Best Adapted Screenplay

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Most Improved Runner
Which runner would you like to highlight for making big strides during the 2015-2016 season? It doesn’t have to be literally someone with a big stride.

And the nominees are ...

Noah Falasco, Upper Merion

In one year Falasco went from a relative unkown to one of the best milers in the state. The Upper Merion senior was an 800 talent who was on the cusp of just qualifying for districts before turning over a new leaf in 2015-2016 and qualifying for both state championships in the mile. He just missed a medal indoors, but made sure to grab one in the spring, dropping a 4:16 at Shippensburg.

Kent Hall, Unionville

Hall went from never having run XC before to qualifying for nationals and booking a ticket to Georgetown in the fall of 2016. You don’t see that every day. Hall also qualified for indoor states in the mile and DMR as well as outdoor states in the 3200m after a top finish at the district championships.

Zach Lefever, Ephrata

Lefever was a solid borderline state qualifier in 2014 for XC, but then he blossomed into a star in 2015. He was the runner-up at the District 3 championships and posted top marks in big invitationals like Paul Short. On the track, Lefever finished 2^nd to Nate Henderson at districts in the 3200 and then cranked things up a notch in his first state appearance of the season, earning a well-deserved state medal in a wild state final.

Jeff Kirshenbaum, Methacton

Methacton’s Jeff Kirshenbaum hadn’t qualified for states in 2014-2015, but you wouldn’t have known it looking at his 2015-2016 season. He had an absolutely monster cross season that included a sub 16 mark at Hershey and a top 10 finish in the state (among other performances) and went from being a 9:30s guy to running 9:19 for a full 2 miles during indoors. Kirsh also provided us with our most popular tweet of all-time so thanks for that as well.

Brian Mass, CB West

CB West’s junior made a big jump forward this season. After fading at the end of the fall in 2014, Mass became an integral part of the team’s XC line up. West finished 3^rd in the state and second in the district with Mass in the scoring 5. Outdoor track was where Brian really took off. He dropped a massive 3200 PR, dipping into the low 9:20s, at districts and punched West’s only individual state qualifying ticket out of the loaded District 1.

Marc Migliozzi, North Allegheny

North Allegheny’s had a ton of talented runners over the year’s, but few have had the kind of progression Marc Migliozzi had in his final season. Marc dropped a series of excellent 3200s in 2016 (consistently at or under 9:20), culminating in a 3^rd place finish at states, closing near 60 seconds on the final lap. The previous year, he was hovering around the 10 minute mark for the same distance. He was also 10^th in the state during XC (and 2^nd at WPIALs) after finishing well outside the top 50 in 2014.

Rob Moser, West Chester East

The West Chester East senior went from an afterthought in the loaded Ches-mont to one of the league’s best runners. He dropped to low 9:20s in the 3200 by districts and qualified for states both indoors and outdoors (as well as in XC). He was a gutsy racer who wasn’t afraid to go to the front and push the pace, even if he was inexperienced at the top level of competition, having never qualified for states before.

Ryan Thrush, Brookville

Thrush was a solid runner in 2015, but he absolutely exploded in 2016. After struggling to make the state finals in the 1600 and 800 as a sophomore, Thrush dropped an unbelievable 1:52 800 at Baldwin for a massive PR and a stunning victory over Mike Kolor and Michael Bove. Thrush followed it up with a big state meet that included a 48 second open 400 meter for state gold.

Dave Whitfield, Bonner

Although Whitifield had had success on Bonner’s 4x8 relay in the past, he had never broken 2 minutes in the open 800. Even during the indoor season, Whitfield was on the outside looking in for the state championship. But outdoors, Whitfield turned it up a notch. He clocked a 1:55 early in the season and carried that momentum through to DELCOs, PCLs and Districts, the last of which was a 1:53 low victory that made him the #1 runner in the state. He will be back next year to defend his district title and take a shot at his first state medal.

Nick Wolk, Peters Township

Wolk was a solid WPIAL runner in 2014-2015, just cracking the top 50 at states in cross and qualifying for states in the 1600. But Wolk transformed into the class of the WPIAL in 2015-2016. He absolutely dominated the competition within his district and streaked out to an essentially undefeated record against D7. He also finished 4^th at states in XC, was one of the top regional finishers from PA and capped off his career with a silver at states against Matt Kravitz.

