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XC Zone 2017 Teams to Watch – Girls Pre-SeasonPublished by
By Michael Newman
After calculating rankings for Illinois High School Cross Country the past ten years, I thought it was time to step out of my comfort zone. For more than two years now, I started playing around with national rankings for cross-country. I played around with formulas to see what worked on formulating a ranking system nationally. Some of the things that I saw during that time motivated me to try this. I found one that worked last January. At the end of the track season, I looked at more than 200 national teams per gender doing the same research that I did when I did the Illinois rankings. By mid-July, I came up with a preliminary list. A couple of weeks later. I finalized the 50 teams that you see below. It is not where I think the teams will finish at the end of the year. It is where I see the teams now. The more promotion for high-school cross-country the better for this great sport, right? The pre-season list will have a preview of 50 teams for both Boys and Girls. Each week starting on the week of September 10, I will roll out National and Regional Teams to Watch. The national list will have the top 25 teams. The List for the Regionals will list the top five schools. You can find the National and Regional List each week at the ILXCTF XC Zone. Here is a look at the top 50 Girls teams to keep an eye on for the upcoming 2017 cross-country season.
Top 50 National – Girls
1 Fayetteville-Manlius NY Region – New York Top Runners – Claire Walters SO, Phoebe White SO, Palmer Madsen SR, Sophie Ryan SR, Rebecca Walters SR, Alex Villalba SR. Notes – It is hard not to think that this New York school is the favorite for this December’s Nike Cross Nationals. Six of last year’s top seven are bank looking to defend their national title to make it four straight titles. The Hornets have won 10 out of the last 11 national titles. Sophomore Claire Walters was one of two team runners to earn All-American honors finishing 20th overall. Sophia Ryan was the second runner on last year’s NXN team and could push for All-American honors this December. They ran a 49 second split on their top five in Portland. Considering that their scorers all were within the first 15 team places, it will be tough to beat this squad.
2 Keller TX Region – South Top Runners – Abbey Santoro SR, Julia Black SR, Isabel Van Camp JR, Vera Thompson SO, Makenna Pallozzi SO, Sydney White SR, Katie Carr JR, Emily Walton SR. Notes – Keller is a team to watch this season. There were last year also winning the Texas 6A state championship and finished second behind Southlake Carroll at the NXR South Regional. The Indians did not have their best race of the season at the Nike Cross Nationals placing 15th overall. Expectations are high for this team as they return their entire 2016 lineup. Seniors Abbey Santoro and Julia Black look to be the front runners on this team. One thing to watch for this team is getting their fifth runner closer to the pack. In the Texas state meet race, Keller had 4 scorers in the first 14 with their fifth runner Sydney White 43rd overall. The split on the four at Texas was 58 seconds off Santoro’s third place finish. It was 78 seconds on their first four in Portland. Keeping their overall split near 60 seconds with their first four within 32 to 34 seconds could put Keller in the trophy talk conversation this December.
3 Portland Sunset OR Region – Northwest Top Runners – Ember Stratton JR, Kelly Makin SR, Lucy Huelskamp SO, Na’ama Nero JR, Grace Beal JR. Notes – It could be another short trip to the Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland where the Nike Cross Nationals take place for this Sunset team. The Apollos will first look to go after the Oregon 6A state title in which they finished second a year ago. It helps to have Ember Stratton up front to provide low points. The junior finished second in the NXN finals and will be the top runner coming back to that race. Five other runners are back from that NXN team led by Kelly Makin and Lucy Huelskamp. A key will be finding a fifth runner to step up and keeping their two to five-runner spread near 65 seconds.
4 Portland Jesuit OR Region – Northwest Top Runners – Alexis Kebbe SO, Elizabeth Rinck JR, Makenna Schumacher JR, Keely McCormack SR, Kelsey Kripakoven SO. Notes – The Crusaders are looking for the short trip to the Nike Cross Nationals. Jesuit won the Oregon 6A state championship last year but stumbled the following week at the NXR Northwest Regional finishing sixth. Their entire top five is back looking to extend their season into December. Makenna Schumacher was the team’s top runner at state placing sixth overall. At the regional meet, it was Alexis Kebbe. Keeping their five-runner spread under 60 seconds this season will be something to watch of this team. It was 51 seconds at state but mushroomed to 92 seconds at regionals. That memory could push Jesuit to some big things this fall.
5 Buchanan CA Region – California Top Runners – Corie Smith SO, Meagen Lowe JR, Katie Nili SR, Amanda Dalberg SO, Clare Hernandez SR. Notes – Buchanan starts the year as the top Girls team in California. Their top five runners are back from the team that placed third in the California D1 State Championships. Corie Smith and Meagen Lowe finished in the top ten in the race and again will lead this team. What could make this team a favorite to make it to the Nike Cross Nationals is the split between Smith and Lowe and the rest of the pack. The split on the three to five scorers at state was only 22 seconds. It was only 10 seconds at their section race with an overall spread of 65 seconds. Lowering both those splits could lead to some remarkable things at the end of the year.
