Girls Eastern State Championships
Race Time: 2:47pm | 5-Woman Average Record for VCP - 14:25.28 (FM in 2017)
Breakdown: Zariel Macchia is the top returner in the field, and by quite a large margin. She won in 2023 over the Tatnall duo of Downin and Payne by twenty seconds, both of which are back as well. The main difference here is that Macchia has had a relaxed start to the season, partly because of how late her track season went into August. If she runs at the level she has been so far, peaking for deeper into November, the race could be closer than a year before. Caitlin Thomas has been having a breakout year, and is right in the mix. She is undefeated this season, minus a seven second loss to Macchia at Six Flags just two weeks back. Gordon was the second fastest female athlete at Shore Coaches last week, and that puts her right in the mix as well.
In the team competition, it looks to mirror 2023 in that there is a clear favorite. Bethlehem is nationally ranked in the Top 10, and come in looking to improve that standing. Their compression is unmatched, and all five runners have a chance to finish in the top ten individually. Champlain Valley Union out of Vermont is a national bubble team, and looks to provide the biggest competition.
Top Individuals: Zariel Macchia (Floyd) - 137+, Caitlin Thomas (Hastings) - 136, Liliah Gordon (Northern Burlington, NJ) - 136, Taylor Page (Liverpool) - 134, Kyleen Brady (Auburn) - 133, Katie Payne (Tatnall) - 130, Adriana Pettinelli (Scarsdale) - 131, Sophia Chromczak (Bethlehem) - 129, Mary Alice Pineau (Auburn) - 128, Charlotte O'Meara (Bethlehem) - 128, Olivia DiGaetano (Connetquot) - 128, Anna Chrapowitzky (Bethlehem) - 128, Sarah Williams (Middle Country) - 127, Logan Kuhn (Bethlehem) - 127, Ella Cohen (Hunter College HS) - 124, Ava Pennachio (Eastchester) - 123, Katherine Bannigan (Bethlehem) - 123, Lydia Donahue (Champlain Valley Union, VT) - 121, Kaitlyn Hotaling (Liverpool) - 119, Malina Santee (Horace Greeley) - 117, Ruby Schwelm (Tatnall) - 116, Maggie McCormick (Bay Shore) - 116, Estella Laird (Green Mountain Valley, VT) - 115, Grace Hegedus (Princeton, NJ) - 114, Natalie Murphy (Poly Prep) - 113, Audrey Neilson (Champlain Valley Union, VT) - 113, Abigail Ringwood (Auburn) - 112, Charlotte Crum (Champlain Valley Union, VT) - 110, Abby Downin (Tatnall) - 109+, Eva Muzichenko (Eastchester) - 107