Best Film Editing

Film Editing
Best Upset of the Year
Which race produced the most surprising result of the year? There are plenty to choose from this year, but don’t feel limited to just state meets or just track. Any meet could have produced the biggest upset.

And the nominees are ...

Abington Invitational 1600m (Owen Ritz)

Owen Ritz entered this meet as a mid 4:30s miler who was buried on the Ritz family depth chart. He left as one of the best runners in the state, clocking a 4:21 PR explosion to get the victory. It was one of the most impressive drops in state history.

PIAA AA XC States (Dallas)

Usually a young team folds under pressure and that’s what many thought would happen to District 2 youngsters Dallas. However, they rallied together and used a tight pack (that included 2 sophomores and 2 freshmen) to clinch an unlikely state title over the defending champions York Suburban and proven program Grove City. They will go for a repeat title in 2016.

Penn Relays Mile (Josh Hoey)

Josh was projected to be PA’s 4^th best miler at the Penn Relays by some people. But he ended up PA’s first best. And also just first in general. Josh Hoey sprinted to the front with about 300 to go and stunned a stacked field in front of the packed Franklin Field stadium. It was also a massive PR for Josh as he dropped all the way to 4:11 for the full mile distance.

PIAA AAA Outdoor 800m (Joe Espinal)

The 800 was so wide open, commenters were literally inventing all sorts of reasons to pick a winner. Just check the comment section (and the Oscar nominees). But at the end of the day Joe Espinal dropped from a 1:55 relative unknown to a 1:51 state champion, defeating Matt Wisner, Jaxson Hoey and Nick Feffer among others.

PIAA AAA Outdoor 1600m (Alex Milligan)

The action was centered around Josh Hoey and Mike Kolor heading into the state championship, but things quickly changed as Alex Milligan, doubling off the 4x8, hung tight until a lap to go when he turned on the jets for the state title. He ran a 4:10.17 shortly after splitting a 1:52 anchor leg on the 4x8 (for the win). Only Sean Collins could have predicted that. Milligan proved the upset was no fluke with a top finish at the New Balance Nationals Mile a few weeks later.

PIAA AAA Outdoor 3200m (Matt Kravitz)

The 3200 has been an event packed with upsets in recent years and North Pocono’s Matt Kravitz became the next in line when he dropped a massive PR in hot conditions to defeat the WPIAL armada, Jake Brophy and Nate Henderson. Yes, all three AAA state titles were big upsets. It was just that kind of state meet.

PTFCA Indoor State DMR (Cardinal O’Hara)

Yes, Cardinal O’Hara was the defending champions, but few people saw them as title contenders heading into the DMR finals. In fact, Dan Beck of Penntrack didn’t even have O’Hara on the medal stand. But O’Hara sprinted out to a big lead early against the favorites and Ryan James took care of business with a herculean solo effort on the anchor leg to defeat GFS, State College, CB West, CB East and many more top ranked programs.

Best Foregin Language Film

Best Foreign Language Film
Best Non-Distance Performance
This gives you a chance to highlight some of your favorite moments that weren’t covered on this blog. You can nominate a team, individual or race for this award. Feel free to get creative.

Jordan Geist, Knoch

This guy throws things really far. Like really far.

Josh McLemore, DT West

This guy sprints as fast as he can. Sometimes he’s on relays. Sometimes he’s just running by himself. He doesn’t run more than a lap at a time, but he runs that lap really fast.

Nazareth 4x100m

In one of the most exciting events of the day, these 4 guys did not break any baton related rules and all sprinted very fast.

Ayden Owens, North Allegheny

This guy doesn’t just sprint fast, he also jumps over things well. He did that as just a sophomore.

Griffin Thompson, State College

This guy uses a pole to vault himself up high distances. It’s pretty impressive and a pretty nice bonus for his teammates who won the team title this year.
 
Let’s be real, etrain doesn’t know anything about the non distance runners. This is the limit of his sprint/field intellectual abilities.