6 Bozeman MT Region – Northwest Top Runners – Camila Noe SR, Phoebe Jacques SR, Laina Hall SR, Alex Moore SO, Laina Hall SR, Zoe Eberspecher SR, Tierra Trom SO, Bridget Boyle JR. Notes – While the Bozeman Boys team took center stage by winning the Nike Cross Nationals championships, the Girls team were in the shadows as they placed eighth overall. The situation for the Girls team may be reversed at the end of the year even though they will miss two of their top five-runners due to graduation. The talent is still there to make a run into the top five. Camila Noe had a great race in Portland placing 35th overall and will be one of the keys to this team’s success in 2017. They could still have a good pack behind Noe led by Phoebe Jacques. A key will be keeping those four runners within 20 seconds of each other and within 50 seconds of Noe. They will be the favorite in Montana for the state championship. They will need a great race in what looks like a tough Northwest Sectional.
7 North Rockland NY Region – New York Top Runners – Katelyn Tuohy SO, Haleigh Morales SO, Noelle Feeney SR, Kerry O’Connor SR, Britney Pezzementi FR, Catherine Ruffino SO. Notes – North Rockland has a good shot to make it to Portland led by sophomores Katelyn Tuohy and Haleigh Morales. Tuohy made the trip by herself last fall placing 13th in Portland. She had a strong track season winning the 1500 Meter Run at the New York State Meet as well as winning the 1 Mile Run at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals (4:45.95). Morales is a strong second runner finishing 8th at the New York State Championships and 14th at the NXR New York Regional last fall. The rest of their scorers need to lower the spread between the two sophomores and them. The gap was 74 seconds at the NXR race.
8 Highlands Ranch Mountain Vista CO Region – Southwest Top Runners – Sarah O’Sullivan SO, Jenna Fitzsimmons SO, Caroline Eck JR, Zoe Simmons JR, Allie Chipman SR, Rebecca Walton SR, Lauren Soares SO, Julia Chambers JR, Madison Easton SR. Notes – After finishing 13th at last year’s Nike Cross Nationals, Mountain Vista could be a factor in the top ten standings in Portland returning five of their top six runners. Sophomores Jenna Fitzsimmons and Sarah O’Sullivan traded off the top spot on the team in their final three races last fall and should lead again in 2017. Their best race of the year came in their regional win when their top five split was 56 seconds. When they finished second behind Broomfield in the Colorado 5A State Meet, that split was 54 seconds. Their top three in that race were farther back in the pack. We know that Fitzsimmons and O’Sullivan will show improvement and consistency in their second year of cross-country. A move of the all their top five closer to the front will be something to watch from this team this fall.
9 Broomfield CO Region – Southwest Top Runners – Maddie Mooney SR, Ivy Gonzales SR, Katelyn Mitchem SO, Laura Thompson SR, Emily Mitchem SR, Vanessa Kart SR. Notes – A team to watch to make it back to Portland in what could be a weaker than normal Southwest Regional. The Eagles won the Colorado 5A State title last fall but needed an at-large bid after finishing third in their NXR Regional Meet to make it to the Nike Cross Nationals. They could be tough at the end of the year with their top six coming back. Maddie Mooney and Ivy Gonzales finished within a second of each other at the Portland race. They will be the leaders on this team. Mooney had a good track season running 2:11 for 800-meters and 4:47 for the 1 Mile Run. Gonzales went under 11 minutes for 3200-meters running 10:55 at that Distance at Arcadia last April. This team kept their split under 60-sseconds in the NXN race for their top five. In their regional race, Gonzales ended up as the fifth runner. Keeping Gonzales and Mooney close to each other could find this team in the top five in December.
