TEAM RANKINGS
Girls
1. Rock Bridge – We start off with what may seem like a surprise, ranking the team who finished 5th last year as the pre-season #1. The Bruins return 5 of the girls who ran in the State meet last fall (including 3 of the top 30) This group had a very impressive track season this spring with 5 girls with sub 12 prs for 3200 meters. The top teams are all appear to be very close which leads us to….
2. Lafayette (Wildwood) – The Lady Lancers return 4 of their top 5 from last year’s 3rd place team. Sarah Nicholson and Anna West are a mighty tough 1-2 and don’t forget that Grace Breiten (22nd last year) is a highly accomplished soccer player so she didn’t run track in the spring. We would not be surprised to see these girls occupy the #1 spot either during or at the end of the season.
3. Eureka - Somehow we left these girls off the pre-season rankings last year and they sure proved us wrong. They were tied with Wildwood at the state meet taking 4th based on the 6th runner. With senior Hannah Long leading the way, this is one tough team.
4. Ste. Genevieve – The defending Class 3 Champs won’t be sneaking up on any teams this season. Mia Jerman had a great spring and 4 of the top 25 girls from last year’s State meet will be back.
5. Raymore – Peculiar – Ray-Pec was 12th in XC last season but like Rock Bridge had an impressive list of girls with fast 3200 times this past spring so we think they will be much improved in 14.
6. Francis Howell – Last season we put the defending 2012 champs as #9 in the pre-season rankings because of concerns of the talent that had graduated. We know how that turned out last fall when they repeated as State champs. Three of last year’s top 5 have graduated but we look forward to seeing what this squad will do, especially when you consider they now find themselves in district 2 with Wildwood and Eureka.
7. MICDS – Our 2nd of 3 Class 3 teams fished 4th last year in Class 3 with 7 underclassmen.
8. Kearney – The Bulldogs graduated their top 2 but return 5 from last season’s 9th place squad.
9. Lee’s Summit North – 6th place a year ago, the Broncos always seem have a spot in our rankings.
10. Notre Dame de Sion – The final spot goes to our 3rd Class 3 team. All 7 of last year’s 3rd place Class 3 team were underclassmen.
Next up The Boys