Best Animated Feature

Best Animated Feature
Best Performance by an Underclassmen
This is essentially the “Best Actor” award, but for freshman and sophomores. Again, the voters can interpret exactly what constitutes “best”.

And the nominees are ...

Evan Addison, LaSalle

This sophomore from LaSalle was a key part of the team’s success in both the XC and track. He ran in the top 5 for the Explorers throughout the season and also ran a pair of clutch legs on LaSalle’s state qualifying 4x8s. He capped off the season at the Henderson Distance Festival with a 4:17 full mile, holding his own in a stacked field of some of the greatest runners of the year.

Liam Conway, Owen J. Roberts

The Owen J. Roberts sophomore was one of the top cross runners in the state in 2015 and just barely missed a medal in the fall. On the track, he proved himself by qualifying for all three distance events at the indoor state championship and then ran 1:54 and 4:15 during the spring. Conway made the state finals in the 1600 and will be one of the top returners for next year’s race.

Jake Claricurzio, CB West

Although he was only a sophomore, Claricurzio was put on the all-important anchor leg for both of CB West’s 4x800s at the state championship (indoor and outdoor). In the outdoor finals, he held his own in an absolutely loaded leg and split a 1:53 to help West earn bronze (and almost silver). He also led his indoor squad to a silver medal just ahead of Abington and ran the 1200 leg of the team’s medal winning DMR.

Luke and Matt Eissler, Pennridge

Pennridge got a pair of big talents in the Eissler brothers. Luke and Matt each held their own in the mid-distances, especially the 800 and ran some key legs for the team’s 4x8 both indoors and outdoors. Matt ran a monster split at outdoor states as a freshman (possibly around 1:55-1:56) and helped Pennridge take home a third straight state medal in the 4x8.

David Endres, Cade Sands, and Cole Sands, CB East

CB East’s XC team was in a dog fight all season to clinch a spot on the line at states. Thanks to this trio of talented freshmen they not only qualified (5^th in D1), but also placed in the top 10 at the state championships. Endres continues his fantastic running on the track, splitting under 2 minutes in the 4x8 and running a key leg on the team’s medal winning DMR.

Tristan Forsythe, Winchester Thurston

The sophomore from Winchester Thurston added an impressive 3 medals to his trophy case this year after medaling in XC, indoor track and outdoor track. He was one of the top sophomores in the state for A XC and won the slow heat of the indoor mile at states. This coming outdoors, with Domenic Perretta graduating, Forsythe should be near the top of the title contenders in the 1600m.

Josh Hoey, DT West

What’s there to say about Josh Hoey that hasn’t already been said? In his three trips to states this year he finished 3^rd-2^nd-3^rd, running the mile and 1600 during track. He also was a part of the state and regional champions in XC (their #1 runner at regionals) as well as a member of West’s outdoor state champion 4x8. But perhaps most impressive of all, Hoey won the Penn Relays mile this year as just a sophomore.

Kamil Jihad, Neumann Goretti

Jihad had an absolutely monster season on the track, especially during outdoors. In his first season at Neumann Goretti, Jihad ran a 1:52 at outdoor states to help push Domenic Perretta to a state record in the open 800. During indoors, he qualified for states in both the 400 and the 800 and tried the difficult double of contesting both at states. Like Forsythe, with Perretta graduating the 800 could be Jihad’s for the taking next year.

Seth Ketler and Sam Owori, Seneca Valley

Seneca Valley’s star is Mike Kolor, but their depth in 2015-2016 was tremendous as well. In XC, Seneca Valley impressed with a surprise 2^nd place finish at the WPIAL championships, thanks in part to Sam Ketler and Sam Owori’s big rise as freshman. In addition, the Seneca Valley DMR finished 4^th at the indoor state championship, with Ketler running a strong opening 1200m leg under the bright lights.

Spencer Smucker, WC Henderson

The Henderson sophomore was one of the top XC runners in the state this past season and grabbed a second straight XC state medal, finishing 15^th. He also led his Henderson team to a #10 finish in the state. On the track, Smucker anchored Henderson’s DMR into the top 10 yet again during his first season of indoor track. Outdoors he showed great speed in the 800 and 1600 and helped Henderson qualify for the district finals in the 4x8.