10 Naperville North IL Region – Midwest Top Runners – Sarah Schmitt SR, Hannah Ricci SR, Alex Morris JR, Gabby Champion SR, Claire Hill JR, Samantha Prazma SR, Jillian Fitz SR. Notes – A team to watch making it back to Portland this December. The defending Illinois 3A State Champions return three all-state runners with seniors Sarah Schmitt and Hannah Ricci along with junior Alex Morris. All three ran under 10:46 for 3200-meters during the track season with Schmitt and Morris all-state in the 3200 Meter Run and Ricci all-state in the 1600 Meter Run. This team is deep. There could be as many as seven other runners that could make their top seven. The Huskies should get small numbers towards the front. Getting their pack within 30 to 35 seconds of this trio could make North tough to beat. Read more about Naperville North
11 Glen Ellyn Glenbard West IL Region – Midwest Top Runners – Katelynne Hart SO, Lindsey Payne SR, Katie Hohe JR, Chloe Connolly JR, Nicole Kaiser SR, Emma Hall SO, Abby Hoffman JR, Claire Kenwood SR. Notes – Glenbard West was one of the top teams in Illinois for most of last season before their third runner Katie Hohe was forced out for the rest of the season due to mononucleosis. The Hilltoppers finished ninth overall in the Illinois 3A State Meet. All their top runners are back and healthy which could mean some massive things for this Illinois school. It all starts with their top two runners Katelynne Hart and Lindsey Payne. Hart won the Illinois 3A individual title as a freshman as well as placing 18th at NXN. Payne finished right behind at state and then qualified for the Foot Locker Nationals placing 17th overall. Both will provide low team points this fall. The key is Hohe who looked at the end of the track season to be back at full strength. Hohe ran 30 to 35 seconds behind her teammates during last season. That gives Glenbard a strong first three. Getting their fourth and fifth runners within 20 seconds of Hohe could mean important things for this team. Read more about Glenbard West
12 Temecula Great Oak Region – California Top Runners – Sandra Pflughoft SR, Devin Ho, Victoria Gaitan SO (Transfer, Yucuipa CA), Audrey Dang SO, Fatima Cortes JR, Jesse Janecek JR, Arianna Griffiths SO, Isabelle Richter JR. Notes – Even though five runners graduated from last year’s third-place team at the Nike Cross Nationals, Great Oak will again be a team to watch not only in California but nationally. Sandra Pflughoft, who was the team’s fifth runner at NXN, should be one of the top runners on this squad. The transfer in of Victoria Gatian (formerly from Yucuipa) will be a big asset for this team. The sophomore ran 10:46 and 5:05 last spring and should push for a top spot. With Gatian included, Great Oak will have five runners back that ran 11:15 or faster for 3200-meters last track season. It will be fun to watch this team develop this fall. It would not surprise me to see Great Oak in the top five this December in Portland.
13 Meridian Mountain View ID Region – Northwest Top Runners – Lexy Halladay SO, Adelynn Rosin JR, Kortland Laury JR, Makenna Schuler SR, Camrynn Pritchard JR, Kenzie Porter SR, Sophie Boyd JR. Notes – It helps to have a talented runner like Lexy Halladay leading your team. Halladay had a great freshman season running 10:30/4:52 to win Idaho 5A State championships. She followed that up in June by running 4:41.89 to win at the adidas Boost Boston Games in the 1 Mile Run. She finished 16th at the Nike Cross Nationals running as an individual. She would like to have her teammates around her this December. Four other runners from the 2017 top seven are back led by Adelynn Rosin. If the pack behind Halladay can stay within 80 seconds behind her and stay within 36 seconds of each other, we could then see this team in one of the two automatic qualifying spots.
14 Davis CA Region – California Top Runners – Olivia O’Keeffe SR, Sophie Ludigiani JR, Annie Mitchell JR, Ruthie Mitchell JR, Sage Taylor SR. Notes – Just when you are ready to count this team out, they come to the starting line ready to perform. The Blue Devils made it to the Nike Cross Nationals finishing second after finishing second in the California D1 State Championships. They do lose last year’s top runner Sofia Castiglioni to graduation. They do return five from that NXN team led by Olivia O’Keeffe. Losing two of the first four from last year could hurt this team early in the year. A spread of 100 to 110 seconds on the first five could be possible. Watch the gap between O’Keeffe and Sophie Lodigiani and the rest of the pack and the development of their other scorers. Improvement in that area could mean a return trip to Oregon.
15 Saratoga Springs NY Region – New York Top Runners – Kelsey Chmiel JR, Peyton Engborg SR, Ciara Knott JR, Keelyn Cummings SR, Carley Vetter SR, Caroline Starace SR. Notes – If one team could get close to Fayetteville-Manlius, it could be Saratoga Springs. The Blue Streaks return six of their top seven that placed fifth at the NXR New York Regional as well as third in the New York Federation Championships and New York Class A Championships. Kelsey Chmiel should be one of the top runners in the nation after finishing sixth at NXN. Her track season was highlighted by a win at 2 Miles at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals. Ignore the spread on five from Chmiel and the rest of the pack. Their two to five split at Feds was only 45 seconds and 53 seconds at regionals. If their split comes down to 40 seconds and projected second runners Peyton Engborg or Keelyn Cummings can stay within 90-seconds of Chmiel, this team could challenge for a trophy in Portland. (Writer’s Note: Bill Meylan of tullyrunners.com wrote in his New York Girls preview that there could be some of the returning Saratoga Springs team that may not return to the team. It makes this tougher to predict how good this team will be. We should get a better idea of this team at the Ocean State Invitational at the end of September.)
