Daily Independent Pre-Season Rankings, voted by coaches.
Girls:
# 1. Maddie Roark Russell
2. Brooklyn Bowen Fairview
3. Arianna Doderer Paintsville
tie 4. Kasie Bradly Fairview
tie 4. Mykal Farris Ashland
Boys:
# 1. Tanner Alexander Russell
2. Darrell Cross Rowan County
tie 3. Jon Renneker Ashland
tie 3. Max Rogers Russell
5. Nehemial Doderer Painstville
Season Preview:
This is going to be a very interesting track year for the Daily Independent Area. In the girls this might be the year that a new top dog emerges. But, until someone beats the Lady Red Devils they are the top team in the area. Seniors, Maddie Roark, the pre-season top vote getter, sprinter Sarah Hanson and Sophomore Gabriel Cassity will score enough points to make the lady of Russell hard to beat. The team that might push Russell is the ladies of Fairview. With the addition of Kayla Day and Claire Virgin to the team. Along with Brooklyn Bowen, Kasie Bradley, and all the distance runners that Fairview has, will make the meets fun to watch. Other teams to watch are Ashland Blazer with Mykal Farris and Sierra Crum. Paintsville has one of the top runners in the area Arianna Doderer. Watch out for newcomer Katie Null. Things on the girls’ teams’ rankings will get more defined in the next two weeks.
On the boys side it will come down to Russell with athletes like Tanner Alexander, Max Rogers two of the top track athletes in the area, and Rowan County with their do it all guy Darrell Cross will also be one to watch. I'm sure these two teams will go after each other all the way though the KHSAA AA Regional Meet. As always, Ashland will be in contention, they have this past fall’s top Cross Country runner in Jon Renneker. Last track season Renneker and Tanner Alexander battled each other in the two distance race all season long. I'm sure the two are ready for war again this season. Other teams to watch this season are Greenup County, Fairview and Johnson Central. If we would see Johnson Central more in this area they might challenge all the local teams. Again we will find out more in the next two weeks
Teams in the Daily Independent Area
Ashland, Bath County, Boyd County, East Carter, Elliott County, Fairview, Greenup County, Johnson Central, Lawrence County, Lewis County, Morgan County, Paintsville, Raceland, Rowan County, Russell and West Carter