Best Documentary Short Film

Best Documentary Short Film
Best Comment of the Year
This award is the same as the best blog post, but is meant to highlight your contributes as commenters. If you can’t think of a specific moment or are having trouble skipping back through posts to find something, feel free to just give a commenters name or nickname or highlight a particular prediction or topic that was covered that you particularly enjoyed.

D6 Legend Wins Indoor State Prediction Contest

During the indoor state championships, D6 Legend had a thrilling come from behind victory in the Prediction Contest. He (or she) posted a monster score in the DMR and made a comeback victory over our own etrain11 and also defeated Penntrack webmaster Dan Beck.

Etrain is a Giant Softie

Whoever you are, the etrain writers thank you for giving them added ammunition.

John Ceena wins XC State Prediction Contest

In the annual XC fantasy draft, a newcomer to the prediction contest came in to steal the show. Etrain ended up second again as John Ceena picked the winning squad to pull out the fantasy draft victory with an impressive top 5 squad. Views from the 7, unfortunately, came up just short of defending their title.

No Excuses

It’s an oldy, but a goody. Take a trip down memory lane with Henderson Invitational.

The Joe Espinal 800 Prediction

Was it a joke or a stroke of genius? The real nostraindamus called one of the biggest upsets in PA Track history in a fun and fantastic way.

Best Supporting Actor

Best Supporting Actor
Best Performance by a #2 Runner on a Team or Relay
This award is meant to highlight the efforts of a runner who may not be the “star” of a team, but made important contributions towards a school’s achievements during the year, whether that be on relays or in team scoring for track and cross country.

And the nominees are …

Blake Behney, Camp Hill

Camp Hill’s senior leader was the #2 runner on the team’s state championship squad during XC, providing valuable experience as their only returning state medalist. Despite sickness, he captured a second straight medal that provided a valuable low stick for CH. In addition, Behney provided key relay legs in the 4x8 and the DMR for Camp Hill’s excellent performances at Districts, States and Nationals.

Ben Clouse, Sewickley Academy

If not for an injury at states, Ben Clouse would likely be one of the bigger names to come out of this past XC season. Running behind teammate Griffin Mackey, Clouse was a force in cross country and placed highly at invitationals like Foundation and Paul Short. He also added a top finish at the WPIAL championships to help Sewickley surprise for the title for a second straight season. Despite his injury, Clouse still fought all the way to the finish at XC States, doing everything he could to try and help his team win.

Nick Feffer, State College

On most teams, Feffer would be the star. He ran 1:53 in the open 800 to finish 4^th in the state and split a 1:52 leg on SC’s state championship 4x8. However, Feffer was the #2 runner on the loaded Little Lions squad behind Alex Milligan (1:52 low and 4:10 abilities). The Junior provided clutch legs from the #2 position and always performed well when the spotlight was brightest. He consistently PRs at the state championship and even added an XC state medal this year for the first time, finishing as SC’s #1 runner.

Josh Goetz, CB East

Although Jake Brophy has grabbed headlines this year, Goetz has also been a key leader for CB East. He was the team’s #2 runner during cross country and helped East qualify for the state championships after a heartbreaking near miss a year earlier. In track, he really excelled at the 3200m, finishing with a strong PR in the incredibly fast D1 final this past spring. He also showcased incredible range, providing a sub 2 relay split in the trials for CB East’s 4x8 that made it to the state final.

Grayson Hepp, GFS

The senior on a young GFS squad, Hepp was always ready to step up and help the team win. He anchored the indoor 4x800m relay and a ran a 1200 leg on the DMR that received all state (and all American for the DMR) honors. Hepp could run anything from the 4x4 to the 5k and excel making him a valuable runner in any situation for the Tigers.

Brian Iatarola, CB West

Iatarola really developed into one of the best #2 runners in the state during XC and gave CB West a 1-2 punch in the medals at states when he finished a career-best 25^th place. He also ran well under 16 minutes at the district championships. Brian also excelled on the track in both the 32 and the 16 and competed among the best runners in the district at both distances. CB West isn’t a traditional XC powerhouse, but with Iatarola in the #2 spot, the team has placed in the top 6 at states two years in a row.