16 Billings MT Region – Northwest Top Runners – Tiahna Vladic JR, Jaylyn Hallgrimson JR, Jade Hallgrimson JR, Aisley Kraska SO, Elena Vanderstoot SO, Chelan Laverduve JR. Notes – The fifth team from a tough Northwest Region. The Broncs finished second behind Bozeman in last year’s Montana 2A State Meet. Tiahna Vladic again should be the team’s #1 runner. The junior made it to the Nike Cross Nationals earning All-American honors by finishing 21st. Five other runners from last year’s team are back led by Jaylyn Hallgrimson. A reduction of their two through five runners split could move this team among the top four in this region.
17 Claremont CA Region – California Top Runners – Sydney Huang JR, Tess Rounds SR, Azalea Segura-Mora SO, Frances O’Leary JR, Alyssa Cantrell SR, Sarah Ayala JR, Emma Carter JR. Notes – The California State champions at Division 2 last year return four runners from that state championship team. Three of the top four returning are underclassmen led by junior Sydney Huang. The pack behind Hunag will push this team closer to the front led by Azalea Segura-Mora. Their four-runner could be as close to 24 seconds of each other. The pack staying within 25 seconds of Huang makes this team tough.
18 Anaheim Canyon CA Region – California Top Runners – Sara Leonard SR, Ashling Carr SO, Ariana Weyland SR, Zoe Ta-Perez SO, Brystal Marks SR, Denie Stark JR, Elizabeth Skinner JR. Notes – Could challenge for the California D2 State title after finishing third last year. All their top seven are back led by Sara Leonard who finished third in the state race. Leonard did run as an individual at NXN placing 46th. This team shows promise. The spread from their second through fifth runners at state was only 25 seconds. This team could be in contention for a state championship or better if that pack can stay between 55 to 60 seconds of Leonard.
19 Edina MN Region – Heartland Top Runners – Emily Konpelien SR, Morgan Richter SO, Maria Rickman JR, Sadie Schreiner SO, Julianne Logan SR, Ellen Pflaster SR, Abby Dzandzaria SR. Notes – The Hornets made the December trip to finish 12th at the Nike Cross Nationals. The defending Minnesota 2A state champions are a good bet to return to Portland as they return four from their NXN team. Emily Konpelien leads this team. She had a good track season running 10:45 for 3200-meters and 4:55.52 at the Minnesota State Meet 1600 Meter Run. Sophomores Morgan Richter and Maria Rickman give Edina a strong top three. There could be a 45 to 50 second gap between their fourth and fifth runners. Work will need to be done with that if this team wants to move into the top ten nationally.
20 Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons NC Region – Southeast Top Runners – Sloan Walter JR, Katherine Priu JR, Marissa Bishop SR, Molly McGowan JR, Hayden Callahan SR, Caroline Todd JR, Magdalen Lavelle SO, Alina Rovnak SR. Notes – Cardinal Gibbons starts the season as the top team in the Southeast Region. The Crusdaers just missed making it to the national meet finishing third last year in the Southeast Region. They do return six of their top seven that won the North Carolina 4A State Championship. Sloan Walter leads a strong top three that only had a 12 second split on that group. A key is their five-runner scorer split. It was 76 seconds at state and 80 seconds at NXR. It needs to come down to make a trip west in December.
21 Yorkville IL Region – Midwest Top Runners – Nicole Greyer JR, Alyssa Edwards SR, Olivia Borowiak JR, Emily Eberhart JR, Helena Kleronomos FR, Victoria Crawford JR, Madysen Klebonow SO. Notes – A young team that could make it to Portland this season. The Foxes finished fourth at the NXR Midwest Regional after finishing second at the Illinois 3A State Meet. Four runners are back from the 2016 top seven. Nicole Greyer earned All-State honors last fall. She should be the top runner on this squad. A glimpse of what we could see from this team came at Detweiller at Dark in July. Their top four, without Greyer who is recovering from a stress fracture, ran a 19 second split from Alyssa Edwards to freshman Helena Kleronomos who could be the team’s fifth runner. Emily Eberhart missed most of last year due to injuries. She was within six seconds of Edwards in this July race. This team will need to develop their depth. One injury could hurt championship hopes in November. Read more about Yorkville
22 Palos Verdes CA Region – California Top Runners – Mazzy Genovese JR, Grace Catena SR, Savannah Soriven SO, Samantha Cohen SR, Emmie Schaefer SR, Madeline Barbos SR, Ellie Madeja SR. Notes – The Sea Kings made the trip to Portland last December after winning the California D3 State Championships. Three runners are back form the NXN 18th place team. Mazzy Genovese was their #1 runner for most of last season including the state meet. She should be up front again along with teammate Grace Catena. The development of a fourth and fifth runners will be something to watch early this season.
23 Southlake Carroll Region – South Top Runners – Kate Tracht SR, Sofia Santamaria JR, Angie Riera SR, Sarah McCabe SR, Lauren Esparza SR, Rima Toure SO, Cristina Canal SR. Notes – This should be a team that we see back in Portland this December. They made the trip last year placing ninth. Four runners are back from that team led by their #2 runner in that meet Cate Tracht. She was the team’s top runner in the NXR meet but only their seventh runner in their state meet. Sofia Santamaria was the top runner in some of the meets last year gives the Dragons a good 1-2 punch. Even though this team looks like a good bet to advance this fall out of the South Regional, they will need to get their one to five spread under 70 seconds to finish among the top ten teams at the end of the year.
