Top Ten Teams

So I'm trying this out but I'm warning you, I'm probably going to be pretty off. I haven't followed the team game as closely as I should but I'll throw down my thoughts and feel free to throw down yours as well. The usual rules apply about contacting me and giving me the dish so let me hear you.

As the Joker says: And here ... we ... go

1. O'Hara- Savage, Bilotta, Pastore, Ostrowski
So look I'm the first one to say throw times out the window when looking at whose the best individual/team and all that good stuff but you can't overlook the fact that O'Hara traveled out of state had a boatload of guys under 16 minutes, and beat some very good teams. That proved they were a legit title contender. You can make excuses for Lebo at Pre States and all that good stuff, but you can argue O'Hara didn't have their best day either with the whole Savage sickness or whatever. Here's the bottom line, O'Hara has got 5 real solid guys who know how to work together and pack up, just like last year. Only this year I think their pack will be up higher and the other teams around them won't be as deep. PCL teams have a knack for peaking at the right time.

Only thing I can find that concerns me is that if a guy gets hurt in their top 5 they don't have much of a 6/7 that I have seen to come save the day. We will see, but definitely the #1 team.

2. Mt. Lebanon- Moran, Tellin, Tramalgini
Alright so here's the thing Mt Lebo looked very good early on, Moran was an early state title contender and they had a tight spread and all that good stuff. Since the early season, however, they have really thrown up some flags. Tellin had an off race last weekend, whatever its one bad race on a sloppy course, he'll get over it. Moran has been having a few off races and hasn't been able to pull out any big wins, but he's a very talented guy who is working hard, he should be able to piece things together at the end of the season. But those things still worry me. It's not like O'Hara who has got big wins and all their guys seem healthy and continue to move up my board rather than move down. I'm hoping that they didn't train too hard in the summer or something like that. I doubt that's the case but it is a possibility. Gunz had a stretch kind of like Moran where Gil was beating up on him, but he still came back and got 2nd at states. We will see if Lebo has the same firepower at states that Rad did.

3. North Allegheny- Steiner, Appman, Some Freshman
So you don't want to rely too much on the young guys, but NA has done it before with Gil as a third man when they got third at states a couple years back. I don't recoginize a lot of names on this team, but admittedly, they usually churn out studs I've never heard of year in and year out. Up front Steiner doesn't look amazing but think about Gil and RWB and Carlisle, he got beat by plenty of guys and he still one states. Despite completely f-ing up his toe. So I'm not too concerned. This team always, always, always has what it takes by Districts and States. Haven't seen much of NA lately so its hard to judge but based on instinct I think Lebo should be scared.

4. Henderson- Russell, the kid who used to go to HHorsham, Barchet?, Grab
Speaking of young guys, cue West Chester Henderson. So many young guys in the top 3 and top 7. Always under the radar at this time in the season, but always doing high mileage and biding their time waiting to strike. They are always a force at Districts and States and are very well coached. But again the big names from last year (Stecklair, Andrews, Collins, Barchet) are absent for one reason or another (most of them have come join me in the Centennial Conference) and still they post a very respectable finish at the meet up in New Jersey. I haven't seen enough against PA competition to move them up or down much from this spot, but just on reputation alone I expect them to run pretty solid by Districts and States. Russell is a kid to watch this year and the next couple if he keeps healthy and keeps working hard under the Kevin Kelly plan. And the guy they stole from Hatboro Horsham (I'm really sorry I just can't remember the kids name) is a nice young piece too.

5. North Penn- MacCauley, Trimble, Davis
So North Penn. Finished where at Carlisle last year? Finished where at Districts? Sure their 4-5 hasn't shown me much but I know their top three were all in the top 30 or so at Districts and the school is frickin huge, they can burn a few guys at top mileage to get a solid set of 4-5 runners. They peak at the right time and I can drop a huge load of stats on you about how awesome they have been at Districts the past few years even when people expect them to do squat (see 2010 District One Championships). And no one expected them to do squat this year. They were my pick to win Districts and I am really having a hard time letting go of that (they are still my pick to win by the way, I don't back out of things I say very easily, I'm just stubborn like that) Jacky Mac was the talk of the town in the spring. Don't forget about the kid people, he's still going to be good. Dan Davis has been solid as well, another potential state medalist wearing the baby blue.

6. Quaker Valley- Westwood, Fox
They are a AA powerhouse and have produced quality guys for quite some time now on the AA side. They are pretty big favorites to take the cake this year and get the win, winning prestates without Westwood (who better be healthy otherwise everything I am saying goes out the window). They have the favorite for the AA championship in my opinion leading them out front so that right there gives you a one or a two in team scoring (see why that previous sentene is relevant yet?) and then with something like that out front your only scoring 4 guys and that's huge. We saw it in Muhlenberg last year and this year. Having a front runner works wonders. How do they stack up against AAA teams? Eh, Pre States and RWB indicated here at 6 so that's what I'm going with.

7. LaSalle- Coyle, Stone
I'm running out of energy to type long stuff so I'm going to keep this brief. Young team that keeps getting better and better. Top guy who keeps learning to run XC. Comes from the PCL where pack running and hill running are perfected. States is hilly and LaSalle has pulled off plenty of sick states performances before (see 2nd place finish in 2008). They will be good at the right time. Depends on how deep they are to see just how good is good.

8. Great Valley- Willig, Willig (not a type-o), Wolffe
Gotta think they are better than the performance at Paul Short. Still think Prep may be peaking a tad early (heck they have done it before) and Great Valley is just appearently not as good as LaSalle (which proves me wrong because I thought they were better). I still have hope about this team (see me being stubborn above), but it is dwindling fast. Paul Short was not a good showing at all. I still believe in the Willig's moving up way higher than their last performance, but they best step their game up in the coming weeks or things will not get any prettier.

9. CR North- Emery, Wilson
When has CR North not made states? Yeah exactly. They will be back, they will be solid, and if you go to states out of District One (not trying to sound like a prick) you are pretty darn good team. Plus I think CR North is better than people give them credit for. They are a little young, but they tend to put it together at the right time like so many of the other teams on this list so I expect big things.

10. Holy Ghost Prep- Israel, Horgan, Kardish
Speaking of teams who put it together at the right time year in and year out, Holy Ghost Prep has not been one of those teams. But hey, things look like they may be different. They are still running solid at this point and the season and they are always at least in the mix come Districts but they usually fall just a bit short after much loftier early season expectations. Proceed with caution if playing them in fantasy leagues because the next couple weeks could take a turn downhill.


yeah I said top ten but this is kind of like a shout out you are doing a good job type deal for these last couple teams.

Same thing can be said about both teams. Some solid guys, no big names. District 3 has had a bunch of solid teams who haven't made huge noise, and these are the best two teams in my eyes in the District this year.

11. Governor Mifflin
12. Chambersburg