Ben Littman, Winchester Thurston

Winchester Thurston is quietly one of the best distance programs in the state and helping to lead the charge (also quietly) has been Ben Littman. Although Littman hasn’t gotten the same level of coverage as guys like Will Loevner or Tristan Forsythe, Littman has placed in the medals at each of the last two state championships he has competed in (XC and spring track for the 3200) and is a consistent medal winner within the deep WPIAL. He will be back in a supporting role alongside Forsythe in the fall, hoping to get WT into the top 5 at states for yet another season.

Bryan Keller, CR North

The CRN 4x8 was very strong in 2016, performing well at Penn Relays, Districts and States. Although their fastest split at states came from anchor Ben Heintz, junior Bryan Keller was a game changer in the lead off position. He consistently handed off at or near the front of the pack and had a strong kick at the end of the his races. Keller was also a valuable member of North’s top 5 during XC, could run the 16 and 32 at a high level, and qualified for the state championships individually at 800m.

Phoenix Myers, Seneca

Although his brother ran the key anchor leg for Seneca at states in the 4x8, Phoenix has excelled on the state landscape as well. He was the team’s #2 runner during XC, where Seneca won the District 10 title and placed in the top 5 at states. He also ran a 1:56 lead off leg for Seneca, setting the stage for an impressive 7:50 victory in the 4x800 relay.

Henry Sappey, DT West

DT West’s senior leader has been involved in all the big moments for this team over the past two seasons. He finished 6^th at states in XC and 4^th at District 1 behind two of his teammates, Jaxson and Josh Hoey. He also was the team’s #2 runner at the Regional and National Championships during the fall. On the track, Sappey scored both indoors in the 3k and outdoors in the 1600 for West, providing key points in the team’s quest for more state gold.

Best Directing

Best Directing
Best Coaching Performance
This award highlights the coaches who help each team and athlete hit their potential. Feel free to list a school or program even if you don’t know the coach who is operating behind the scenes.

And the nominees are ….

CB East

When you think of CB East, your mind certainly jumps to the team’s super star leader Jake Brophy who won two state titles during the 2015-2016 year. However, CB East’s depth was what really put their coaching staff on the map. With a mix of young runners and established seniors, CB East put together a truly memorable XC campaign  that included a trip to the state championships in Hershey as well as a top 10 finish in the state meet as a team. On the track, East qualified for both the 4x8 and the DMR at indoor states and also punched their ticket for Penn Relays in the 4x8. Outdoors, their 4x8 qualified for the state final and finished 9^th overall.

CR North

CR North has proven to be one of the most consistent XC programs in the state. After losing their only returning state medalist and some other key pieces, it was unclear how competitive North would be in the loaded district one. But, as per usual, CRN rounded a young squad into shape at the perfect time. Without a true “star” (they had no one in the top 40 overall at states), CRN rode a tight pack to a 5^th place overall finish at states. But they weren’t finished. On the track, they surprised by grabbing 8^th place at the indoor state meet. Then, during the spring, the team continued to show incredible depth across the distance events with multiple sub 2 runners, sub 4:30 guys and sub 10 minute runners. Ultimately, that depth culminated in a state medal in the 4x800 and a sub 7:50 mark.

DT West

It was a wild year for DT West as the arrival of the Hoeys made them the big favorites for the 2015 XC State Title. Despite a ton of pressure and expectation, DT West delivered on the big stage. They won the Manhattan Invitational, States and the Nike Northeast Regional meet. They cruised during the regular season despite the fact that they rested at least one key member of their varsity squad at every meet, including rest their three seniors in a winning effort at Ches-monts. During indoor and outdoor track, the team continued to thrive. West won the indoor state championship as a team and just missed another title during the spring.

It wasn’t just about talent for West, it was also about depth. Runners across a variety of disciplines like Chase Seymanyk and Ben Ryherd pulled through in big moments and, without arguably their three best milers, DT West’s DMR competed extremely well at the indoor state meet, nearly leaving with a top finish.