24 Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest FL Region – Southeast Top Runners – Tsian Yared SO, Mahdere Yared FR, Maya Beleznay SO, Emily Faulhaber SO, Amanda Schwartz SO. Notes – This could be a team that we see in the top ten in 2018 especially with four sophomores and a freshman projected to be in their top five. The Panthers finished fifth at the NXR Southeast Regional after winning the Florida 2A State Championship. Tsion Yared qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals placing 39th. Their regional meet five runner spread was over two minutes. It was the same in their state meet. A split near 90 seconds could be trouble for the other Florida schools along with schools in the Southeast Region.
25 Sacramento St. Francis Region – California Top Runners – Isabella Fauria SO, Sydney Vandegrift SR, Sophie DeBenedetti JR, Haley Silva SO, Emma Hollenbach SO, Alana Reyna SR. Notes -This could be a surprise team in California. They finished 10th in the power merge after state. Their state meet finish in the D2 race was fourth overall. Six of their top seven return led by Isabella Fauria who placed 10th and Sydney Vandegrift who placed 13th. With the power up front, their five-runner split needs to be near 60 seconds for a top finish in their state meet.
26 Centerville OH Region – Midwest Top Runners – Grace Kilroy SO, Savannah Lowe JR, Rachel Whitehead JR, Kerri Walsh SO, Kelli Walsh SR, Sydney Khosla SO, Dalia Einstein SO, Sophie Hippenmeyer JR. Notes – The defending D1 champions in Ohio are loaded returning their entire top seven from last year’s state meet team. They finished fifth in the NXR Midwest Regional. It could be tough for them to advance being that this regional is one of the toughest in the nation. Sophomore Grace Kilroy should again be the top runner for this team. She finished 19th in her state race. The team has a good pack. Their one to five split was 37 seconds at state and 52 seconds in the regionals. A split under 40 seconds with their top five nearer to the front could be the trip in getting this Ohio team into at least the first three teams in Terre Haute.
27 Belvidere North IL Region – Midwest Top Runners – Madison Diercks SO, Gianna Sagona SO, Sabrina Elder SR, Alexandria Reza SO, Olivia Zaluckyj SO, Remy Bice JR, Katie Luna SO, Chelsey Recendez JR. Notes – The Blue Thunder did not compete at last year’s NXR Midwest Regional after winning the Illinois 2A State Championship. Despite losing their top runner 2A champion Jenna Lutzow, the remaining runners from the state top seven are back. Sophomore Madison Diercks had never run cross-country before last season but she ran 17:19 on the fast Detweiller Park three-mile course to place fourth. With a year of training under her belt, she should be faster in 2017. This team will have a five-runner spread off Diercks of under 60 seconds. If they decide to run in the post-season meets, Belvidere North could surprise some in the NXR Midwest Regional. Read more about Belvidere North.
28 LaGrange Lyons Township IL Region – Midwest Top Runners – Sarah Barcelona JR, Emily Henkel JR, Cara Paliakas SR, Lily Kedzuch SR, Kirsten Meyer SR, Maddie Cranny SO, Marta Kogucki JR, Leah Paliakas SO. Notes – Another Illinois team from the tough WSC-Silver Conference. Sarah Barcelona ended her track season on a low note with a thigh/knee injury that forced her out of her sectional race. She did run 10:43.8 for 3200-meters and 4:59.9 for 1600-meters last spring. The junior should be one of the top runners this fall in Illinois. Emily Henkel also showed improvement last spring and should be close to Barcelona. The Lions finished fifth in last year’s Illinois 3A State Meet and return their top six. Along with Cara Paliakas, this team could have three runners within 25 seconds of each other. A consistent five runner split of under 80 seconds could mean big things in November. Will start out slow but will be fast when it counts. Read more about Lyons Township
29 Carmel IN Region – Midwest Top Runners – Maddie Dalton SR, Phoebe Bates SO, Izza Khuriam JR, Lily McAndrews SO, Tasha Geisler SR, Sydney Haines SO, Alyssa Easton SR. Notes – There could be streaks that could end this fall for this Indiana team. The Greyhounds have won seven straight state titles and will be looking for their eighth. They have also appeared at the Nike Cross Nationals for seven straight years finishing fourth last year. Both streaks could continue as four runners are back from last year’s team. Maddie Dalton, who has been all-state in all three of the state meets that she has competed in, leads this team despite the fact she was the team’s fourth runner at NXN. Phoebe Bates should be close to Dalton giving Carmel a strong presence up front. Their depth is not as good as in previous years. The key is watching the development of the pack behind Dalton and Bates. We will get a good indication of how good this team is at Trinity/Valkyre in Louisville in the middle of September.
