The National Sports Scholastic Foundation (NSSF) released the first enstallment of the XC Regional Rankings, put together by Marc Bloom and Rich Gonzalez.
Girls Southeast
(AL, DE, FL, GA, KY, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)
- Mountain Brook (AL) - NXN 6th-placer returns 6 of 7 led by NXN indiv. champ Madeline Morgan
- Collins Hill (GA) - Regional winner has top 5 back led by state champ Amanda Winslow
- Tatnall (DE) - State champ Julie Bottorff leads reg’l runner-up w/ 4:52-5:22 1600 times
- Midlothian (VA) - State 3A champs stronger with healthy Lautzenheiser twins in solid 7
- Episcopal (FL) - Returns 5 of 7 from state 2A champs and regional 4th-place team
- Oak Ridge (TN) - State 3A winners return 5 girls from top-20 finishers
- Oakton (VA) - State 3A runner-up loses 2 key scorers but still has plenty of talent
- Satellite (FL) - State 3A titlist led by state XC and mile champ Ashley Shiver
- Assumption (KY) - State 3A winner by 50 has top 4 back that placed in first 14 finishers
- St. Agnes (TN) - Under-the-radar state Div II-2A champ led by state champ and may more
Bubble teams alphabetically: Archmere (DE), Bartram Trail (FL), Cabell Midland (WV), Cardinal Gibbons (NC), Chapel Hill (NC), Dunbar (KY), Herndon (VA), Lake Braddock (VA), Lake Highland Prep (FL), Lourdes (FL), Maggie Walker (VA), Marist (GA), Mauldin (SC), Meade County (KY), Morgantown (WV), No. Gwinnett (GA), Padua (DE), Roberson (NC), Roosevelt (MD), Sacred Heart (KY), Scottsboro (AL), St. Paul’s (AL), University (WV), Walton (GA)
Boys Southeast
(AL, DE, FL, GA, KY, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)
- Oakton (VA) - Hendricks twins lead deep regional 4th-placer hoping for late-season pop
- Green Hope (NC) - Reg’l 8th-placer returns 6 of 7 after top 5 ran 4:21-4:33 for 1600 last spring
- Baylor (TN) - Regional 3rd-placer returns 3 top runners while quickly filling graduation gaps
- Jefferson Sci/Tech (VA) - State 3A champ, regional runner-up returns 4 of 7 while losing top scorers
- Broughton (NC) - State 4A champs return 4 all-staters with 18-second spread plus key transfer
- Jamestown (VA) - State 2A 3rd-place team has a pair of all-staters pacing division favorite
- Brookwood (GA) - State 5A runner-up has top 7 back and is the team to beat in Georgia
- Northwest (MD) - State 4A runner-up has top 5 back with 37-second spread
- Melbourne (FL) - State 4A champs return 3 top-13 finishers led by winner Brian Atkinson
- Hoover (AL) - Regional 5th-placer led by all-American Pat McGregor but needs more experience
Bubble teams alphabetically:Albemarle (VA), Atlee (VA), Bethesda-Chevy Chase (MD), Brentsville (VA), Caesar Rodney (DE), Chapel Hill (NC), Collins Hill (GA), Columbus (FL), Daviess County (KY), Enloe (NC), Freeman (VA), Maggie Walker (VA), Marist (GA), Midlothian (VA), Mountain View (VA), Oak Ridge (TN), Ocean Lakes (VA), Parkview (GA), Peachtree Ridge (GA), St. Xavier (KY), Walton (GA), Wando (SC), Wilde Lake (MD), Wheeling Park (WV), Winter Park (FL)