Germantown Friends

GFS competes in the Independent League, so they don’t get quite as many chances to race the big name runners in the PIAA. But when they had their opportunities, GFS more than held their own. They ran brilliant marks in the 4x800 and the DMR at indoor states, placing in the top 4 at both events. In addition, GFS was one of the top PA schools in the Penn Relays and earned all American honors at Nationals, running 10:03. What was really impressive about the GFS team was the transition they made into the shorter distances. Their 800 team saw big improvements across the board as their top three runners ran 1:54-1:55-1:57 in the opens. Their signature long distance prowess didn’t evaporate either. The Tigers won the Independent League XC title and Junior Nick Dahl won the Henderson Invite 3200m over 5 time state champ Dominic Hockenbury.

LaSalle http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-etrain-11-it-takes-village.html

The boys from LaSalle’s depth is, by now, well documented. They put 7 runners under 17 minutes on the difficult Hershey course and used a tight pack to finish 4^th in the state and first in the always competitive PCL. On the track, their distance core flexed some serious muscle throughout the season, highlighted by their outdoor state medal in the 4x800m and the emergence of long distance stud Frank Livolsi.

North Allegheny
The North Allegheny Tigers graduated their top 3 XC runners from their state championship team in 2014 and arguably got even better in 2015. Although they had to go up against a juggernaut in DT West, North Allegheny held their own and put 3 runners in the top 26 for the second straight season, finishing 2^nd overall. On the track, they graduated a 1:56 open 800m runner and an 8:56 3200 runner (who were both key pieces of the team’s 4x8) and improved again at the state championship. The Tigers had a 3^rd place finish from Marc Migliozzi (who dropped almost a minute of his PR) and medaled in the 4x8 for the first time this decade with a team of 3 juniors and 1 sophomore. When you add in the team’s 1600 medalist Joe Stupak and their sprinter/hurdler Ayden Owens, NA was one of the top teams in the overall team standings at outdoor states.

Seneca Valley

The WPIAL is loaded with talented teams and coaches, but Seneca Valley held their own in the 2015-2016 year. First, SV finished 2^nd at the WPIAL XC Championships, defeating some fantastic programs in the process. Then they added a 4^th place finish in the state championship DMR during indoors and qualified for the outdoor 4x8 state championship without their super star Mike Kolor. Kolor himself added three individual state medals to his resume during his senior season under the SV staff and won both the 16 and the 8 at the WPIAL championships.

Sewickley Academy

The small school from A may not be at the top of everyone’s radar, but Sewickley Academy has quietly finished 1^st in the WPIAL and 2^nd at states the past two seasons in single A. This season, they finished 2^nd despite an injury to their #2 overall runner, Ben Clouse (who made impressive strides in 2015) and still finished with two runners in the medals, including a freshman, Henry Meakem and state champion Griffin Mackey. Sewickley’s finish also came with a team made up entirely of underclassmen who will be back in 2016 to take another shot at gold.

Spring Ford http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-etrain-11-young-and-restless.html

Spring Ford’s boys squad finished just 17^th at districts in 2014 and were returning a core made up mostly of sophomores. However, the Rams seamlessly integrated John Conner and raced with brilliant pack tactics en route to a 2^nd place finish at Paul Short and a 6^th place finish at Districts, despite their relative youth and inexperience. The Spring Ford distance squad was one of the deepest in the PAC 10 on the track and it allowed them to win yet another PAC title this outdoor season.

State College

At this point, there’s not much to say about the Little Lions that hasn’t already been said. State College had a monster finish to their outdoor season, including a runaway victory in the 4x800m, a surprise upset in the 1600, two 800 medalists and the coveted team title over a phenomenal DT West team. Despite the talent of their top runners, it’s worth noting that SC showed incredible depth, especially in their signature event the 800. It gave them some nice flexibility for districts and states that helped rest key legs for important races later in the weekend. Every second counted on race day, so all the contributions from this deep team were critical.

Best Picture

Best Picture
Best Race of the Year
Awarded to the best race, from either Cross Country or Track and Field, featuring a PA athlete. This is not best performance, meant to highlight an individual’s performance, but rather best race meant to highlight an exciting, impressive or particularly memorable event.