30 Minooka IL Region – Midwest Top Runners – Emily Shelton SR, Vivian Van Eck JR, Sarah Weed SR, Julia Dames SO, Katelyn Gall JR, Nina Shanahan SO, Katelyn Egetimeier JR, Amanda Wilson SO. Notes – Minooka does lose two all-state runners Mackenzie Callahan and Ashley Tutt to graduation. They do have some quality returning from the team that finished third in the Illinois 3A State Meet and 16th at the Nike Cross Nationals. Emily Shelton finished third at the state meet and will be one of the top runners in Illinois. Vivian Van Eck showed improvement last cross-country season and could be within 20-seconds of Shelton this fall. The Indians do have three other runners back from the 2016 top seven. It is a team to keep an eye on from October on. The talent is there to challenge for a NXN qualifying spot. Read more about Minooka
31 Niskayuna NY Region – New York Top Runners – Abigail Spiers SR, Charlotte Kokernak JR, Amelia Kokernak SR, Sydney Smith SR, Liyat Kebbede (8), Kristina Kues JR. Notes – A team to watch this fall. Even though they did not make it to the state meet after finishing second behind Saratoga Springs in the Section 2 Championships, the Warriors did finish fourth at Feds and then sixth at the NXR New York Regional. Their depth should be good returning six from last year’s team. Abigail Spears should remain the top runner on this team. Their scoring spreads tended to be close to 100-seconds most of last year. That time needs to come down for this team to challenge for an NXR top three finish.
32 Troy OH Region – Midwest Top Runners – Morgan Gigandet SR, Olivia Tyre JR, Emma Shigley SR, Megan Myers SR, Kate Pence JR. Notes – Troy could challenge Centerville for the Ohio D1 Championships after placing second last year 25 points back. They do return five from last year’s team led by Morgan Gigandet who finished sixth at state. Their split from their second to fifth runners needs to come down so they can challenge for the state title. It was 71 seconds at state and 85 seconds at the NXR Midwest Regional.
33 Johnston IA Region – Heartland Top Runners – Jessica McKee SR, Brooke McKee SO, Paige Horner SO, Josie Hovey JR, Clara Toot SO, Taryn Swain SR, Kendall Nead SO, Lauren Urban JR. Notes – There has been a tendency the past couple of seasons to see Minnesota schools advance out of the NXR Heartland Regional. That could change in 2017 with this Iowa school. The defending Iowa 4A State champions placed fifth in the NXR regional meet. Their depth could be a key returning five from last year’s NXR team. Jessica McKee finished second in her state race as well as 20th at regionals. She should remain the top runner on this team. The key to this team is their split on their second to fifth runner pack. It was only 32 seconds at state but 94 seconds in their regional race. A consistent 35 to 40 second split on that pack could be something to watch during the season.
34 Clifton Park Shenendehowa Central NY Region – New York Top Runners – Hannah Reale SR, Charlotte Hartman SR, Olivia Lamascola SR, Taylor Leggett SR, Emily Dinallo SR, Elise Maddalore SR. Notes – The Plainsmen made the trip to Portland finishing 14th at the Nike Cross Nationals. Six runners are back from that team led by Hannah Reale. This squad will need to work on their split behind Reale during the season. It could be close to 90 seconds between their second through fifth runners.
35 Fort Wayne Carroll IN Region – Midwest Top Runners – Abby Green JR, Meagan Hathaway JR, Leah Metzger SR, Maggie Falater SR, Mallory Clements SO. Notes – The one team that could end Carmel’s seven-year state meet winning streak in Indiana. The Chargers return their top four and five of their top six that finished second at state. They did not compete at the NXR Midwest Regional. Abby Green is the team’s top returnee having finished second at state. The split on their top four was 59 seconds at state but a 43 second gap between their fourth and fifth runners. That split needs to come down this season. Their first big test should be the FLashRock Invitational in the middle of September.
36 Minnetonka MN Region – Heartland Top Runners – Sophie Whicher SR, Kylie Melz SO, Elizabeth Halbmaier SR, Annalise Johnson FR, Kate Leblanc (8), Mia Rankoff SR, Grace Hoelscher SR. Notes – A team to watch in Minnesota but also the Heartland Regional in which they finished fourth in 2016. The Skippers finished third in the Minnesota Section 6AA Championships failing to qualify for their state meet. They return all their top seven from last year’s regional team. Sophie Whicher, who finished fifth in her state meet race, will again be the top runner for the team. There will most likely be a 37 to 55 second gap between Whicher and the two through five pack. It was 49 seconds at the NXT Regional. Keeping that pack within 25 to 28 seconds of each other is a key for success for this team. The potential is there to challenge Edina for the state championship.
