which was 15th in 1999 and 4th last year. Yes, they
lose star Joel Moceri, and their fifth runner, but they have everybody
else back, and with the success of their girls' team, there's an
atmosphere in Wyomissing that spells winning. That's why we're going
with Wyomissing as our top pre-season pick. Regular powers York
Suburban, who lost 1,2,4,5 and 7; and North East, who lost 1,3,4,5
and 6, will have to reload quickly if they are to challenge Scranton
Prep and Wyomissing. After winning the 1999 title, Bishop Hafey
dropped to 7th last year, and has lost their top two.
Girls AA
Last year's two-peat Wyomissing girls will be back in virtually
full force, and should make it three in a row.
Unlike the boys AA teams where graduation hit the top squads very
hard, most of the girls' top teams return major talent. This could
be closer than last year, when Wyomissing repeated their 1999 championship
season. In 2000, they won by 107 points, and in 1999, it was 39
points over Wyalusing Valley. They lose #2 Janna Sallade, and their
#4, but return the Huss twins, juniors Debbie and Amy, plus five,
six and seven, plus whoever else is in the chute for the closest
thing AA has to North Allegheny's depth. Wyomissing should take
it for a third year in a row, but Scranton Prep returns four of
their top five, and five of their top seven. York Suburban should
also be strong, losing their second and fifth runners. While Northeast
Bradford loses their second and third runners to graduation. It
may not be the domination of 2000, but Wyomissing will three-peat.
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