And the nominees are …

Baldwin Invitational 3200m http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/05/baldwin-vs-henderson-which-was-better.html

What a loaded 3200 Race! It takes a special kind of race to get you a comparison to the Henderson 3200m, but that’s what this race earned. It was tight at the front and set the stage for an epic match up at states between District 1 and District 7.

District 12 AAA 800m http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/05/aaa-800m-preview-and-predictions.html

Before this meet, District 12 wasn’t at the top of most people’s state predictions. However, after a blazing fast opening 400, the state was put on notice about the PCLs top talents.

Lawerenceville Relays DMR http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-big-ol-weekend-recap.html

The state was hungry for a big DMR and at Lawerenceville, CB East gave it to us with an epic duel against some of the best in the nation, producing some of the top times in the US.

PIAA AAA XC States http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2015/11/aaa-state-meet-recap.html

How about an epic sprint to the finish between two of PA’s all-time greats for a state title? How about a record number of sub 16 performances and fast times? How about a killer set of top 4 teams? How about the AAA XC State meet?

PIAA AA Outdoor 800m http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/06/piaa-800m-recap.html

Domenic Perretta had been chasing a big time for years. But in this race, he finally got to face off against some of the best AA 800 runners we’ve ever seen.

PIAA AAA Outdoor State 4x800m http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/05/piaa-4x800m-recap.html

State College had something to prove and had a team title to win. How about a run at the 4x8 state record to help start things off? Then behind them, there were some epic battles for the remaining medal spots, a ton of big PR splits and a dive at the line for silver between some familiar foes.

PIAA AAA Outdoor State 4x400m http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/05/state-championship-recap-team.html

What could possibly be better than a race that decides not just the 4x4 state championship, but also the team state championship? Sure it was spread out over 4 heats, but my goodness can you get any better drama than this?

PIAA AAA Outdoor State 1600m http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/05/piaa-1600m-recap.html

The story going in was how would the Kolor vs. Hoey dual play out. The story going out was Alex Milligan. It was one of the most incredible performances we’ve seen in recent memory and one of the greatest top 3s we have seen. Plus we saw some younger stars emerge and some key team points decided.

PTFCA Indoor 800m http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/03/800m-recap.html

Dom Perretta finally got his chance to match up with the AAA boys and it did not disappoint. An epic showdown between Perretta, Wisner, Hoey and Kolor decided the state gold and orchestrated some bragging rights.

PTFCA Indoor 3,000m http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2016/03/3000m-recap.html

We had a rare opportunity to watch two of the greatest winners in our sport go head to head. It was a battle of conflicting styles and it was decided in an epic sprint to the finish. What’s not to like?

Best Actors

Best Actors
Best Performance by a Team or Relay
Similar to Best Actor, this is open to interpretation as well. Voters can select a relay, a XC team or a track team. They can also consider a team’s entire body of work over three seasons.

And the nominees are ...

Camp Hill XC/Track

I made a post about these guys, but the Camp Hill boys were doing big things long before that post hit the net. In the fall, Camp Hill stormed to district and state championships in cross country, led by three runners in the top 26 in the state. Then, on the track, the small school (A for XC) nearly grabbed another state title at Shippensburg, coming up just short in 2^nd. All three of their relays earned state medals and Cooper Leslie took 3^rd in the 1600 after a 1:53 anchor leg of Camp Hill’s sub 8 relay. As an added bonus, CH trekked to New Balance Nationals and clocked a sub 10:30 mark in the DMR.

CB East XC/Track

Hey, I made a post about these guys too! CB East qualified for the state championships in XC during the fall and earned a top 10 spot in the standings thanks in part to big races from Oscar nominees Jake Brophy and Josh Goetz. During indoors, CB East qualified for states in both the DMR and the 4x800, earning a medal in the DMR. East also qualified for the Penn Relays in the 4x8 and made the state finals outdoors, finishing in 9^th place overall. Throughout the season, the team showed incredible depth across a variety of distances, including some monster performances from their freshmen.