37 Blacksburg VA Region – Southeast Top Runners – Ailene Edwards JR, Simone Guernette SR, Kaitlynn Wolfe SO, Sophia Link JR, Emily Fitch JR. Notes – Blacksburg could make it back to Portland after finishing 17th at the Nike Cross Nationals and winning the NXR Southeast Regional and the Virginia 3A State Championship. Five runners are back from that team but they did lose two of their top five to graduation. Ailene Edwards stepped up at nationals and the regional meet as the team’s top runner. Kaitlynn Wolfe stepped up as the team’s second runner in Portland after she was the team’s #5 runner most of the year. There is not much talent drop off between their top two and the rest of the pack. Their top five spread was 35 seconds at regionals, but 52 seconds at nationals. Keeping that split near or under 60 seconds this year could mean a repeat trip to Portland.
38 Lewisville Marcus TX Region – South Top Runners – Quinn Owen SR, Allison Green SR, Nina Ferreyre JR, Jessica Porter SR, Camryn Rogers SR, Sarah Green SO, Madison Woolley SO. Notes – All of Marcus’ top seven are back from last year’s team that finished fourth in both the NXR South Regional and Texas 6A State Meet. Allison Green was the top runner at the state meet placing 17th. Quinn Owen, who finished two seconds behind Green at state, was the team’s top regional finisher while Green was the team’s fifth runner. Their state race was the better of the two as they ran a 55 second split on their top five. It was 82 seconds on five with Owen so far up front at regionals. The split on their two to five runners in that race was only six seconds. A combination of the two splits (the overall split at state and the two to five split at regionals) could have Marcus fighting for a NXN qualifying berth.
39 Dunlap IL Region – Midwest Top Runners – Franny Verville SR, Abby Johnson JR, Ayah Aldadah SR, Miranda Kruiswyk SR, Katie Piper SR, Andrea Copeland SR, Tess Davilla SO, Abby Banister SO. Notes – In any other year, Dunlap would have won the Illinois 2A State Championship. They did run their best race of the year but finished a powerful Belvidere North team. Six runners are back from that state team. They could go with any of ten runners in their starting seven this fall and not skip a beat. They only ran a 31 second split on their top five led by all-state finishes by Franny Verville, Abby Johnson, and Ayah Aldadah. We could see this team in regionals this fall. The Eagles did not compete in Terre Haute a year ago. Keeping that pack close and moving their group up by two to five seconds a runner could mean a 2A State championship for this team. Read more about Dunlap
40 Dana Point Dana Hills CA Region – California Top Runners – Leila Keyvan JR, Sarah Meng JR, Lauren Gato JR, Megan Geiger JR, Leyla Boyar, Devon Forker JR, Alexa Karner SO. Notes – Five runners are back from their 2016 top seven that finished fifth in the California D1 State Championships. Their top three, with Leila Keyvan, Sarah Meng, and Lauren Gato, should be close together in the front with a 20 second spread in between the runners. Keeping their top five split under 60 seconds could get this team within the first three in D1 when they get to the state meet.
41 Minturn Battle Mountain CO Region – Southwest Top Runners – Naomi Harding JR, Elizabeth Constein SR, Lizzy Harding JR, Alex Reichart SR, Grace Johnson SO, Brogan Murray JR, Gabby Trueblood SR, Hanna Zivelonghi SR, Sofia Peliero JR. Notes – Could be a team to watch in Colorado and the Southwest Regional. The Huskies are ten deep talent-wise and return all their top seven that finished fifth in the regional meet. They are the defending Colorado 4A State champion. Naomi Harding, Elizabeth Constein, and Lizzy Harding finished within nine seconds of each other in their regional race. Keeping their five-runner spread under 65 seconds would be a big help of getting this team to Portland.
42 Santa Clarita Saugus CA Region – California Top Runners – Mariah Castillo SR, Jacqueline Cascione JR, Amelia Delgado SR, Kaela Barretta SO, Mackenna Park, Abby Davis SR. Notes – Saugus was one of the top six schools in California after the five divisional meets were combined. The Centurions finished second in the D2 state race and return six of their top seven from that race. Mariah Castillo, who finished fifth in the state race, could be one of the top runners in California this fall. She could be close to a minute ahead of the remaining scorers this season. Their pack behind her is projected to be near 58 seconds. Both times need to come down for a D2 state championship and possibly an NXN bid.
43 Issaquah WA Region – Northwest Top Runners – Kenna Clawson SR, Sami Cormson SR, Katie Riley JR, Andie Kolasinski SR, Lauren Haas SR, Jenna Heesacker JR, Emma Jordan JR. Notes – All their top seven are back from the Washington 4A state championship team. Seniors Kenna Clawson, Katie Riley, and Sami Corman are the top returnees for the Eagles. Issaquah finished eighth in the NXR Northwest Regional last year. With the regional being so tough this fall, it could be tough for this team to move up. The talent is there, though, to accomplish that task.
