The PIAA Championship is scheduled for Saturday, November 2nd, and the 1A races are expected to be highly competitive. One of the teams to watch out for is Winchester Thurston, which won the PIAA Foundation Invitational earlier this year, beating out Cranberry and Our Lady of Sacred Heart. However, at the District 7 Championship, Our Lady of Sacred Heart emerged victorious. Carlynton was not far behind, trailing by only 37 points.
Regina Luminis, the winner of the District 1 Championship, has shown promise by placing four girls in the top 7, with each of them breaking the 21-minute mark. Richland, the District 6 Championship Team, is also a strong contender for the team win.
With two-time 1A State Champion Virginia Kraus now in 2A, the field is wide open for a new champion. Claire Dufrene from Warrior Run is considered a favorite, having consistently finished in the top four at invitationals this year. Forest Hills freshman Bella Ascherl, who won the PIAA District 6 Championship with a time of 18:38, is another strong contender. Elaina Rainwater, the District 1 Champion, has also had a solid season, finishing no worse than fifth at invitationals.
Karis McElhaney from Jamestown Area and AnnaSophia Viccari from West Middlesex, who finished first and second at the District Championship, are expected to perform well. Bridget McNamara from Carlynton, who won the PIAA Foundation 1A race and the District 7 Championship, is known for her competitive spirit despite not having the fastest personal best in the field.
Other runners to keep an eye on include Natalia Mavridis from Richland, Gianna Mosca from Our Lady of Sacred Heart, Gracelyn Laudermilch from Northeast Bradford, and Lanee Berkhimer from Martinsburg Central. The 1A division promises to be an exciting and unpredictable race with several strong contenders vying for the championship title.
