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Heartland Region Girls Early Season Rankings 2022Published by
With return of both Mor and Nechanicky, plus rising star in Drevlow, Minnesota remains formidable force at regional and national levels as several programs are in contention to qualify for NXN; Olathe West pursuing history by seeking first berth by Kansas girls team to compete in Portland By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor Girls NXR Heartland Preview It might end up being a blessing in disguise for two of the top athletes in Minnesota, as well as the entire Heartland Region, that Nike Cross Nationals wasn’t on the schedule the past two years, if for no other reason that the injuries that kept Abbey Nechanicky of Wayzata and Maya Mor of Minnetonka sidelined didn’t result in them potentially missing out on opportunities to race in Oregon. Both seniors are expected to return to an elite level this season, which could propel their teams and the entire state back into the national spotlight in the postseason. And another Minnesota program, reigning Class AAA champion Edina, is also looking to extend the longest streak of consecutive appearances by any Heartland girls team after securing berths to race at Glendoveer Golf Course from 2015-19 before the event was canceled the past two years. Wayzata has also made five trips to Portland and never finished lower than seventh, with Nechanicky giving the Trojans the belief they can contend for another NXR Heartland title Nov. 13 in South Dakota, as well as adding to their impressive legacy Dec. 3 in Oregon. With Edina and Wayzata possessing extensive experience at the regional and national levels, there is also an opportunity this season for Minnetonka to gain confidence from the return of Mor in order to achieve its first trip to NXN in program history, as well as reigning Minnesota Class AA champion St. Paul Highland Park. Olathe West will look to outlast all the top Minnesota programs in its attempt to become the first Kansas girls program to secure a national berth. Bree Newport and Kate Miller, both juniors, have helped Olathe West win the past two 6A championships in Kansas, in addition to leading the Owls to victory last season at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota. With perennial Wisconsin powers Middleton and Muskego rebuilding following the graduation of several top athletes, there is a unique window of opportunity for Olathe West to make history. Dubuque Hempstead, Ames and Pleasant Valley are all bidding to become only the third girls program from Iowa, including the first since 2010, to secure an NXN berth, with Lincoln East also hoping for a breakthrough as the first team qualifier from Nebraska, in addition to the state being represented by senior Jaci Sievers of Elkhorn South as a potential individual advancing to Oregon. A healthy Nechanicky is the clear favorite to capture the regional crown, with Hopkins sophomore Sydney Drevlow the top returnee from the Heartland competition last year following her third-place finish in South Dakota, just ahead of junior Anjali Hocker Singh of Olathe North in Kansas. 1. Wayzata MN. The good news for the Trojans is that senior Abbey Nechanicky returns this season after running only one race last fall and suffering a sacral stress fracture. Perhaps even better news for Wayzata is that its entire lineup that competed at last year’s state meet is also back to support Nechanicky, who earned All-America honors in 2020 by securing sixth place at the XC Town USA Meet of Champions in Indiana, in addition to taking third in June in the 2-mile at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in Philadelphia. Along with Nechanicky, fellow seniors Teegan Anderson, Nora Mickelson, Grace Mignone and Grace Weber also return for Wayzata, which also feature junior Reese Anderson, sophomores Alyson Kleyman and Julia Maroon, in addition to freshman Maddie Gullickson. The Trojans, who managed to place second at the Class AAA state championship and fifth at NXR Heartland even without Nechanicky in the lineup, have all the necessary components to return to Nike Cross Nationals for the first time since a third-place finish in Oregon in 2018. Wayzata also boasts an impressive history in Portland, with five top-10 finishes, including a national title in 2013, which means if the Trojans can prevail Nov. 13 at the regional meet in South Dakota, there is good reason to believe success should follow at Glendoveer Golf Course. Following a sixth-place finish last season at the Roy Griak Invitational, Wayzata returns Sept. 23 to Les Bolstadt Golf Course looking to make a strong statement early in the season against a formidable field. 