Great Oak still on top, but F-M closing

By Adam Kopet for DyeStat

Great Oak CA may still the team to beat, but Fayetteville-Manlius NY is mounting a strong NXN title defense, led by senior transfer Kaitlyn Neal.  The margin between these two teams at this point is slim.

Even after Destiny Collins opened her season at Bob Firman in Boise, Great Oak is still working out who will be in the top seven. That abundance of depth is a nice problem to have.

The Sunset OR girls, thanks to a bigger-than-expected contribution from freshman Ember Stratton, have become a dominant team in the Northwest. Second place at Woodbridge in California and a big win in Portland last Saturday have moved the Apollos up 19 spots to No. 5. Not to be outdone, Arcadia CA, after winning the Stanford Invitational, move up 38 spots to No. 12, and Yorkville IL, a watch list team in the pre-season, now sit at No. 10 with a strong top-five pack.

With the first full month of the season completed, it is the Midwest Region leading the way in the rankings with six teams in the top 30.  California, the Southeast and the Southwest have four each.

The Top 30, 10/1

1. Great Oak CA

2. Fayetteville-Manlius NY

3. Saratoga Springs NY

4. Naperville North IL

5. Sunset OR

6. Desert Vista AZ

7. Carmel IN

8. American Fork UT

9. Davis UT

10. Yorkville IL

11. Pennsbury PA

12. Arcadia CA

13. Edina MN

14. Kingwood TX

15. Riverside SC

16. Willmar MN

17. Cherry Creek CO

18. Davis Senior CA

19. Batavia IL

20. Marshall MN

21. Centerville OH

22. Green Hope NC

23. Lake Braddock VA

24. Coe-Brown Academy NH

25. Camas WA

26. The Woodlands TX

27. Blacksburg VA

28. Monroe-Woodbury NY

29. Saugus CA

30. Columbus North IN