Yes, I’m back again, but (surprisingly) I’m not here to spew a bunch of knowledge at you. I’m actually here to ask for your help (and to do some shameless self-promotion (unsurprisingly)). You see, I haven’t been following along this year as closely as I did in year’s past and, just in case I feel the urge to write up some predictions at some point, I’d like to have the knowledge that only the readers can provide. So here are my questions. There are, naturally, 7 questions.
1. How possible is it that no Suburban One schools will make states this year?
I grew up in the SOL (unfortunate abbreviation in retrospect) so it’s kinda crazy to imagine no Suburban One teams on the line at states. It would be the first time that happened in at least 13 years. But the Ches-mont is great again, the Central League has a couple teams that are quite good and the Pioneer will certainly be a factor after sending 2 teams last year. It kinda feels like CR South, CB East and North may end up just barely missing the top 5.
What do you think PA? Who are the five teams that will make states out of District One?
2. Someone convince me that North Allegheny didn’t just clinch the state title this past weekend.
Maybe it’s just me, but the Tigers looked awesome at Tri-States. Their pack is coming together, they have that classic NA depth (crazy tight pack at 2-7) and they have two guys with the potential to win the state championship in Kinne and McGoey. So somebody out there convince me that DT West, LaSalle or somebody else is going to make North Allegheny sweat out at Hershey in November.
3. Will there be District One dominance this year?
Here’s my hot take – District One is good. Last year at AAA states, D1 took 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th. Since the move to three classifications, the District always has a team in the state championship hunt (I think they’ve had a podium team every year and the state champ almost every year) and all the D1 teams get in the top 10. Is this year going to be different? The WPIAL has three legit top 5 contenders, LaSalle is in the mix, Wallenpaupack, Parkland and Easton seem like they might be heard from, State College has a nice squad and District 3 is very confusing to me and should probably be its own question.
And don’t even get me started on the individual race. Could this be a down year for D1 medalists or will what usually happens happen (i.e. D1 explodes over the final few weeks and we remember that they are a massive district with insane competition that brings out the best in everyone)?
4. Do kids these days still like Harry Potter?
Honest question. Because I’m curious if I’m the only one that’s shaking with excitement over the new Fantastic Beats movie. When I was your guys age, I was in love with that book series and it was basically my life. Also I was in love with running and it was basically my life. Also I did not have a girlfriend. So …
5. Who is winning the AA Team Title?
I’ve been looking it over and it just feels like it’s going to be a wild race. Grove City and Greensburg Salem both seem like strong teams, but, in my opinion, they still need to prove they have the clutch gene in Hershey. GS has the top 3 to be super dangerous and make this question seem silly so they’d probably be my pick right now, but something in my gut tells me there will be some madness.
Can Wyomissing take a shot at defending their title? They seem like they are one PR away from the upset. York Suburban is always dangerous although this may be the year they finally were hit hard enough by graduation to slip out of the top 2. General McLane is putting together a monster top 3 in their own right. Are we sleeping too much on them? And if Indiana gets to full strength look out.
By the way, the WPIAL and D10 races will probably be absurd in AA. Especially considering the WPIAL race isn’t at Coopers and people are going to blow up on that course (I’ve never run it, but it sounds impossible). I’m waiting for Uniontown to do their usual clutch running at districts and further complicate that race.
6. If Gritty showed up at states, how many PRs would be run?
Probably 105% of the runners in the race would get a PR. This wasn’t a question so much as a chance for everyone to picture Gritty at the XC state meet and smile. Your welcome.
7. Did Winchester Thurston just make me regret announcing that Jenkintown would win states almost 2 months before states?
I suppose that exact question is not something that you can answer, but all the same, check out what the WT boys did at the Freedom Invitational. They tied arguably the best team in AA (I’m hoping that you guys will settle that argument for me) and showed a nice mix of both front running and pack potential. The entire top 5 was non-seniors too.
Of course Jenkintown rolled through their league meet with under 20 points so maybe it doesn’t matter (they’ve got 3 sophomores in the scoring spots I believe). Also, Montrose? Not really sure what the full question is there but it’s kind of like where are they, are they going to be really, I feel like they might be really good, should we talk more about them or nah.
Another fun point as I’m already rambling past my allotted word count, if Jack Miller and Jenkintown both win it will be a double gold performance. How often does that happen? Off the top of my head, not very often. Tony Russell did it twice (2012, 2013), Ryan Gil did it (2010). Those are the only guys that come to mind in the past 13+ years and they’re both AAA guys. When is the last time it happened in non-AAA?
Not to speak for the Hub or the Hub community, but I think everyone would really enjoy if we loaded up the comment section discussing the answers to these questions. I know that I will be diligently checking up on the responses.
Last thing (circling back to that shameless self-promotion), you may remember that I wanted to work on my book during my retirement tour and I have done that. The first two parts of my fiction series are available on Amazon now and if you guys enjoy reading words that I type but are sad that I don’t do that as much anymore, this may be the purchase for you.
They come highly rated by my mom and my friends so you know that it has to be good.
I’m actually planning to head up to states this year (I live in PA again) and may even be attending with my wife this year (!). If people decide to buy the book, bring it with you to states and I’ll sign it, answer questions, pretend like I might come back to blogging in the future, and most importantly get the chance to thank you for all the support you’ve given over the decade or so that I’ve been doing this stuff.
Anyway, enjoy the blog, answer my questions and support the Hub. All the best.
- Train
I can't speak to any of the other questions you've asked, but I can tell you that as a teacher of 20 years, Harry Potter is just about done in the eyes of our students. If you had asked this 10 years ago (and let's get real, you wouldn't have even needed to!), all 25 hands in my class would have gone up - but I just asked and 4 went up. It's all but a done deal in their eyes.
ReplyDeleteMy little brother, in 6th grade, reads Harry Potter every night. My little sister, in high school, still pops the movie in when she wants a night in.
ReplyDelete1. If CR South runs the way they did last week, they should be comfortably in. I'm not confident about any other SOL school
ReplyDelete2. Tri-States is not real States
3. District One has the depth, but no the top talent. DT West is the only team with a shot at finishing top 3, but the others will still show well.
4. No idea
5. Grove City
7. No, Jenkintown's youth means that it's hard to predict how they will do at States and having Jack Miller helps a bunch
-Yifter
Sorry to wake you train, but D1 gets 6 teams this year.
ReplyDelete1-very possible.
2-Wny don't Mcgoey and Kinne race each other?
3-D1 is at it's weakest in history but will still put 5 in the top 10 at States. Jonah Hoey may win the whole meet.
4-7-IDC.