Girls Regional Rankings - 9/20/18

By Adam Kopet of DyeStat

Top-ranked Wayzata only got stronger this season with the addition of eighth-grader Abbey Nechanicky. She bolsters a loaded lineup and has worked her way up to become the Trojans' third runner. St. Michael-Albertville MN moves up to second in the Heartland region thanks to a second-place finish at the St. Olaf Invitational. 

The top spot in New York looks a little different than it has for a long time. This week Liverpool takes over the No. 1 ranking after a strong performance at the Chittenango Invitational. The Warriors finished as the top team in the merged results and Shenendehowa won its race over Fayetteville-Manlius. F-M has been slow to start seasons before, but with other New York teams performing better at the moment, Liverpool and Shenendehowa get the nod over the reigning NXN champs.

Summit OR added a key piece with freshman Teaghan Knox, who has been running as the Storm's second runner. Boise ID is the top team in Idaho and will get a big test this week at the Bob Firman Invitational. Montana teams Hellgate and Bozeman have made their way into the top five. Hellgate got a boost from transfer Ember Stratton, the NXN runner-up as a sophomore for Sunset OR in 2016.  

Great Oak continues to lead California, but the gap over No. 2 Claremont could be closing unless Great Oak can close the gap between its four and five runners. Division 2 may be the strongest in the state this year. Currently Division 2 schools hold the Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 rankings, with Granada, Saugus and La Costa Canyon trailing Claremont.  

Southlake Carroll TX makes a big move in the South after unleashing a strong performance at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in California, taking fifth in the sweepstakes race.  

Mountain Vista CO continues to reign supreme in the Southwest. However, Desert Hills UT has strung together several strong performances to move up to No. 3 and close the gap.  

Illinois teams are off to a flying start. Naperville North IL leads the way as one of the top ranked teams in the country. Following the Huskies are Yorkville IL and Downers Grove South IL in a tight race for the second spot. Glenbard West IL is coming up, too, led by Katelynne Hart and Katie Hohe.  

South

1. Houston Stratford TX

2. Southlake Carroll TX

3. Lewisville Flower Mound TX

4. Keller TX

5. Prosper TX

Southeast

1. Blacksburg VA

2. Pine Crest FL

3. Riverside SC

4. Cardinal Gibbons NC

5. Auburn AL

Northeast

1. North Hunterdon NJ

2. Colts Neck NJ

3. Natick MA

4. Middletown South NJ

5. Shepherd Hill Regional MA

New York

1. Liverpool 

2. Shenendehowa

3. Saratoga Springs

4. Fayetteville-Manlius

5. Monroe-Woodbury

Midwest

1. Naperville North IL

2. Yorkville IL

3. Downers Grove South IL

4. Glenbard West IL

5. Centerville OH

Heartland

1. Wayzata MN

2. St. Michael-Albertville MN

3. Edina MN

4. Johnston IA

5. Willmar MN

Southwest

1. Mountain Vista CO

2. Desert Hills UT

3. Lone Peak UT

4.  Xavier College Prep AZ

5. Cherokee Trail CO

Northwest

1. Summit OR

2. Boise ID

3. Jesuit OR

4. Hellgate MT

5. Bozeman MT

California

1. Great Oak

2. Claremont

3. Granada

4. Saugus

5. La Costa Canyon