With the district cross country finals now completed, those remaining qualifiers will gear up for Saturday's PIAA Championships in Hershey.

Experience always has been a benefit, but it still comes down to just running your race.

Knoch coach Wess Brahler, whose girls team qualified by finishing second at the WPIAL Class AAA finals last Thursday, tries to keep things in perspective.

"You don't want to be caught up in the pressure of the race," said Brahler. "You'll be running with a variety of runners. There will be average teams and average runners. Not all of the districts are strong.

"We've been in the big races this year and are mentally able to prepare. Once you pull out all the individuals, you have to keep racing,"Brahler added.

The Knoch girls team is comprised of Jolene Kunkel and Alyssa Kunkel, both of whom made it to states last year, along with Emilee Hertweck, Shannon Evanchec, Cristina Corigliano, Caterina Corigliano and Tina Gallo.

One other team, the Grove City boys team, which won the District 10 Class AAA race, also will compete as a team. That squad is made up of Jacob Kildoo and Tom Bollinger, who finished first and second in the district meet, Ryan Sestak, Alex Knaby, Ben Hoffman, Jon Stewart and Aaron Anderson.

Seneca Valley's Megan Powell is making her fourth trip and will be joined by teammate Erin Lopresti in the Class AAA race. Butler's Ashton Dolan and Grove City's Sara Chuzie qualified as well.

In the boys Class AAA race, the Raiders' Cam Stauffer and Andrew Razanauskas will take part, along with Butler's Ben Porter and Knoch's Brian Tackett.

Stauffer was the WPIAL runner-up at last Thursday's final, losing to Canon-McMillan's David Gregory by one second.

Seneca Valley coach Jim Nagle said Stauffer is ready to go.

"He's very excited about (Saturday)," said Nagle. "All four of our runners ran their best times at the WPIALmeet. ... There's not much to do now. All the work is done. Just rest them and let them go."

"From the standpoint of Knoch, Brian is the best distance runner in cross country in 21 years," Brahler said. "He's had good people before him in Artie Black and Ben Hutterer. He has a goal of the 16s (minutes). That would probably put him in the top 50."

Porter has been there three times while Dolan will be making her first trip.

"Ben is very prepared," said Butler coach Rick Davanzati. "He seems very relaxed and his workouts are going well. We're hoping he will be competitive.

"For Ashton, basically, it's another meet we run with just a state meet in the title instead of the Tri-State Invitational or WPIAL or Central Catholic Invitational that we've run, and she understands that,"Davanzati added.

In the Class AA boys race, Karns City will have three runners who advanced from last weekend's District 9 finals. Bryce Foreback, Ethan McGarvey and Darren Best will represent the Gremlins

Jacob Spurk and Owen Bowser qualified for Slippery Rock the Slippery Rock boys, Jessica Bennett will represent the Rockets girls in the Class AA race.