Jesuit Girls Looking To Take Another Step Forward

By Adam Kopet of DyeStat

Girls NXR Northwest Preview

The Northwest region plays host to NXN each year, but the girls have struggled to match the national success the boys have had.

This year, the top teams entering the season all come from Oregon and Idaho. Jesuit OR leads the way, returning five runners from a team that finished 15th at NXN last year. Jesuit has the depth where it is possible for one of its runners to have a bad race and the team can still perform well. But if the Crusaders are going to qualify, and then improve their NXN finish this year, they will need to be operating on all cylinders after the Oregon state meet. 

Not far behind Jesuit is Summit OR. The Storm are led by Jesuit transfer junior Kelsey Gripekoven and junior Fiona Max. Summit qualified for NXN in 2016 and the runners who competed on that team will be looking to improve upon their 22nd-place finish.

Mountain View ID and Boise ID start the season third and fourth. Mountain View is led by individual NXR Northwest runner-up Lexy Halladay, who has enjoyed a strong two years for the Mavericks. Now a junior, she will want to have her teammates join her in Portland. Eve Jensen, of Boise, has long been a runner of note in Idaho. Now a senior, she might have a team around her that is capable of making a big step onto the regional stage, if not the national stage. Boise only had three runners complete the championship race at NXR Northwest last year.

St. Mary's Academy OR rounds out the top five to start the season. The Blues last qualified for NXN in 2007. Now the team, led by senior Sarah Lyell, will be looking to get back into the picture.

Another team to watch this season will be North Central WA. The team returns a strong quartet and if a fifth runner can be found or developed, North Central could be among the teams capable of qualifying for NXN out of the Northwest.

1. Jesuit OR. The Crusaders return five of last year's varsity seven runners, including Class 6A state champion Makenna Schumacher. They finished 15th last year at NXN, as they served as hometown favorites in Portland. Jesuit starts the season as a narrow favorite to make a second straight appearance at NXN.

2. Summit OR. The Storm return five runners from last year's varsity seven that finished third at NXR Northwest. Additionally, the Storm picked a Jesuit transfer, Kelsey Gripekoven. They are led by junior Fiona Max, who ran 10:00 for 3,000 meters last spring and Gripekoven, who ran 9:57.

3. Mountain View ID. The Mavericks return six of the seven runners who finished fifth at NXR Northwest last year. They are led by junior Lexy Halladay, who won the 2017 Nike Portland XC, the former site of NXN, in 17:19.

4. Boise ID. Boise returns its top five runners from 2017. The team did not run a complete squad at NXR Northwest, but senior Eve Jensen is the team leader, having run 17:22 for 5K.

5. St. Mary's Academy OR. The Blues return the top five runners from their third-place Oregon 6A State Championships team. They are led by senior Sarah Lyell, who ran 18:13 for 5K last year. 

Watchlist

Billings Senior MT

Bozeman MT

Eagle ID

Hellgate MT

Lewis and Clark WA

North Central WA