2017 PIAA XC District Previews: District 12

District 12 (10/26)

A (2 Teams, 10 Individuals)

1. Masterman

2. Science Leadership

3. GAMP

1	Dan Bici	Sr	Masterman
2	Kamil Jihad	Sr	Neumann Goretti
3	Isaac Colon	Sr	Masterman
4	Noah Bradley	So	Masterman
5	Edward Brown	Fr	Masterman
6	David Lawrence	Sr	Masterman
7	Clinque Harris	Sr	Science Leadership
8	Stephen Njiru	Jr	Masterman
9	Kaleb Harris	Fr	Science Leadership*
10	Chris Sylverster	So	GAMP
11	Nair Pettigrew	Sr	Science Leadership
12	Awet Hussen	Jr	Motivation
13	Stephen Chen	So	Masterman
14	Antonio Lewis	Sr	Dobbins
15	Chris Jones	Sr	Science Leadership
16	Josh Walker	Sr	Science Leadership
17	Tauron Bullock	Jr	Dobbins
18	Xaiver Wayman	Jr	Constitution
19	Asaad Parson	Jr	Science Leadership
20	Laminu Abbas-Laminu	So	Motivation
21	Yohannes Mekonnen	So	Motivation
22	Jerry Kalins	So	GAMP

Masterman has been a dominant force among the District 12 landscape and seems poised to be just as strong in 2017. This team put on a clinic at the Philly Public League Championships, rolling to victory behind individual champ Dan Bici. Masterman’s average time was over a minute faster than the same weekend last year and only about 20 seconds off the time they averaged when they were second in the state back in 2013. I was pretty impressed with this result and, although it’s going to be hard to find a place for them among a crowded field, Masterman could take a top 7 spot in A.

Science Leadership is the next best team on my list, also putting up a strong performance at Public League. I don’t think they will have much trouble advancing as there were no clear rivals in the results at Belmont this past week. Clinque Harris leads this team, which has a pretty solid pack. They are sort of like Masterman light in that respect.

Individually, this sets up to be a rematch between Dan Bici of Masterman and Kamil Jihad of Neumann Goretti. We haven’t seen much of Jihad this XC season, but the defending champ did have a solid day at PCLs. Bici ran some 40 seconds faster in a different race (Bici picked up the win at his meet) which makes him an easy pick for the win to me. That being said, Jihad has speed and guts. He won’t surrender his title easily.

Keep an eye on Masterman’s David Lawrence individually as well as teammate Stephen Njiru. Those two will go a long way towards determining team success for Masterman and will be shooting for top 7 individual finishes. Kaleb Harris, a frosh from a different Science Leadership, also figures to contend in that top 10.

AA (2 Teams, 10 Individuals)

1. Bonner

2. Overbrook

3. E & S

1	Anthony Harper	Sr	Bonner
2	Saabir Yasin Spann	Sr	Overbrook
3	Steven Lebron	Sr	Creative
4	Brian McGarrity	Fr	Bonner
5	Jeremy Capella	Jr	Conwell-Egan
6	Meless Badume	So	E & S
7	Aaaron Coleman	Sr	Franklin Learning
8	Greg Stevens	Jr	Conwell-Egan
9	Billy DiRita	Fr	Bonner
10	Lamont Brooks	So	Overbrook
11	Andrew Moreland	So	E & S
12	Alex Badman	Sr	Conwell-Egan
13	Joe Hughes	Sr	Lansdale Catholic
14	Walter Jones-Harold	Jr	Boys Latin Charter
15	Aric Macharia	Jr	Swenson
16	Joseph Menta	Jr	Lansdale Catholic
17	Danny Carr	Sr	Lansdale Catholic
18	Arian Ravenell	So	Bonner
19	Steve Bull	Sr	E & S
20	Thomas Gelaye	Fr	E & S

A year ago, the Bonner boys barely survived a tight district championship battle and produced a 69-71 victory over Conwell-Egan. Bonner lost some key contributors from that varsity squad, but they bring back the district champ in Anthony Harper. Plus, they’ve added two big time freshmen in Brian McGarrity and Billy DiRita. I think that top projects to be among the best in the meet and, with a strong front running advantage from Harper, I think Bonner maintains their title.

Their toughest challenge this season could come from Overbrook. I think Saabir Yasin Spann is no joke of a runner. It’s going to be tough for anyone to beat Harper, but he could at least make the race interesting. He’s run some strong mile times on the track and could be a deeper sleeper come states time. Engineering & Science has a chance to make a run as well. They have a great top four and are one big day from their #5 away from shocking people. The Philly Public field was relatively large and their lack of depth will be less on display in a smaller field like this. If their sophomores have a big day out front to set the stage and get a leg up, they could maybe sneak ahead of the deeper teams that defeated them last week.

A couple other individuals to watch include Steven Lebron of Creative and Jeremy Capella of Conwell-Egan. These two were both in the top 10 a year ago. Keep an eye on Swenson. They return a nice core from last year’s program, but I haven’t seen a ton from them to indicate to me they will have multiple state qualifiers. But I’ve been wrong plenty of times before.

AAA (2 Teams, 10 Individuals)

1. LaSalle

2. O’Hara

3. St Joe’s Prep

1	Evan Addison	Sr	LaSalle
2	Vincent Twomey	So	LaSalle
3	Ethan Maher	So	LaSalle
4	Jack Becker	Sr	O'Hara
5	Bradden Koors	So	LaSalle
6	Tom McNicholas	Sr	O'Hara
7	Sean Egan	Sr	LaSalle
8	Chris Carson	Sr	Central
9	Ricky Raup	So	St Joe's
10	James Brooks	Sr	St Joe's
11	Calvin Willie	Sr	St Joe's
12	Paul Ghantous	Jr	LaSalle
13	Jack Seiberlich	Jr	LaSalle
14	Thomas Haas	Jr	O'Hara
15	Josh Hayes	Jr	O'Hara
16	Sean Hamilton	So	Roman Catholic
17	Derek Sacks	Sr	O'Hara
18	Tim Purcell	So	Father Judge
19	Charles Henry	Sr	Central
20	Alec Kosher	Jr	Franklin Town Charter
21	Shane Curran	Fr	Father Judge
22	Aidan Doherty	So	Archbishop Carroll
23	Kaelon Soto	Sr	Roman Catholic
24	Dennis Gallagher	So	St Joe's

At PCLs, LaSalle absolutely rolled to a historic 15 point total. At districts, I don’t expect the Explorers to be as aggressive. The PCL is extremely important to these schools. The district championship-not so much. LaSalle shouldn’t have much trouble qualifying for states given their relative talent. The story for these guys is how they will do when they get there. Similar to some of the O’Hara races of the past, I think they could pack this up and cruise it in. The only thing that may stop that strategy is the simple truth that LaSalle is so deep, a current 6 or 7 guy may be worried about someone taking their spot (like Matt Zilligen who could be an awesome contributor down the line if needed).

I’ve got O’Hara taking the other state spot. Based on what we saw at PCLs, their pack is too strong to get passed by St. Joe’s. I think O’Hara will mix it up pretty well this weekend and hopefully get something to build off for states. The pack is there, we just need to see a front runner step up and hopefully break up that LaSalle pack to keep things interesting.

Individually, LaSalle, O’Hara and the top guys at St. Joe’s Prep should come close to running the table. But the battle for the last five state qualifying spots will be cutthroat. I like Chris Carson from Central as a sleeper to make noise. He looked solid at Public Leagues and was 13^th here a year ago. I’m also focused on the talented sophomores Hamilton, Purcell and Doherty all of which could be state qualifiers this year.