2017 NY Girls XC Preview: PSAL



PSAL Preview

New York State XC Season Guide - 2017

2017 Season Overview for the PSAL

Replay

The PSAL had a strong year in 2016, and 2017 promises to be even more robust. The top six runners are back for the reigning champ Benjamin Cardozo as it pushes itself up among the top 20 teams in the state. The top five runners from the PSAL championship race are back along with 8 of the top 10. The top challenger to Cardozo is 2015 champ Brooklyn Tech and it also has a strong veteran squad back that rates almost 20 TR points better than last year's squad in preseason. Seven of the top 10 returning PSAL runners have two or more seasons remaining in their high school careers. So yeah, things are looking up for the girls of the NYC public schools.

Teams

Cardozo enters the season as a big favorite after dethroning Brooklyn Tech by a 57-87 score last year. The Judges have Abigail Perez, Sophia Muccini, and Liliana Cohen back from top 10 finishes at the 2016 championship, and Shalah Means, Tatianna Martinez, and Paris Peoples give Cardozo nice depth. Brooklyn Tech returns Aziza Chigataeva and Lucinda Doogan at the top, and if some young Engineers at the back push higher, there could be a great showdown in the title match this year. Stuyvesant lost two of its top three runners and will need to rebuild behind 8th place finisher Clara Mohri, but the Peglegs have a lot of depth and will contend.

Individuals

Shayla Sanders of Young Women's Leadership cruised to victory by more than half a minute at the PSAL championship last year, but Aziza Chigataeva who had the PSAL's best finish in Federations at 28th and the rest of the PSAL's top 5 of Abigail Perez, Sophia Muccini, and Lucinda Doogan are back for another go at it. Clara Mohri, Cassidy Williams of McKee Tech, and Liliana Cohen are also returning after top 10 finishes, so the action should be spirited in 2017.

The 2016 PSAL championship featured a battle between the gray-clad Benjamin Cardozo Judges and Brooklyn Tech's blue-and-white Engineers.

Top 5 Teams at 2016 PSAL Championship





1. Benjamin Cardozo 572. Brooklyn 873. Stuyvesant 1164. McKee Tech 1495. Susan Wagner 159
Projected Top 5 Teams for 2017 from Returners' 2016 TR Ratings





1. Benjamin Cardozo 101.22. Brooklyn Tech 86.63. Stuyvesant 61.44. Susan Wagner 53.25. McKee Tech 52.6
Projected Next 2 Teams for 2017 from Returners' 2016 TR Ratings





6. High School of Fashion Industries 50.2

7. Townsend Harris 40.4



Shayla Sanders of Young Women's Leadership stormed to victory in the PSAL championship by 31 seconds after finishing 5th in 2015.


Top 2017 Returning Runners by Last Year's TR Rating

Name TeamGradeSectionPSAL PlaceSeason TR
Shayla SandersYoung Women's Leadership12Queens1121
Sophia MucciniBenjamin Cardozo10Queens4119
Aziza ChigataevaBrooklyn Tech12Brooklyn2117
Abigail PerezBenjamin Cardozo11Queens3111
Liliana CohenBenjamin Cardozo10Queens10107
Lucinda DooganBrooklyn Tech10Brooklyn5100
Cassidy WilliamsMcKee Tech11Staten Island997
Clara MohriStuyvesant11Manhattan897
Lauren HernandezSusan Wagner10Staten Island1296
Shalah MeansBenjamin Cardozo12Queens1395
Tori SaltzColumbia Prep12Manhattan---88
Amber AyalaDewitt Clinton12Bronx2684
Madelyn RodriguezNew Dorp12Staten Island1881
Madison BrownHS of Fashion Industries
10Manhattan2080
Kevia McCombHunter12Manhattan3 (Indiv.)80
Brianna BushForest Hills12Queens1979
Julie YuBrooklyn Tech11Brooklyn1775
Kamani BrownHS of Fashion10Manhattan---74
Chloe IsipBrooklyn Tech10Brooklyn2573
Deyona BanksSouth Shore11Brooklyn2 (Indiv.)72
Weronika FalbaTownsend Harris11Queens2372
Dayna SmerinaTottenville12Staten Island3270
Victoria MorringielloSusan Wagner11Staten Island2470
PSAL champ Shayla Sanders (no. 2153) leads the runners out at last year's meet with on her right New Dorp 7th place finisher Vivian Liell who had an awesome finishing kick.







PSAL Team Profiles


Teams by Rank

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