44 Niceville FL Region – Southeast Top Runners – Hannah Schneidwind SR, Ciara Cogler SR, Ally Woodward SR, Jayden Horne SO, Erin Eubanks JR. Notes – The defending Florida 3A State champions return four runners from the team that finished fourth at the NXR Southeast Regional. Hannah Schneidewind did not run in the regional race but was the top runner at state for Niceville placing 10th overall. Chances are good that this team defends their state crown as the team could run a 40-second spit on their top five. If their FULL team runs in North Carolina at the end of November, they could extend their season into December.
45 Annandale North Hunterdon NJ Region – Northeast Top Runners – Elena DiMarcello JR, Angela Kearsley JR, Brenna Talamo JR, Emily Nugent JR, Samantha Kehler SO, Carleigh Haris SO. Notes – The top team in the Northeast Region. The Lions finished second behind Ridge at the New Jersey Meet of Champions. They did come back to win the NXR Northeast Regional and then finish 20th at the Nike Cross Nationals. Four are back from that team led by Elena DiMarcello who finished 69th in that race. A key for this team is finding a fifth runner that can stay within 65 to 70 seconds behind DiMarcello.
46 Milton MA Region – Northeast Top Runners – Bridget Mitchell SR, Elise O’Leary SR, Ella Affanato JR, Genevieve Connelly SR, Emma Schewe JR, Grace Dwyer JR. Notes – Even though this team finished fourth in the NXR Northeast regional last season, the Massachusetts D2 champions could challenge for a spot on the starting line in Portland. Five runners are back from their regional and state teams led by Bridget Mitchell and Elise O’Leary. The team’s split on five in their regional race was 96 seconds but 30 seconds faster during the season. Splits under 60 seconds at the end of the year could earn that trip west for the Wildcats.
47 Hinsdale Central IL Region – Midwest Top Runners – Reilly Revord SR, Grace McCabe SR, McKenna Revord SO, Kayla Byrne JR, Taylor Waldron JR, Caitlin Chval JR, Taylor Wagner SO, Bella Pisani JR. Notes – The Red Devilettes did not have their best race at state placing 13th. Their track season had many of the runners having significant improvements. Six runners return from that state team. Reilly Revord ran 4:57 to finish fifth in the 1600 Meter Run after running a 2:12 split for the team’s second place 3200 Meter Relay squad. Grace McCabe ran 4:55 for 1600 Meters in June and will be close to Revord up front. This team can get five runners within 35 to 40 seconds of each other. That would get them close to Glenbard West and Lyons Township in a tough WSC-Silver Conference. It could lead them to important things in November. Read more about Hinsdale Central
48 Minneapolis Washburn MN Region – Heartland Top Runners – Emily Covert JR, Grace Dickel JR, Olivia Orr SR, Chloe Garcia-Grafi FR, Anna Kelly SR, Molly McChesey JR, Grace Pereira SO. Notes – Even though Washburn finished sixth at the NXR Heartland Regional and failing to make it to state finishing fourth in the tough Minnesota 6AA regional, this team has the talent to challenge for a finish in the top three at state and the regional. The Millers return all their top seven from last year’s team. Emily Covert is the top returnee having finished 8th in her state race. Grace Dickel was within a second of Covert in the regional race. This team could be tough if the two runners race close to each other. This team has the experience to be among the tops in Minnesota this season but will need to keep their five-runner spread near 55 seconds.
49 Camas WA Region – Northwest Top Runners – Emma Jenkins SR, Halle Jenkins SO, Elle Postma SR, Madison Child SR, Brooke Roy SR, Kaylee Merritt SR, Rachel Blair JR. Notes – The entire top seven is back from a team that finished second behind Issaquah at the Washington 4A State Meet. Emma Jenkins, who finished fifth in the state race, is the top runner on this team with her sister Halle and Ellie Postman close behind. Their split on five at state was 105 seconds. It was over two minutes (126 seconds) in their regional race. The Papermakers could stand on top of the podium in their state meet, but their overall split needs to come down.
50 Brentwood Ravenwood TN Region – Southeast Top Runners – Annika Steinhof SR, Ella Kuban JR, Jamie Blaylock SR, Alex Rosen JR, Elise Strevell JR, Maeve Hanley SO, Olivia Hetherington SR, Olivia Derr JR. Notes – This team could sneak up on people in a wide-open Southeast Region. They finished ninth in their regional race after winning the Tennessee 3A State championship. Their entire top seven is back led by Annika Sleenhof who qualified individually for Portland. Sleenhof’s second place finish in North Carolina was followed by a 19th place finish at NXN earning All-American honors. There will be huge gap between Sleenhof and her teammates. The split on the other scorers was only 23 seconds in that regional race. Keeping the gap between Sleenhof and her team needs to be within 90 seconds this fall for good things to happen.
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