Girls Regional Rankings - 9/23/2021

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Although most of the national focus during the past weekend was on the 40th Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, presented by ASICS, at the SilverLakes Sports Complex in Norco, Calif., perhaps the biggest shakeup in any girls regional rankings occurred at the adidas XC Challenge at WakeMed Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C.

Weddington High from North Carolina relied on Elizabeth Ritter, Emma Jones, Grace Hanson and Audrey Wright all finishing in the top 20 in the championship race to secure victory with 65 points, followed by Marist High of Georgia, The Bolles School from Florida and North Carolina 4A rival Cuthbertson.

Weddington’s performance, combined with injuries to preseason favorite IMG Academy from Florida, have already resulted in a shift in the regional balance of power.

Cambridge Christian from Florida also performed well to triumph at the North Port Invitational over a short-handed IMG Academy lineup, which is expected to have junior Carly McNatt available to compete this Friday at the Desert Twilight Festival in Arizona.

Seniors Mary Ellen Eudaly and Caroline Lehman, along with eighth-grader Eliana Black swept the top three spots, with Madeleine Gear placing ninth for the Lancers, who have the potential to challenge for an automatic berth Nov. 27 at the Nike Southeast Regional if they can develop a reliable fifth scorer in the next two months.

Despite finishing 20 points behind Northern Highlands Regional in their race at the Back to the Mountain Invitational, Ridgewood High from New Jersey didn’t race many of its top athletes and still remains on top in the Northeast Regional entering Saturday’s competition at the Bowdoin XC Classic at Bowdoin Park in New York.

Saratoga Springs didn’t compete against several of its New York rivals at the Pre-State McDaniel-Baxter Invitational, instead deciding to race at the Queensbury Invitational, but the Blue Streaks still swept the top four spots, led by sophomore Emily Bush, and placed five scorers among the top six finishers.

Fayetteville-Manlius was the top team in the overall merge at Pre-States, led by junior Hannah Kaercher and freshman Izzie Sullivan taking the top two spots.

Lewisville Flower Mound of Texas, led by senior Natalie Cook (15:56.3), validated its position atop the South Regional by placing second in the Bob Day sweepstakes race at Woodbridge, with Southlake Carroll and Austin Vandegrift finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.

Newbury Park and Buchanan flipped spots in California, after the Panthers prevailed by a 12-point margin in their first matchup of the season in the Bob Day sweepstakes at Woodbridge. Mira Costa also moved up to third after finishing seventh in the race, led by senior Dalia Frias clocking a meet record 15:43.5 on the 3-mile layout.

Senior Samantha McDonnell (15:54.6) was second overall for Newbury Park, with junior Sydney Sundgren (16:03.3) finishing fifth for Buchanan.

Summit High from Oregon placed four athletes among the first five finishers and five scorers in the top 10 at the Northwest Classic at Lane Community College, led by senior Teaghan Knox.

Several top Northwest teams had to find alternate plans this week following the cancellation of the Bob Firman Invitational in Boise, Idaho.

Niwot produced the strongest performance among the Colorado programs in the Southwest with its victory at the St. Vrain Invitational, as Mia Prok, Madison Shults and Eva Klingbeil placed second, third and fourth for the Cougars.

Arapahoe edged Colorado 5A rival Cherry Creek by one point Sept. 11 at the Liberty Bell Invitational at Heritage High, but the Bruins remain atop the Southwest Regional based on senior Riley Stewart not scoring in the race after being unable to finish as a result of heat exhaustion.

Cherry Creek is scheduled to race Saturday at Nike Portland XC, with Summit and Mira Costa also expected to race.

Arapahoe and Niwot will clash with Desert Vista High from Arizona, fourth in the Bob Day sweepstakes at Woodbridge, in Friday’s sweepstakes competition at the Desert Twilight Festival.

Edina, the top team in Minnesota, will square off against Illinois power Naperville North on Friday, as several of the strongest programs in the Heartland and Midwest regionals are entered in the gold race at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis.

SOUTH

1. Lewisville Flower Mound TX

2. Southlake Carroll TX

3. Lucas Lovejoy TX

4. Austin Vandegrift TX

5. Grapevine TX

SOUTHEAST

1. Weddington NC

2. Cambridge Christian FL

3. IMG Academy FL

4. Loudoun Valley VA

5. Marist GA

NORTHEAST

1. Ridgewood NJ

2. North Allegheny PA

3. East Greenwich RI

4. Middletown South NJ

5. West Morris Mendham NJ

NEW YORK

1. Saratoga Springs

2. Fayetteville-Manlius

3. Corning-Painted Post

4. Cicero-North Syracuse

5. Shaker

MIDWEST

1. York IL

2. Naperville North IL

3. Ann Arbor Pioneer MI

4. Carmel IN

5. Columbus North IN

HEARTLAND

1. Edina MN

2. Minnetonka MN

3. St. Paul Highland Park MN

4. Wayzata MN

5. Sioux Falls O’Gorman SD

NORTHWEST

1. Summit OR

2. Boise ID

3. Jesuit OR

4. Bozeman MT

5. Ida B. Wells OR

SOUTHWEST

1. Cherry Creek CO

2. Arapahoe CO

3. Niwot CO

4. Valor Christian CO

5. Desert Vista AZ

CALIFORNIA

1. Newbury Park

2. Buchanan

3. Mira Costa

4. JSerra

5. Anaheim Canyon