CR North XC/Track

The boys from North put on a peaking clinic this year in XC. They rolled at just the right time and used a tight pack of state new comers to finish 5^th overall in AAA. They surprised a lot of people when they snuck into the 8 spot in the 4x8 during indoor states and then launched a phenomenal outdoor season. North ran well under 7:50 in the state finals of the outdoor 4x8 and was in contention for the silver medal position throughout the race. In the mile and 3200 they brought together a core from a variety of grades to run under 10 minutes and under 4:30. They also showed a ton of potential for a bright future next year.

DT West XC/Track

What can you say about this team other than “Wow”. DT West dominated the XC season with big wins at Manhattan, States and Regionals (the first ever by a PA squad). They rolled to one of the biggest point totals ever during the indoor state championship and then came just one point away from repeating the feat during outdoors. West won the 4x4 state championship, had a Penn Relays mile champion and had top 3 finishers in the state for both the 8 and the 16. They also placed 3 runners in the top 6 overall at XC states, all at 15:53 or faster.

Germantown Friend’s DMR/4x800m

Although they were in the independent league this year, GFS still threw down some of the most impressive distance relays in the state. Their 4x8 placed 4^th during the winter at states, running a big school record. They also grabbed silver in the DMR at indoor states with a variety of doubling legs. At indoor nationals, they held their own in the slower section of the DMR, helped in part by a 4:10 anchor leg by Nick Dahl. GFS continued to roll outdoors, just missing the finals of the 4x8 at Penn Relays and then clocking a monster 10:03 DMR at Nationals with a 4:08 split from Dahl this time around. Their 800 core featured runners at 1:54, 1:55 and 1:57 in the open 800 (with some faster splits thrown in there as well).

LaSalle XC/Track

You are not going to believe this, but I actually wrote an article about themtoo. LaSalle’s depth has been incredible in 2015-2016. They put 7 guys under 17 at states in Hershey, one of the most impressive displays of depth in the race’s history. They also qualified for indoor states in both the DMR and the 4x8 and then followed that with an outdoor state medal in the 4x8. Patrick Grant and Evan Addison both ran under 4:18 for a full mile at the Henderson Distance Festival, leading a slew of fast 3200, 1600 and 800 guys on this team’s unthinkably deep roster.

North Allegheny XC/Track

Imagine graduating your top 3 guys in XC and getting better? Is it possible? Well that’s arguably what happened for NA who, after losing 3 of the top 26 finishers from the 2014 XC State meet, came back to finish 2^nd at states to an all-time great DT West squad. Jacob Stupak, Marc Migliozzi and Sam Blechman all finished in the top 26 at the state championship themselves. On the track, North Allegheny surprised with a state medal in the 4x8 with a squad of all returners (including some key runs by sophomores) and also qualified four individuals for states between the 8, 16 and 32. Marc Migliozzi and Jacob Stupak both left with medals in their respective events and North Allegheny posted a terrific team score that was overshadowed by the jaw-dropping numbers from SC and DTW.

Seneca 4x800m

The small school was incredible in the AA 4x800, cruising to the state title in one of the fastest AA state times ever. They ran 7:50 for the gold and featured a 1:53 anchor split from Donovan Myers. This squad returns all 4 runners from their state title campaign including two 1:56 splits to go with their 1:53.

Seneca Valley XC

The Seneca Valley XC team wasn’t at the top of everyone’s radars in 2015, but they emerged as a surprise contender at the WPIAL championships when they finished 2^nd overall ahead of local power Mount Lebanon. Mike Kolor led the charge out front, but the team displayed an impressive pack, including key runs from some talented freshmen as well.

State College 4x800m/Track

State College’s 4x8 put on a clinic during the 2016 track seasons. After rolling to a Millrose win, a state title and a near state record during the winter, SC went outdoors with a chip on their shoulder. Their 4x8 absolutely crushed a loaded outdoor field with a 7:37 runaway victory. Their top three runners also ran 4:10.17 (Milligan), 1:53.50 (Feffer) and 1:54.17 (Degleris) to score individually in their open events later in the meet. Those performances, combined with a variety of other monster jumps, throws and sprints, helped SC pull off the upset in the state title race, edging out DT West by 1 point.