2. Minnetonka MN. If not for the presence of a healthy Abbey Nechanicky at Class AAA rival Wayzata, then the return of senior Maya Mor to the Skippers’ lineup would be perhaps the biggest storyline in both the state and the entire region. Mor missed her junior cross country season as a result of a hip injury and surgery, but did return for a promising spring track schedule that included appearances at the state final in the 800 and 1,600 meters. Mor is back competing in cross country for Minnetonka for the first time since October 2020 and has strong support from a lineup that included six athletes who contributed to a seventh-place finish at last year’s regional event. Claire Cashman is the only other senior among the group, with junior Ella Graham, sophomore Avery Marasco-Johnson and freshman Abby Downin all gaining significant experience last season that could lead to impressive development this fall. Minnetonka is also looking for continued improvement from juniors Elizabeth Weider and Kyra Martin, as well as sophomore Meredith Gilles, plus eighth-grader Evie Malec – since the state allows athletes to begin competing at the varsity level in seventh grade – in order to match the depth of Wayzata. An appearance Sept. 10 at the Nike Heartland Preview meet in Sioux Falls should not only provide inspiration for the Skippers, but a good indication as to whether they are capable of securing one of two automatic berths at the regional event Nov. 13 and earn their first trip to race Dec. 3 at NXN. 3. Olathe West KS. The Owls demonstrated they could compete with any program in the region last year when they won the gold race at the Roy Griak Invitational. Now Olathe West is motivated to make history again by becoming the first girls team from Kansas to compete at Nike Cross Nationals. There will be added fuel for the two-time 6A state champions following the Owls’ fourth-place performance last season at NXR Heartland, especially with six athletes from that lineup returning. Bree Newport and Kate Miller, both junior standouts, are supported by the senior trio of Paige Baker, Aubree Blackman and Charis Robinson, with sophomore Elizabeth Browning and junior Chloe Cooper also contributing to a strong pack that benefited the Owls significantly in larger invitational and postseason fields last year. With Kansas 6A rival Olathe North returning junior standouts Anjali Hocker Singh and Shea Johnson, who secured the top two spots at the state championship last season, Olathe West will be tested on home soil even before the postseason. But the Owls have a golden opportunity to become the first girls team from outside Minnesota or Wisconsin to represent the region at NXN in more than a decade and the pursuit to race in Portland could gain plenty of momentum with another victory Sept. 23 at Roy Griak. 4. Edina MN. The defending Class AAA state and NXR Heartland champions, the Hornets also have a streak of five consecutive appearances at Nike Cross Nationals from 2015-19 that it would like to build on with the return of the event to Portland this season. Losing Maggie Wagner and Macy Iyer will be challenging for Edina, especially with state rivals Wayzata and Minnetonka both benefiting from the respective returns of their top athletes who missed last season with injuries. But the Hornets still boast the veteran trio of seniors Lauren Cossack and Mary Velner, along with junior Ella Hinkie, who also contributed to a victory in 2020 at the Twin Cities Running Company XC Showcase, which was held in the absence of the state meet. Juniors Haley Rogers, Sophie Sannes-Eckhoff and Sophia Braun, in addition to sophomore Evie Ungerman will be counted on to close the gap for the Hornets, who look to thrive in the underdog role after so many seasons in the spotlight. Competing Sept. 23 at the Roy Griak Invitational will provide a clearer picture for Edina about its postseason potential and whether it can pick up where it left off prior to the pandemic by returning Dec. 3 to Glendoveer Golf Course. 5. St. Paul Highland Park MN. Despite the graduation of top athlete Molly Moening, the reigning Minnesota Class AA champions and third-place finishers at NXR Heartland get the early nod over rising Class AAA program Prior Lake, which didn’t lose any athletes from its lineup that took third at the state final and finished seventh at the regional meet last season. The Scots have six competitors from last year’s group that captured the state title and raced with a fearless approach in South Dakota returning to challenge themselves in pursuit of the program’s first trip to Nike Cross Nationals. Even more encouraging for St. Paul Highland Park is that five of the team’s top competitors still have eligibility for next year as well. Luna Scorzelli, a junior, did miss a significant stretch of last season, but returned to join the Scots at NXR Heartland and wound up placing in the top 30 overall. Sisters Ellie Moore, a sophomore, and eighth-grader Zoe Moore – since the state allows athletes to begin competing at the varsity level in seventh grade – in addition to sophomores Ziva Westreich and Samantha Palm have continued to progress and could make the Scots even stronger by the time the postseason arrives. Delia Johnson and Chloe Koch, both seniors, have state and regional experience and offer stability for a team that looks to make a big impact again Sept. 23 at the Roy Griak Invitational following a third-place finish last year. WATCHLIST More news |
