Folders |
XC Zone - 2018 Regional Rankings - Girls National - Pre-SeasonPublished by
By Michael Newman TFX National Editor
Here is a look at the first XC Zone top 10 Girls team rankings for each of the national regionals. Regional rankings will be updated weekly starting the week of September 18. Summary California and the New York Regionals appear to be the toughest regionals heading into the season. Great Oak will be challenged by an up and coming Granada squad along with defending D2 champion Claremont in California. Four schools will challenge for the two automatic qualifying regional bids in New York. It could be up for grabs considering that perennial national power and defending national champion Fayetteville-Manlius could be in a rebuilding mode. Saratoga Springs could be the team that topples them along with North Rockland with defending national champion Katelyn Touhy. The Midwest Regional is loaded. Last year’s second-place national team Naperville North IL will be the team to watch but Yorkville IL and Centerville OH return the bulk of their team and greatly improved. There are five other Illinois schools that could be close to Yorkville led by Downers Grove South IL and Wheaton-Warrenville South IL. Wayzata MN starts the season as the top team in the nation as well as the Heartland Regional. Edina MN made it to Portland last season and are the odds-on favorite to get one of the two auto spots. Farmington MN and Muskego WI are two of the top other teams to watch. The defending Florida 2A state champion Pine Crest should be one of the teams to watch in the Southeast Regional. The Panthers finished fourth in the regional in 2017. Perennial regional power Blacksburg VA could make it back to Portland this time as an auto qualifier. They finished third a year ago a received an at-large invitation. The Northeast Regional appears to be improved from last season. Top team from 2017 North Hunterdon NJ starts the season on top with Pennsylvania surprise Oakland Catholic challenging along with Bishop Guertin NH and Colts Neck NJ. There is no clear favorite in the South Regional. Southlake Carroll TX and rising Texas team Houston Stratford have the edge with the defending South Champion Keller TX close at hand. Mountain Vista CO ended last year sixth in Portland and start the season in the top five nationally. The Southwest Regional could be Colorado heavy with Battle Mountain CO challenging Lone Peak UT and Peak to Peak CO for one of the two auto-qualifying spots. Portland Jesuit OR is in the top five nationally and the top team in the Northwest Regional. We will see who emerges from an evenly talented region led by Idaho’s schools Mountain View and Boise.
Top 10 Regional Rankings
|