WPIAL It

WPIAL? But I barely even know IAL. Yeah, I'm not sure what that means either. But I do know that the rest of this post will be about the WPIAL championships. 

AA 4x8 doesn't have quite the same firepower as it has in some past years, but it does have a strong squad in Freeport. They have a 1:57 type anchor who can make some noise for them and they have the top seed. Avonworth could be a sleeper here given their success a year ago. And what about the past two XC champs in Winchester Thurston and Sewickley Academy? Not sure either of them will field an A squad, but they both have terrific pieces.

I think the AAA 4x8 could be the race of the day. You have Greensburg Salem, the darlings of early outdoor thanks to a 7:51 against Seneca. They have 4 sub 2 legs and big goals. But I really like another Seneca named team, Seneca Valley, to potentially crash the party. I think the WPIAL champs could build a house right alongside the GS boys. Also looking like potential sub 8 teams are Butler, Franklin Regional, North Allegheny, Mt Lebanon and Indiana Area. South Fayette would be an interesting wild card here with individual and relay goals to perhaps balance.

Speaking of individual goals, how about the 1600s? In AAA it's pretty wild as the WPIAL has lost some of its big names of the past and replaced the landscape with youngsters ready to break out. Seneca Valley's Sam Owori is the top overall seed as a sophomore in 4:19. And he's probably doubling off the 4x8. The second fastest seed is another sophomore, Cameron Binda, who, you guessed it, is probably doubling off the 4x8. With Noah Beveridge, Mark Provenzo and Eric Kennedy all focusing on the 3200, this one is suddenly wide open. Expect madness. Pitts CC senior Joe Gatti, the lone sub 4:25 senior in the field, could be a surprise.

In the AA 1600, we are getting our Skolnekovich double. The QV senior will run the 16 and the 32 at districts and match up with rival Ben Bumgarner on both occasions as well. Those two are joined by Tristan Forsythe in a Baldwin rematch that could push the 4:15 meet record by the one and only Dom Perretta. Jarrett Boyd can also run fast. I don't think he's sub 4:20, but low 4:20s is in play for him. Gordon Pollock another interesting name to watch out of Winchester Thurston.

Like Skolnekovich, Forsythe has opted for a double of his own, taking on the 16-8 double at this one. He will be looking for his first open sub 2 of the season and matched up with some quick dudes to help him get there. Robert Reichenbaugh leads the way here with a 1:57 seed. That's a decent amount quicker than everybody else as no others boast a seed faster than 1:59. However, those two 1:59 guys are both capable of 1:57 and the upset. Boyd on the double and Brandon Anglemyer of South Side are both looking to play spoilers. I like Anglemyer for the win.

In AAA, the favorite is probably Penn Hill's multi time state qualifier Isaiah Bailey. However, some fresh faces are breathing down his neck. Bailey dropped an early season 1:55 (and has a 1:54 best), but Matt Busche and Nick Gabrielli have joined him in recent weeks. Can either of those guys continue their emergence as stars? Busche also will have a double in his leg after a hotly contested 4x8.

Of course the game changer is Nick Wagner. I believe his 1:54 seed time comes from a dual meet so clearly the guy is shining behind closed doors. He ran 50 point in an open 400 but otherwise was quiet this spring. Let's be real, the kid is a beast with state medals in his pocket, so if he's on, he's going to be tough to stop. But is Wagner ready to take the next step and compete for a state title with a 1:52-1:51 kinda time? This is the first step.

I'm interested to see if either of the GS guys can double back and hit the SQS. King has been their best dude all year and split about 1:56 on their 7:51. He could pop something here if he's feeling good after the relay. Both King and Dylan Binda have run 800s on the biggest stages this year, including a heat at indoor states.

And lastly, the 3200. The AAA event took an interesting turn as Beveridge, Provenzo and (surprisingly to me) Eric Kennedy opted to focus on this individual event. Kennedy is a 4:17 miler with a state medal in that event and 1:56 speed, but he also has the strength to do damage on this stage. He's run 9:40, placed just outside the medals in XC, and clearly has confidence in his long distance fitness. But can he topple proven distance powerhouses in Beveridge, Provenzo and Baldwin's Casey Conboy? Don't forget about Conboy as he's run under 9:20 before and is technically the best guy on paper in this group. 

The next most interesting subplot will be if any of the crop of 9:40 types can jump to the SQS. You've got Trey Razanauskas, Matt O'Neill, and Czar Tarr sitting right at the barrier. Each have had their fair share of moments in XC, with Trey have a very clutch run at this year's championships and O'Neill having a monster Regional championship performance. But are any of them 9:29 guys? Don't sleep on Aaron Pfeil who, if healthy, belongs in that tier. And how about the three freshmen in this field? These are super talented 9th graders, led by Dan McGoey who was a top 50 finisher at XC states.

In AA, as I said earlier, it's Skolnekovich vs Bumgarner in round two of the meet. Although it doesn't technically matter who wins as long as they get the SQS, I think this race will be huge in the grand scheme of things. Obviously, there's a confidence component here, but it's also a big test of each runner's confidence in their doubling abilities. If either one feels like some spring is missing to their step in the 32, it's just another reason to push the 16 aside for states.

Also worth watching in this one are multi time state medal winners Ben Littman and Shaun Hay. This dynamic duo from Winchester Thurston is both capable of running well under 9:40, but will they have their A game this weekend? And who is John Reed? The senior from Aquinas was off my radar, but comes in as one of the top seeds with something to prove. And of course Sewickley state medal winners Griffin Mackey and Henry Meakem are worth a mention. I think both have had some injury troubles, but have battled through it to get here. They've both got championship pedigree that shouldn't be over looked.